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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,502 per month in Noumea vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,946 per month in Noumea vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,390 per month in Noumea vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Noumea costs about 46% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Noumea and Medellin sit above the global median – Noumea by 82%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.27 CFPF 2,186

$8.03 COP 25.3K

164.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$116 CFPF 11.9K

$48.26 COP 152.0K

140.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.41 CFPF 1,481

$9.77 COP 30.8K

47.49%

Cappuccino

$4.86 CFPF 499

$2.91 COP 9,167

67.01%

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

$2.02 CFPF 208

$1.94 COP 6,122

4.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CFPF 132

$1.52 COP 4,792

-15.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.02 CFPF 1,029

$3.09 COP 9,740

224.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 CFPF 798

$5.74 COP 18.1K

35.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CFPF 127

$1.36 COP 4,296

-9.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 CFPF 379

$2.39 COP 7,519

54.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 CFPF 238

$1.70 COP 5,356

35.88%

Eggs

$6.32 CFPF 649

$2.87 COP 9,038

120.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.58 CFPF 3,142

$9.94 COP 31.3K

207.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.70 CFPF 2,949

$10.78 COP 34.0K

166.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.46 CFPF 3,027

$14.73 COP 46.4K

100.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.78 CFPF 491

$4.09 COP 12.9K

16.87%

Banana (1kg)

$7.52 CFPF 773

$1.57 COP 4,950

378.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.38 CFPF 656

$2.13 COP 6,695

199.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.45 CFPF 868

$2.21 COP 6,972

282.35%

Potato (1kg)

$5.84 CFPF 600

$2.05 COP 6,447

184.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.95 CFPF 406

$1.50 COP 4,737

163.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.28 CFPF 440

$1.19 COP 3,747

259.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CFPF 160

$1.16 COP 3,647

34.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.04 CFPF 2,059

$3.90 COP 12.3K

413.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.60 CFPF 1,808

$14.44 COP 45.5K

21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.74 CFPF 590

$1.58 COP 4,987

263.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,905

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.92 CFPF 505

$1.17 COP 3,679

320.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 CFPF 729

$1.28 COP 4,045

454.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 CFPF 115

$2.09 COP 6,589

-46.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.02 CFPF 2,262

$8.62 COP 27.1K

155.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 CFPF 173

$1.30 COP 4,088

29.23%

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

$34.0K CFPF 3.5M

$27.7K COP 87.1M

22.76%

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

$39.0K CFPF 4.0M

$35.5K COP 111.8M

9.78%

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

$206 CFPF 21.1K

$176 COP 554.5K

16.78%

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

$45.06 CFPF 4,630

$13.37 COP 42.1K

237.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CFPF 5,252

$29.89 COP 94.1K

70.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 CFPF 5,214

$44.76 COP 141.0K

13.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.91 CFPF 915

$17.06 COP 53.7K

-47.77%

Cinema Ticket

$14.87 CFPF 1,528

$6.20 COP 19.5K

139.84%

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

$786 CFPF 80.8K

$793 COP 2.5M

-0.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,907 CFPF 1.0M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

9.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 CFPF 11.6K

$85.6 COP 269.6K

31.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.2 CFPF 6,907

$58.5 COP 184.1K

14.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CFPF 10.6K

$136 COP 429.3K

-24.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$264 CFPF 27.2K

$103 COP 324.7K

156.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 CFPF 80.7K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-25.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$791 CFPF 81.2K

$680 COP 2.1M

16.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 CFPF 163.1K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-21.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 CFPF 142.6K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

18.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,781 CFPF 491.3K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

16.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,580 CFPF 367.9K

$1,701 COP 5.4M

110.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,787 CFPF 286.4K

$665 COP 2.1M

319.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.13

10.94

-71.39%

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

Last update for Noumea: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $785 in Noumea versus $1,060 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 319% 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 $116 in Noumea versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $669 vs $303 – 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 46%, 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 $3,753 per month in Noumea and $2,574 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 $116 in Noumea and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 121% more in Noumea, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Noumea at $2,502. 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.