Cost of Living Comparison Between Noumea and Locarno Cost of Living Comparison Between Noumea and Locarno

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,350 per month in Noumea vs $2,749 in Locarno, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,723 per month in Noumea vs $4,497 in Locarno, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,096 per month in Noumea vs $6,245 in Locarno, rent included.

Noumea is about 15% cheaper than Locarno, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Noumea and Locarno sit above the global median – Noumea by 77%, Locarno by 107%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.47 CFPF 1,513

$27.58 CHF 22.44

-47.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.9 CFPF 10.1K

$145 CHF 118

-33.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.26 CFPF 1,491

$16.71 CHF 13.59

-14.66%

Cappuccino

$6.05 CFPF 633

$4.95 CHF 4.03

22.22%

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

$2.35 CFPF 246

$5.18 CHF 4.21

-54.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 CFPF 111

$4.41 CHF 3.59

-75.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.96 CFPF 1,146

$7.43 CHF 6.04

47.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 CFPF 770

$7.14 CHF 5.81

3.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CFPF 129

$1.82 CHF 1.48

-32.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CFPF 321

$2.60 CHF 2.11

18.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 CFPF 205

$2.50 CHF 2.03

-21.60%

Eggs

$5.62 CFPF 587

$6.06 CHF 4.93

-7.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.89 CFPF 1,975

$27.05 CHF 22.01

-30.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$22.48 CFPF 2,350

$14.67 CHF 11.93

53.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.15 CFPF 2,734

$36.42 CHF 29.63

-28.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CFPF 437

$2.77 CHF 2.26

50.90%

Banana (1kg)

$7.41 CFPF 774

$1.88 CHF 1.53

294.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.71 CFPF 701

$1.81 CHF 1.47

270.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.19 CFPF 752

$3.14 CHF 2.55

128.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.73 CFPF 390

$1.39 CHF 1.13

168.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 CFPF 334

$1.83 CHF 1.49

74.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 CFPF 297

$1.80 CHF 1.46

57.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CFPF 157

$0.71 CHF 0.58

111.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.02 CFPF 2,093

$10.80 CHF 8.78

85.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.31 CFPF 1,810

$13.31 CHF 10.83

30.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.35 CFPF 559

$2.29 CHF 1.86

133.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.23 CFPF 651

$2.39 CHF 1.94

160.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 CFPF 297

$2.78 CHF 2.26

2.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 CFPF 6,611

$98.0 CHF 79.7

-35.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.29 CFPF 553

$6.85 CHF 5.57

-22.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 CFPF 109

$4.18 CHF 3.40

-75.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 CFPF 2,617

$79.5 CHF 64.7

-68.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 CFPF 169

$2.14 CHF 1.74

-24.77%

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

$34.8K CFPF 3.6M

$34.7K CHF 28.3K

0.19%

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

$39.8K CFPF 4.2M

$41.6K CHF 33.8K

-4.28%

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

$210 CFPF 22.0K

$327 CHF 266

-35.76%

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

$40.09 CFPF 4,191

$24.92 CHF 20.27

60.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 CFPF 6,091

$47.36 CHF 38.52

23.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 CFPF 6,459

$72.8 CHF 59.2

-15.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.89 CFPF 825

$30.50 CHF 24.81

-74.13%

Cinema Ticket

$12.97 CFPF 1,355

$21.02 CHF 17.10

-38.30%

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

$803 CFPF 84.0K

$1,466 CHF 1,193

-45.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K CHF 15.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 CFPF 11.6K

$114 CHF 92.6

-2.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.1 CFPF 6,174

$59.4 CHF 48.29

-0.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 CFPF 13.1K

$121 CHF 98.1

4.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$240 CFPF 25.0K

$121 CHF 98.0

98.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 CFPF 83.9K

$1,060 CHF 862

-24.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 CFPF 83.7K

$1,060 CHF 862

-24.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 CFPF 170.2K

$2,462 CHF 2,003

-33.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 CFPF 139.2K

$2,271 CHF 1,847

-41.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,693 CFPF 490.7K

$8,017 CHF 6,521

-41.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,561 CFPF 372.3K

$6,148 CHF 5,000

-42.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,774 CFPF 290.0K

$6,878 CHF 5,595

-59.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.33

2.17

7.37%

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

Last update for Noumea: July 28, 2026

Last update for Locarno: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $803 in Noumea versus $1,060 in Locarno. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 148% higher in Locarno, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97.0 in Noumea versus $145 in Locarno. Groceries tell a different story – $570 in Noumea vs $457 in Locarno – so Locarno wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Locarno: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Locarno is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,525 per month in Noumea and $4,124 in Locarno. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Noumea, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 55% less in Noumea. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Noumea and $1,466 in Locarno. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Noumea, where all-in costs run around $2,350, than in Locarno at $2,749. In Noumea it covers expenses comfortably, while in Locarno it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Noumea – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Noumea. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Locarno makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.