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: $2,366 in Noumea versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Noumea versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,938 in Noumea versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Noumea is 76% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.76 CFPF 1,519

$11.87 MX$204

24.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.8 CFPF 10.2K

$42.90 MX$736

130.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.48 CFPF 1,489

$10.65 MX$183

35.96%

Cappuccino

$5.79 CFPF 596

$3.45 MX$59.2

67.83%

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

$2.48 CFPF 255

$1.50 MX$25.81

65.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 CFPF 115

$0.95 MX$16.28

17.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.02 CFPF 1,133

$3.03 MX$51.9

263.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.63 CFPF 784

$4.61 MX$79.1

65.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 CFPF 127

$1.38 MX$23.61

-10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 CFPF 317

$1.85 MX$31.70

66.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 CFPF 195

$1.61 MX$27.65

17.39%

Eggs

$5.66 CFPF 582

$2.59 MX$44.51

118.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.80 CFPF 1,933

$8.26 MX$142

127.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$22.46 CFPF 2,310

$8.37 MX$144

168.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.77 CFPF 2,650

$10.66 MX$183

141.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 CFPF 434

$2.63 MX$45.12

60.46%

Banana (1kg)

$7.33 CFPF 754

$1.49 MX$25.53

391.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.98 CFPF 718

$1.92 MX$32.94

263.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.32 CFPF 753

$2.09 MX$35.81

250.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.74 CFPF 385

$1.86 MX$31.88

101.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 CFPF 339

$2.26 MX$38.81

45.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.95 CFPF 304

$1.06 MX$18.23

178.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CFPF 149

$1.09 MX$18.67

33.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.80 CFPF 2,036

$4.15 MX$71.2

377.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.17 CFPF 1,766

$10.39 MX$178

65.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.19 CFPF 534

$1.72 MX$29.59

201.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.18 CFPF 636

$2.61 MX$44.85

136.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 CFPF 295

$0.54 MX$9.30

431.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.4 CFPF 6,311

$26.94 MX$462

127.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 CFPF 567

$3.13 MX$53.7

76.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 CFPF 102

$2.51 MX$43.09

-60.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.63 CFPF 2,533

$3.15 MX$54.1

681.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 CFPF 171

$1.27 MX$21.88

31.50%

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

$34.6K CFPF 3.6M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

14.07%

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

$39.1K CFPF 4.0M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

66.03%

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

$208 CFPF 21.4K

$83.0 MX$1,425

150.65%

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

$40.80 CFPF 4,196

$22.71 MX$390

79.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CFPF 5,934

$29.46 MX$506

95.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 CFPF 6,331

$51.0 MX$875

20.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.63 CFPF 785

$18.33 MX$315

-58.37%

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 CFPF 1,324

$4.93 MX$84.5

161.05%

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

$798 CFPF 82.0K

$197 MX$3,386

304.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 CFPF 11.2K

$36.90 MX$633

196.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.2 CFPF 6,088

$39.89 MX$685

48.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 CFPF 12.8K

$80.0 MX$1,373

55.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$241 CFPF 24.8K

$89.5 MX$1,536

169.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 CFPF 82.3K

$956 MX$16.4K

-16.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 CFPF 80.6K

$477 MX$8,189

64.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,620 CFPF 166.6K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-1.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 CFPF 136.1K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

8.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,875 CFPF 501.4K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

24.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,582 CFPF 368.5K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-44.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,746 CFPF 282.4K

$667 MX$11.4K

311.69%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $800 in Noumea and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Noumea pays 312% 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: $99.0 in Noumea vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $569 vs $250 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.

Noumea pays 312% 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: $800 in Noumea versus $956 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 $99.0 in Noumea. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,366 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.