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: $2,487 in Noumea versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,896 in Noumea versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,304 in Noumea versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Noumea is roughly 91% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Noumea is 80% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.65 CFPF 2,218

$11.96 MX$203

81.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$117 CFPF 12.0K

$47.38 MX$805

147.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.32 CFPF 1,467

$11.75 MX$200

21.87%

Cappuccino

$4.68 CFPF 479

$4.12 MX$70.1

13.59%

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

$2.00 CFPF 205

$1.40 MX$23.78

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CFPF 132

$0.91 MX$15.50

41.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.80 CFPF 1,004

$3.21 MX$54.5

205.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.69 CFPF 788

$7.07 MX$120

8.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 CFPF 131

$1.68 MX$28.49

-24.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 CFPF 366

$2.15 MX$36.53

66.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 CFPF 239

$1.77 MX$30.14

31.64%

Eggs

$6.60 CFPF 676

$2.82 MX$47.83

134.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.08 CFPF 3,184

$9.20 MX$156

237.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.78 CFPF 2,949

$9.23 MX$157

211.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.18 CFPF 2,990

$12.64 MX$215

130.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.88 CFPF 500

$2.95 MX$50.1

65.42%

Banana (1kg)

$7.30 CFPF 747

$1.58 MX$26.83

362.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.51 CFPF 667

$2.22 MX$37.76

193.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.45 CFPF 866

$2.36 MX$40.15

258.05%

Potato (1kg)

$5.83 CFPF 597

$1.99 MX$33.86

192.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.85 CFPF 394

$1.98 MX$33.63

94.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.12 CFPF 423

$1.24 MX$21.07

232.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CFPF 158

$1.21 MX$20.58

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.16 CFPF 2,065

$4.60 MX$78.2

338.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.57 CFPF 1,800

$10.52 MX$179

67.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.80 CFPF 594

$1.69 MX$28.74

243.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.82 CFPF 493

$0.60 MX$10.24

703.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.42 CFPF 760

$5.24 MX$89.0

41.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 CFPF 119

$3.65 MX$62.0

-67.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.18 CFPF 2,272

$5.78 MX$98.3

283.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 CFPF 174

$1.54 MX$26.13

10.39%

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

$33.2K CFPF 3.4M

$22.8K MX$387.4K

45.64%

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

$38.2K CFPF 3.9M

$25.8K MX$438.5K

48.18%

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

$206 CFPF 21.1K

$90.7 MX$1,540

127.39%

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

$44.91 CFPF 4,601

$25.19 MX$428

78.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 CFPF 5,195

$31.75 MX$539

59.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 CFPF 5,204

$68.8 MX$1,169

-26.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.97 CFPF 919

$29.37 MX$499

-69.46%

Cinema Ticket

$14.48 CFPF 1,483

$4.86 MX$82.6

197.94%

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

$791 CFPF 81.1K

$226 MX$3,834

250.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,549 CFPF 978.3K

$4,194 MX$71.2K

127.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 CFPF 11.6K

$47.38 MX$805

139.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.3 CFPF 6,899

$43.45 MX$738

54.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CFPF 10.7K

$80.2 MX$1,363

29.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$257 CFPF 26.4K

$91.4 MX$1,552

181.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$767 CFPF 78.6K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-29.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 CFPF 81.2K

$409 MX$6,943

93.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 CFPF 158.9K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-21.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 CFPF 140.7K

$1,281 MX$21.8K

7.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,962 CFPF 508.3K

$4,046 MX$68.7K

22.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,551 CFPF 363.8K

$6,704 MX$113.9K

-47.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,780 CFPF 284.8K

$773 MX$13.1K

259.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.13

11.45

-72.66%

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

Last update for Noumea: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $767 in Noumea and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Noumea pays 259% 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: $117 in Noumea vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $670 vs $278 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 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 259% 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: $767 in Noumea versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $791 in Noumea versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $117 in Noumea. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,487 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 91% less than in Noumea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.