Cost of Living Comparison Between Noumea and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Noumea and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,350 in Noumea versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,723 in Noumea versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,096 in Noumea versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Noumea is roughly 86% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Noumea is 77% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.47 CFPF 1,499

$11.72 MX$203

23.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.9 CFPF 10.0K

$41.89 MX$727

131.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.26 CFPF 1,478

$10.51 MX$182

35.68%

Cappuccino

$6.05 CFPF 627

$3.59 MX$62.2

68.52%

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

$2.35 CFPF 244

$1.51 MX$26.16

55.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 CFPF 110

$0.92 MX$15.87

15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.96 CFPF 1,136

$2.96 MX$51.3

270.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 CFPF 763

$4.41 MX$76.5

66.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CFPF 128

$1.40 MX$24.21

-12.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CFPF 318

$1.88 MX$32.68

63.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 CFPF 203

$1.56 MX$27.03

25.64%

Eggs

$5.62 CFPF 582

$2.61 MX$45.25

115.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.89 CFPF 1,957

$8.32 MX$144

127.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$22.48 CFPF 2,329

$8.35 MX$145

169.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.15 CFPF 2,709

$10.86 MX$188

140.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CFPF 433

$2.71 MX$47.04

54.24%

Banana (1kg)

$7.41 CFPF 767

$1.51 MX$26.11

390.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.71 CFPF 695

$1.87 MX$32.49

258.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.19 CFPF 745

$2.19 MX$37.98

228.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.73 CFPF 386

$1.86 MX$32.21

100.54%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 CFPF 331

$2.23 MX$38.68

43.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 CFPF 294

$1.07 MX$18.53

165.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CFPF 155

$1.09 MX$18.84

37.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.02 CFPF 2,074

$4.19 MX$72.6

377.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.31 CFPF 1,793

$10.43 MX$181

65.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.35 CFPF 554

$1.66 MX$28.75

222.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.23 CFPF 645

$2.61 MX$45.30

138.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 CFPF 295

$0.54 MX$9.39

425.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 CFPF 6,551

$26.16 MX$454

141.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.29 CFPF 548

$3.08 MX$53.4

71.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 CFPF 108

$2.40 MX$41.71

-56.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 CFPF 2,593

$3.13 MX$54.2

699.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 CFPF 167

$1.31 MX$22.74

22.90%

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

$34.8K CFPF 3.6M

$29.8K MX$517.0K

16.79%

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

$39.8K CFPF 4.1M

$23.3K MX$404.5K

70.64%

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

$210 CFPF 21.8K

$81.3 MX$1,410

158.70%

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

$40.09 CFPF 4,153

$22.56 MX$391

77.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 CFPF 6,036

$30.05 MX$521

93.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 CFPF 6,401

$52.9 MX$918

16.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.89 CFPF 818

$18.39 MX$319

-57.10%

Cinema Ticket

$12.97 CFPF 1,343

$4.92 MX$85.3

163.62%

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

$803 CFPF 83.2K

$201 MX$3,483

299.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 CFPF 11.5K

$35.92 MX$623

209.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.1 CFPF 6,118

$40.13 MX$696

47.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 CFPF 13.0K

$79.7 MX$1,382

57.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$240 CFPF 24.8K

$86.5 MX$1,500

177.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 CFPF 83.1K

$978 MX$17.0K

-17.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 CFPF 82.9K

$470 MX$8,160

70.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 CFPF 168.6K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-1.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 CFPF 137.9K

$1,203 MX$20.9K

10.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,693 CFPF 486.2K

$3,953 MX$68.6K

18.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,561 CFPF 368.9K

$6,607 MX$114.6K

-46.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,774 CFPF 287.3K

$677 MX$11.7K

309.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.33

11.42

-79.60%

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

Last update for Noumea: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $803 in Noumea and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Noumea pays 310% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $97.0 in Noumea vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $570 vs $252 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 310% higher in Noumea, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $803 in Noumea versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 126% higher in Noumea. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $97.0 in Noumea. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,350 in Noumea, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Noumea. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Noumea, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Noumea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.