Cost of Living Comparison Between Noumea and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Noumea and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,502 in Noumea versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,946 in Noumea versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,390 in Noumea versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Noumea is roughly 8% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Noumea 82% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.27 CFPF 2,186

$17.30 €14.93

22.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$116 CFPF 11.9K

$63.3 €54.6

83.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.41 CFPF 1,481

$11.39 €9.83

26.51%

Cappuccino

$4.86 CFPF 499

$3.19 €2.75

52.35%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 CFPF 208

$2.45 €2.11

-17.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CFPF 132

$1.76 €1.52

-26.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.02 CFPF 1,029

$3.59 €3.10

179.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 CFPF 798

$3.39 €2.93

129.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CFPF 127

$1.24 €1.07

-0.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 CFPF 379

$1.98 €1.71

86.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 CFPF 238

$1.52 €1.31

51.97%

Eggs

$6.32 CFPF 649

$4.04 €3.49

56.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.58 CFPF 3,142

$13.54 €11.68

125.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.70 CFPF 2,949

$8.39 €7.24

242.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.46 CFPF 3,027

$18.25 €15.75

61.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.78 CFPF 491

$2.29 €1.98

108.73%

Banana (1kg)

$7.52 CFPF 773

$1.74 €1.50

332.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.38 CFPF 656

$1.86 €1.60

243.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.45 CFPF 868

$2.63 €2.27

221.29%

Potato (1kg)

$5.84 CFPF 600

$1.92 €1.65

204.17%

Onion (1kg)

$3.95 CFPF 406

$2.09 €1.81

89.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.28 CFPF 440

$1.44 €1.24

197.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CFPF 160

$0.84 €0.73

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.04 CFPF 2,059

$6.78 €5.85

195.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.60 CFPF 1,808

$5.71 €4.93

208.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.74 CFPF 590

$1.38 €1.19

315.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.92 CFPF 505

$2.40 €2.07

105.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 CFPF 729

$4.17 €3.60

70.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 CFPF 115

$1.14 €0.98

-1.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.02 CFPF 2,262

$17.68 €15.26

24.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 CFPF 173

$2.32 €2.01

-27.59%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.0K CFPF 3.5M

$35.3K €30.5K

-3.92%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.0K CFPF 4.0M

$41.4K €35.8K

-5.94%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$206 CFPF 21.1K

$170 €147

20.72%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$45.06 CFPF 4,630

$19.34 €16.69

132.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CFPF 5,252

$33.64 €29.03

51.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 CFPF 5,214

$48.10 €41.50

5.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.91 CFPF 915

$19.90 €17.17

-55.23%

Cinema Ticket

$14.87 CFPF 1,528

$9.92 €8.56

49.90%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$786 CFPF 80.8K

$717 €619

9.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,907 CFPF 1.0M

$17.5K €15.1K

-43.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 CFPF 11.6K

$105 €90.4

7.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.2 CFPF 6,907

$46.95 €40.51

43.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CFPF 10.6K

$103 €89.2

-0.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$264 CFPF 27.2K

$124 €107

113.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 CFPF 80.7K

$1,677 €1,447

-53.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$791 CFPF 81.2K

$1,271 €1,097

-37.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 CFPF 163.1K

$2,985 €2,575

-46.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 CFPF 142.6K

$1,992 €1,719

-30.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,781 CFPF 491.3K

$7,826 €6,753

-38.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,580 CFPF 367.9K

$4,658 €4,019

-23.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,787 CFPF 286.4K

$1,583 €1,366

76.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.13

3.79

-17.41%

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

Last update for Noumea: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $785 in Noumea and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Noumea pays 76% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $116 in Noumea vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $669 vs $283 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Noumea and Lisbon differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($2,502 vs $2,316 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 76% higher in Noumea, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $785 in Noumea versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 137% higher in Noumea. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,502 per month in Noumea versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,316 in Lisbon versus $2,502 in Noumea, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Noumea. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Noumea and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Noumea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.