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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,366 per month in Noumea vs $2,713 in Locarno, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,652 per month in Noumea vs $4,457 in Locarno, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,938 per month in Noumea vs $6,200 in Locarno, rent included.

Noumea is about 13% cheaper than Locarno, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Noumea and Locarno sit above the global median – Noumea by 76%, Locarno by 102%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.76 CFPF 1,519

$27.76 CHF 22.04

-46.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.8 CFPF 10.2K

$146 CHF 116

-32.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.48 CFPF 1,489

$16.61 CHF 13.19

-12.82%

Cappuccino

$5.79 CFPF 596

$4.92 CHF 3.90

17.68%

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

$2.48 CFPF 255

$5.15 CHF 4.09

-51.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 CFPF 115

$4.39 CHF 3.48

-74.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.02 CFPF 1,133

$7.49 CHF 5.95

47.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.63 CFPF 784

$6.98 CHF 5.54

9.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 CFPF 127

$1.89 CHF 1.50

-34.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 CFPF 317

$2.57 CHF 2.04

19.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 CFPF 195

$2.39 CHF 1.90

-20.92%

Eggs

$5.66 CFPF 582

$5.79 CHF 4.60

-2.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.80 CFPF 1,933

$27.11 CHF 21.52

-30.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$22.46 CFPF 2,310

$14.55 CHF 11.55

54.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.77 CFPF 2,650

$36.75 CHF 29.18

-29.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 CFPF 434

$2.63 CHF 2.09

60.46%

Banana (1kg)

$7.33 CFPF 754

$1.88 CHF 1.49

289.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.98 CFPF 718

$1.90 CHF 1.51

267.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.32 CFPF 753

$3.02 CHF 2.39

142.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.74 CFPF 385

$1.32 CHF 1.05

183.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 CFPF 339

$1.82 CHF 1.45

80.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.95 CFPF 304

$1.82 CHF 1.44

62.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CFPF 149

$0.75 CHF 0.60

93.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.80 CFPF 2,036

$10.62 CHF 8.43

86.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.17 CFPF 1,766

$11.78 CHF 9.35

45.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.19 CFPF 534

$2.26 CHF 1.79

129.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.18 CFPF 636

$2.33 CHF 1.85

165.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 CFPF 295

$2.80 CHF 2.22

2.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.4 CFPF 6,311

$98.9 CHF 78.5

-37.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 CFPF 567

$6.67 CHF 5.30

-17.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 CFPF 102

$4.10 CHF 3.26

-75.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.63 CFPF 2,533

$79.9 CHF 63.4

-69.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 CFPF 171

$2.14 CHF 1.70

-21.96%

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

$34.6K CFPF 3.6M

$34.1K CHF 27.1K

1.56%

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

$39.1K CFPF 4.0M

$41.2K CHF 32.7K

-4.96%

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

$208 CFPF 21.4K

$324 CHF 257

-35.75%

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

$40.80 CFPF 4,196

$24.22 CHF 19.23

68.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CFPF 5,934

$46.61 CHF 37.01

23.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 CFPF 6,331

$75.0 CHF 59.5

-17.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.63 CFPF 785

$30.23 CHF 24.00

-74.76%

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 CFPF 1,324

$21.02 CHF 16.69

-38.77%

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

$798 CFPF 82.0K

$1,474 CHF 1,170

-45.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K CHF 15.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 CFPF 11.2K

$114 CHF 90.6

-4.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.2 CFPF 6,088

$59.5 CHF 47.24

-0.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 CFPF 12.8K

$123 CHF 97.8

1.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$241 CFPF 24.8K

$122 CHF 96.5

98.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 CFPF 82.3K

$1,049 CHF 833

-23.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 CFPF 80.6K

$1,061 CHF 842

-26.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,620 CFPF 166.6K

$2,455 CHF 1,949

-33.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 CFPF 136.1K

$2,243 CHF 1,781

-41.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,875 CFPF 501.4K

$8,339 CHF 6,620

-41.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,582 CFPF 368.5K

$6,382 CHF 5,067

-43.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,746 CFPF 282.4K

$6,963 CHF 5,528

-60.56%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Locarno: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $800 in Noumea versus $1,049 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 154% 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 $99.0 in Noumea versus $146 in Locarno. Groceries tell a different story – $569 in Noumea vs $452 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 15%, 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 $3,549 per month in Noumea and $4,069 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 61% less in Noumea. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $798 per month in Noumea and $1,474 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 $2,366, than in Locarno at $2,713. 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.