Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Noumea and Suva

For one person, living is cheaper in Suva: $927 a month against $2,410 in Noumea, rent and utilities included – about $17,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Noumea
🇳🇨 New Caledonia
$2,410
/mo nomad
Suva
🇫🇯 Fiji
$927
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Noumea and in Suva

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Noumea and in Suva actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,410 in Noumea versus $927 in Suva.

  • Noumea $2,410
  • Suva $927

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,800 in Noumea versus $1,681 in Suva.

  • Noumea $3,800
  • Suva $1,681

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,190 in Noumea versus $2,435 in Suva.

  • Noumea $5,190
  • Suva $2,435

Living in Noumea is roughly 160% more expensive than in Suva, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Noumea is 80% above, Suva is 31% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Noumea
Suva
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.86 CFPF 2,220
$5.72 FJD 12.81
264.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$114 CFPF 12.1K
$44.13 FJD 98.8
157.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.85 CFPF 1,474
$7.76 FJD 17.37
78.48%
Cappuccino
$4.68 CFPF 498
$2.91 FJD 6.52
60.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 CFPF 214
$1.50 FJD 3.36
34.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 CFPF 135
$0.73 FJD 1.64
73.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.50 CFPF 1,011
$3.67 FJD 8.21
158.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.26 CFPF 773
$4.33 FJD 9.70
67.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Noumea
Suva
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 CFPF 125
$1.28 FJD 2.86
-8.59%
White Bread (500g)
$3.58 CFPF 381
$0.56 FJD 1.26
539.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.16 CFPF 230
$1.13 FJD 2.52
91.15%
Eggs
$6.13 CFPF 653
$3.39 FJD 7.60
80.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$30.21 CFPF 3,215
$10.04 FJD 22.48
200.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$27.65 CFPF 2,942
$6.06 FJD 13.57
356.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$28.19 CFPF 3,000
$7.82 FJD 17.50
260.49%
Apples (1kg)
$4.58 CFPF 487
$2.47 FJD 5.54
85.43%
Banana (1kg)
$7.29 CFPF 776
$2.42 FJD 5.43
201.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.27 CFPF 668
$3.48 FJD 7.79
80.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.98 CFPF 849
$3.12 FJD 6.99
155.77%
Potato (1kg)
$5.55 CFPF 591
$1.22 FJD 2.72
354.92%
Onion (1kg)
$3.86 CFPF 411
$1.07 FJD 2.39
260.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$4.04 CFPF 430
$1.22 FJD 2.73
231.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 CFPF 160
$0.73 FJD 1.64
105.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.46 CFPF 2,070
$9.66 FJD 21.62
101.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.03 CFPF 1,812
$7.33 FJD 16.41
132.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.54 CFPF 590
$2.07 FJD 4.64
167.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.43 FJD 7.69
-
🚌 Getting Around
Noumea
Suva
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.62 CFPF 491
$0.94 FJD 2.11
391.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$22.37 FJD 50.1
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.96 CFPF 741
$0.87 FJD 1.94
700.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.11 CFPF 119
$0.42 FJD 0.94
164.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.46 CFPF 2,284
$8.95 FJD 20.04
139.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.63 CFPF 174
$1.46 FJD 3.26
11.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.5K CFPF 3.5M
$24.4K FJD 54.6K
33.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.3K CFPF 4.0M
$25.6K FJD 57.4K
45.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Noumea
Suva
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 CFPF 21.8K
$46.38 FJD 104
341.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.24 CFPF 4,707
$12.79 FJD 28.65
245.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.09 CFPF 5,117
$23.98 FJD 53.7
100.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Noumea
Suva
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.48 CFPF 5,158
$36.85 FJD 82.5
31.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.25 CFPF 878
$11.30 FJD 25.29
-26.99%
Cinema Ticket
$14.26 CFPF 1,517
$3.43 FJD 7.68
315.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Noumea
Suva
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$759 CFPF 80.8K
$228 FJD 509
233.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,318 CFPF 991.4K
$13.4K FJD 30.0K
-30.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Noumea
Suva
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111 CFPF 11.9K
$33.19 FJD 74.3
235.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$65.0 CFPF 6,912
$40.53 FJD 90.8
60.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 CFPF 10.7K
$68.9 FJD 154
45.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$247 CFPF 26.3K
$61.4 FJD 138
301.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Noumea
Suva
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$761 CFPF 80.9K
$891 FJD 1,995
-14.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$761 CFPF 81.0K
$330 FJD 740
130.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,520 CFPF 161.7K
$2,641 FJD 5,913
-42.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,349 CFPF 143.6K
$1,001 FJD 2,241
34.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,777 CFPF 508.3K
$1,320 FJD 2,956
261.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,453 CFPF 367.4K
$818 FJD 1,832
322.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Noumea
Suva
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,726 CFPF 290.1K
$961 FJD 2,151
183.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.13
7.7
-59.35%

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

Last update for Noumea: October 3, 2026

Last update for Suva: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Noumea
$761
Suva
$330 56.6% $431
Groceries & Markets
Noumea
$646 *
Suva
$228 64.7% $418
Eating Out
Noumea
$340
Suva
$140 58.8% $200
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Noumea
$297
Suva
$83 72% $214
Clothing & Footwear
Noumea
$236
Suva
$92 61% $144
Sport & Entertainment
Noumea
$77
Suva
$44 43.2% $33
Getting Around
Noumea
$31 *
Suva
$29 6.1% $1.9

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $761 in Noumea and $891 in Suva. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Noumea pays 184% 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: $114 in Noumea vs $44.00 in Suva for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $646 vs $228 per month, with Suva cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇨 Noumea
🇫🇯 Suva
🕒 Local time
16:25 4:25 PM
17:25 5:25 PM
1 h ahead of Noumea
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
91,386 Capital
100,000 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

FJD, USD, EUR to XPF – CFP Franc Converter

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 106 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.4 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.38 EUR).

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.24 FJD (1 FJD = 0.447 USD). 1 EUR = 2.51 FJD (1 FJD = 0.398 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Noumea Suva 1,330 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Noumea
  • Suva

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Suva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Suva cheaper than Noumea?
Suva is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 160% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Noumea or Suva?
Average pay runs 184% higher in Noumea, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Noumea and Suva?
Rent for a central apartment: $761 in Noumea versus $891 in Suva. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $759 in Noumea versus $228 in Suva. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Noumea or in Suva?
Dining out is cheaper in Suva – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $114 in Noumea. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Noumea or in Suva?
At $927 in Suva versus $2,410 in Noumea, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Suva but tight or insufficient in Noumea. The gap between the two cities makes Suva the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Noumea or Suva more family-friendly?
For families, Suva 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.
Which city is safer, Noumea or Suva?
Safety-wise, Noumea and Suva are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Suva gentler on the wallet – expenses run 160% less than in Noumea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Noumea vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?