Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Noumea and Dargaville

For one person, living is cheaper in Dargaville: $2,134 a month against $2,676 in Noumea, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. The total is higher in Noumea despite lower rent and utilities.

Noumea, New Caledonia
Dargaville, New Zealand
Noumea
🇳🇨 New Caledonia
$2,676
/mo nomad
Dargaville
🇳🇿 New Zealand
$2,134
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Noumea and in Dargaville

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Noumea and in Dargaville actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,676 in Noumea versus $2,134 in Dargaville.

  • Noumea $2,676
  • Dargaville $2,134

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,200 in Noumea versus $3,019 in Dargaville.

  • Noumea $4,200
  • Dargaville $3,019

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,724 in Noumea versus $3,904 in Dargaville.

  • Noumea $5,724
  • Dargaville $3,904

Living in Noumea is roughly 25% more expensive than in Dargaville, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Noumea 97% above, Dargaville 57% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Noumea
Dargaville
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.74 CFPF 2,213
$14.54 NZ$25.92
42.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$112 CFPF 12.0K
$68.9 NZ$123
62.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.07 CFPF 1,501
$9.05 NZ$16.13
55.47%
Cappuccino
$4.48 CFPF 478
$3.69 NZ$6.58
21.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 CFPF 209
$2.18 NZ$3.89
-10.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 CFPF 132
$2.09 NZ$3.73
-41.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.59 CFPF 1,023
$6.31 NZ$11.24
51.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.14 CFPF 762
$5.63 NZ$10.04
26.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Noumea
Dargaville
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 CFPF 127
$2.05 NZ$3.65
-41.95%
White Bread (500g)
$3.42 CFPF 364
$1.96 NZ$3.49
74.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 CFPF 240
$1.52 NZ$2.71
47.37%
Eggs
$6.21 CFPF 663
$6.70 NZ$11.94
-7.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$29.94 CFPF 3,195
$8.49 NZ$15.14
252.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$28.58 CFPF 3,050
$10.47 NZ$18.66
172.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$27.62 CFPF 2,947
$12.69 NZ$22.62
117.65%
Apples (1kg)
$4.71 CFPF 503
$2.65 NZ$4.72
77.74%
Banana (1kg)
$6.93 CFPF 740
$2.14 NZ$3.81
223.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.18 CFPF 660
$2.92 NZ$5.20
111.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$8.08 CFPF 862
$5.86 NZ$10.45
37.88%
Potato (1kg)
$5.65 CFPF 603
$1.73 NZ$3.08
226.59%
Onion (1kg)
$3.83 CFPF 409
$1.38 NZ$2.46
177.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$4.09 CFPF 436
$2.49 NZ$4.43
64.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 CFPF 155
$1.18 NZ$2.10
22.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.14 CFPF 2,042
$26.67 NZ$47.54
-28.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.58 CFPF 1,769
$10.24 NZ$18.26
61.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.56 CFPF 593
$3.02 NZ$5.38
84.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.13 NZ$5.57
-
🚌 Getting Around
Noumea
Dargaville
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.75 CFPF 507
$1.89 NZ$3.37
151.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$285 CFPF 30.4K
$115 NZ$205
147.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.08 CFPF 755
$2.42 NZ$4.31
192.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.12 CFPF 119
$1.81 NZ$3.22
-38.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.24 CFPF 2,266
$26.35 NZ$46.96
-19.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 CFPF 165
$1.49 NZ$2.66
4.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K CFPF 3.5M
$25.5K NZ$45.4K
28.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.0K CFPF 4.1M
$23.7K NZ$42.2K
60.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Noumea
Dargaville
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$196 CFPF 21.0K
$128 NZ$228
53.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.13 CFPF 4,708
$29.15 NZ$52.0
51.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.00 CFPF 5,122
$51.3 NZ$91.4
-6.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Noumea
Dargaville
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.1 CFPF 5,341
$38.91 NZ$69.4
28.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.54 CFPF 911
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.25 CFPF 1,521
$11.48 NZ$20.45
24.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Noumea
Dargaville
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$740 CFPF 78.9K
$659 NZ$1,174
12.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,264 CFPF 988.5K
$14.6K NZ$26.1K
-36.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Noumea
Dargaville
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$109 CFPF 11.6K
$67.3 NZ$120
61.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$65.4 CFPF 6,974
$39.09 NZ$69.7
67.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.1 CFPF 10.4K
$90.9 NZ$162
6.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$254 CFPF 27.1K
$115 NZ$205
120.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Noumea
Dargaville
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$749 CFPF 79.9K
$1,125 NZ$2,006
-33.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$774 CFPF 82.5K
$1,011 NZ$1,802
-23.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,508 CFPF 160.9K
$1,404 NZ$2,503
7.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,311 CFPF 139.9K
$1,352 NZ$2,409
-2.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,760 CFPF 507.8K
$4,216 NZ$7,514
12.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,387 CFPF 361.4K
$3,111 NZ$5,544
8.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Noumea
Dargaville
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,657 CFPF 283.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.13
5.83
-46.31%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Noumea: October 24, 2026

Last update for Dargaville: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Noumea
$774
Dargaville
$1K 30.7% $238
Groceries & Markets
Noumea
$645 *
Dargaville
$330 48.9% $315
Eating Out
Noumea
$337
Dargaville
$248 26.5% $89
Getting Around
Noumea
$317
Dargaville
$134 57.6% $183
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Noumea
$289
Dargaville
$209 27.7% $80
Clothing & Footwear
Noumea
$236
Dargaville
$141 40.5% $96
Sport & Entertainment
Noumea
$79
Dargaville
$62 21.2% $17

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $749 in Noumea and $1,125 in Dargaville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $112 in Noumea vs $69 in Dargaville for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $645 vs $330 per month, with Dargaville cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇨 Noumea
🇳🇿 Dargaville
🕒 Local time
04:34 4:34 AM
06:34 6:34 AM
2 h ahead of Noumea
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
91,386 Capital
4,600
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD, EUR to XPF – CFP Franc Converter

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 107 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.37 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.42 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.561 USD). 1 EUR = 1.98 NZD (1 NZD = 0.504 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Noumea Dargaville 1,680 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Noumea
  • Dargaville

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Noumea vs Dargaville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Noumea and in Dargaville?
Noumea and Dargaville differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($2,676 vs $2,134 including rent). Dargaville is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Noumea compared to Dargaville?
You’d need roughly $4,014 in Noumea and $3,201 in Dargaville to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Noumea and in Dargaville?
Rent for a central apartment: $749 in Noumea versus $1,125 in Dargaville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Noumea and Dargaville?
Childcare runs $740 in Noumea versus $659 in Dargaville. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 96% higher in Noumea. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How far does $3,000 go in Noumea compared to Dargaville?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Dargaville gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Noumea and Dargaville?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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