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: $2,408 in Noumea versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,697 in Noumea versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,985 in Noumea versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Noumea is roughly 87% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Noumea is 80% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.80 CFPF 1,510

$11.94 MX$209

23.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 CFPF 10.0K

$42.75 MX$748

129.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.40 CFPF 1,469

$10.59 MX$185

35.98%

Cappuccino

$5.85 CFPF 597

$3.62 MX$63.4

61.60%

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

$2.38 CFPF 243

$1.47 MX$25.69

61.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 CFPF 109

$0.94 MX$16.51

13.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.06 CFPF 1,128

$3.09 MX$54.1

257.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 CFPF 753

$4.46 MX$78.0

65.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CFPF 125

$1.43 MX$24.94

-13.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 CFPF 309

$1.88 MX$32.97

61.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 CFPF 202

$1.63 MX$28.50

21.47%

Eggs

$5.56 CFPF 567

$2.64 MX$46.26

110.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.85 CFPF 1,923

$8.21 MX$144

129.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$22.77 CFPF 2,323

$8.29 MX$145

174.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.08 CFPF 2,661

$11.10 MX$194

134.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 CFPF 442

$2.65 MX$46.40

63.40%

Banana (1kg)

$7.20 CFPF 734

$1.50 MX$26.26

380.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.66 CFPF 679

$1.99 MX$34.79

234.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.38 CFPF 754

$2.08 MX$36.33

254.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 CFPF 380

$1.79 MX$31.29

107.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.27 CFPF 333

$2.18 MX$38.09

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.93 CFPF 299

$1.08 MX$18.84

171.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CFPF 148

$1.04 MX$18.15

39.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.37 CFPF 2,079

$3.97 MX$69.5

413.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.98 CFPF 1,835

$10.20 MX$179

76.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.30 CFPF 541

$1.73 MX$30.22

206.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 CFPF 611

$2.50 MX$43.71

139.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 CFPF 294

$0.52 MX$9.07

453.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.1 CFPF 6,333

$26.97 MX$472

130.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.54 CFPF 565

$3.14 MX$55.0

76.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 CFPF 106

$2.40 MX$42.04

-56.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.29 CFPF 2,581

$3.09 MX$54.0

718.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 CFPF 171

$1.27 MX$22.28

31.50%

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

$34.4K CFPF 3.5M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

11.47%

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

$40.5K CFPF 4.1M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

73.66%

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

$209 CFPF 21.3K

$82.0 MX$1,435

155.01%

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

$40.51 CFPF 4,134

$22.45 MX$393

80.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CFPF 5,912

$29.66 MX$519

95.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 CFPF 6,285

$51.9 MX$908

18.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.86 CFPF 802

$18.67 MX$327

-57.90%

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 CFPF 1,318

$4.97 MX$87.0

159.76%

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

$800 CFPF 81.6K

$198 MX$3,462

304.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CFPF 11.2K

$36.34 MX$636

201.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 CFPF 5,922

$40.05 MX$701

44.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 CFPF 12.4K

$79.9 MX$1,398

51.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$243 CFPF 24.8K

$88.9 MX$1,555

173.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 CFPF 80.4K

$963 MX$16.9K

-18.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 CFPF 80.4K

$465 MX$8,133

69.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,626 CFPF 165.9K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

1.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 CFPF 138.1K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

11.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,146 CFPF 525.1K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

30.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 CFPF 402.4K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-38.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,807 CFPF 286.4K

$720 MX$12.6K

289.63%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Noumea and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Noumea pays 290% 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: $98.0 in Noumea vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $571 vs $251 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 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Noumea pays 290% more on average, 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: $788 in Noumea versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 128% 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 $43.00 versus $98.0 in Noumea. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,408 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 87% less than in Noumea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.