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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,390 per month in Noumea vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,715 per month in Noumea vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,040 per month in Noumea vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Noumea costs about 132% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Noumea sits 79% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.65 CFPF 1,524

$6.16 COP 20.1K

137.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.1 CFPF 10.1K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

197.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.64 CFPF 1,523

$7.34 COP 23.9K

99.46%

Cappuccino

$5.98 CFPF 622

$1.72 COP 5,600

247.67%

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

$2.45 CFPF 255

$1.05 COP 3,420

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 CFPF 115

$0.77 COP 2,515

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.29 CFPF 1,174

$1.69 COP 5,488

568.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.67 CFPF 798

$3.17 COP 10.3K

141.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CFPF 128

$1.05 COP 3,423

17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 CFPF 320

$1.30 COP 4,236

136.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 CFPF 206

$1.40 COP 4,544

41.43%

Eggs

$5.76 CFPF 599

$2.16 COP 7,047

166.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.01 CFPF 1,978

$4.39 COP 14.3K

333.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$22.21 CFPF 2,311

$5.88 COP 19.1K

277.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.41 CFPF 2,644

$8.64 COP 28.1K

194.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 CFPF 450

$2.28 COP 7,426

89.91%

Banana (1kg)

$7.29 CFPF 758

$1.11 COP 3,604

556.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.63 CFPF 690

$1.53 COP 4,983

333.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 CFPF 738

$1.35 COP 4,410

425.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 CFPF 397

$1.13 COP 3,674

238.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 CFPF 345

$1.13 COP 3,692

192.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.96 CFPF 308

$0.85 COP 2,753

248.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CFPF 156

$0.91 COP 2,975

64.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.47 CFPF 2,130

$2.34 COP 7,630

774.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.10 CFPF 1,779

$12.37 COP 40.3K

38.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.21 CFPF 542

$1.20 COP 3,909

334.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 CFPF 658

$2.49 COP 8,104

153.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 CFPF 304

$0.84 COP 2,728

247.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.5 CFPF 6,606

$40.57 COP 132.1K

56.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 CFPF 559

$1.42 COP 4,623

278.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 CFPF 105

$1.92 COP 6,235

-47.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.88 CFPF 2,589

$7.66 COP 24.9K

224.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 CFPF 167

$0.99 COP 3,223

62.63%

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

$34.4K CFPF 3.6M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

90.66%

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

$39.5K CFPF 4.1M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

48.25%

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

$208 CFPF 21.6K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

157.13%

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

$40.53 CFPF 4,217

$9.95 COP 32.4K

307.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.0 CFPF 6,033

$24.18 COP 78.7K

139.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 CFPF 6,429

$25.08 COP 81.7K

146.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.85 CFPF 817

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-59.01%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CFPF 1,329

$3.98 COP 13.0K

220.85%

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

$783 CFPF 81.5K

$305 COP 993.5K

156.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 CFPF 11.8K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

94.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 CFPF 5,935

$32.20 COP 104.8K

77.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 CFPF 13.1K

$101 COP 327.9K

24.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$238 CFPF 24.8K

$108 COP 350.8K

120.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 CFPF 83.8K

$477 COP 1.6M

68.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 CFPF 82.6K

$376 COP 1.2M

111.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 CFPF 165.5K

$845 COP 2.7M

88.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 CFPF 138.9K

$730 COP 2.4M

82.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,854 CFPF 505.0K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

50.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CFPF 365.4K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

155.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,719 CFPF 282.9K

$617 COP 2.0M

340.81%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Noumea versus $477 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 341% 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 $97.0 in Noumea versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $567 vs $193 – 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 132%, 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 $3,584 per month in Noumea and $1,546 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 $97.0 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 $2,390 in Noumea and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Noumea at $2,390. 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.