Cost of Living Comparison Between Noumea and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Noumea and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,361 per month in Noumea vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,697 per month in Noumea vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,032 per month in Noumea vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Noumea costs about 133% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Noumea sits 76% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.44 CFPF 1,475

$5.99 COP 21.4K

141.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.9 CFPF 9,996

$32.86 COP 117.4K

197.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.38 CFPF 1,469

$7.09 COP 25.3K

102.82%

Cappuccino

$5.78 CFPF 591

$1.71 COP 6,115

238.01%

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

$2.39 CFPF 244

$1.10 COP 3,924

117.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 CFPF 109

$0.78 COP 2,781

37.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.12 CFPF 1,136

$1.68 COP 5,997

561.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.49 CFPF 765

$3.07 COP 11.0K

143.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 CFPF 120

$1.09 COP 3,906

7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 CFPF 309

$1.26 COP 4,508

139.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 CFPF 194

$1.38 COP 4,922

37.68%

Eggs

$5.51 CFPF 563

$2.19 COP 7,827

151.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.74 CFPF 1,914

$4.40 COP 15.7K

325.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$22.41 CFPF 2,289

$5.63 COP 20.1K

298.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.25 CFPF 2,682

$8.89 COP 31.8K

195.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.20 CFPF 429

$2.34 COP 8,349

79.49%

Banana (1kg)

$7.18 CFPF 733

$1.06 COP 3,777

577.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.76 CFPF 690

$1.50 COP 5,374

350.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.48 CFPF 764

$1.38 COP 4,924

442.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 CFPF 379

$1.15 COP 4,111

222.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 CFPF 332

$1.16 COP 4,155

180.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.95 CFPF 302

$0.89 COP 3,182

231.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CFPF 154

$0.84 COP 2,997

79.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.54 CFPF 2,098

$2.28 COP 8,145

800.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 CFPF 1,809

$10.64 COP 38.0K

66.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.39 CFPF 551

$1.20 COP 4,284

349.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.24 CFPF 637

$2.47 COP 8,824

152.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 CFPF 290

$0.86 COP 3,056

230.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.5 CFPF 6,482

$41.40 COP 147.9K

53.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 CFPF 553

$1.47 COP 5,264

268.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 CFPF 102

$1.96 COP 7,009

-48.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.54 CFPF 2,507

$7.74 COP 27.6K

217.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 CFPF 171

$0.95 COP 3,409

76.84%

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

$34.7K CFPF 3.5M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

91.14%

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

$39.6K CFPF 4.0M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

49.37%

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

$208 CFPF 21.2K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

152.73%

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

$39.94 CFPF 4,079

$9.50 COP 33.9K

320.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 CFPF 5,742

$24.23 COP 86.5K

131.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 CFPF 6,150

$25.89 COP 92.4K

132.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.64 CFPF 780

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-59.79%

Cinema Ticket

$13.08 CFPF 1,337

$3.93 COP 14.0K

232.82%

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

$788 CFPF 80.5K

$309 COP 1.1M

154.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 CFPF 11.4K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

89.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 CFPF 5,905

$32.35 COP 115.5K

78.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 CFPF 12.8K

$103 COP 366.4K

22.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$245 CFPF 25.0K

$108 COP 387.2K

126.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 CFPF 80.2K

$476 COP 1.7M

64.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$802 CFPF 82.0K

$379 COP 1.4M

111.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CFPF 166.4K

$838 COP 3.0M

94.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 CFPF 137.0K

$724 COP 2.6M

85.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,878 CFPF 498.3K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

74.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,524 CFPF 360.0K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

190.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,780 CFPF 284.0K

$512 COP 1.8M

443.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.33

13.43

-82.65%

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

Last update for Noumea: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $785 in Noumea versus $476 in Medellin. 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 443% higher in Noumea, 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 $98.0 in Noumea versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $570 vs $188 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Noumea is pricier by about 133%, 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 $3,541 per month in Noumea and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Noumea and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,361 in Noumea and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Noumea at $2,361. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Noumea it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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