Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Noumea and Vava'u

Noumea
🇳🇨 New Caledonia
$2,410
/mo nomad
Vava'u
🇹🇴 Tonga
-
/mo nomad
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Noumea
Vava'u
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.86 CFPF 2,220
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$114 CFPF 12.1K
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.85 CFPF 1,474
-
-
Cappuccino
$4.68 CFPF 498
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 CFPF 214
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 CFPF 135
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.50 CFPF 1,011
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.26 CFPF 773
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Noumea
Vava'u
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 CFPF 125
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$3.58 CFPF 381
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.16 CFPF 230
-
-
Eggs
$6.13 CFPF 653
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$30.21 CFPF 3,215
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$27.65 CFPF 2,942
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$28.19 CFPF 3,000
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$4.58 CFPF 487
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$7.29 CFPF 776
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$6.27 CFPF 668
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$7.98 CFPF 849
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$5.55 CFPF 591
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$3.86 CFPF 411
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$4.04 CFPF 430
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 CFPF 160
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.46 CFPF 2,070
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$17.03 CFPF 1,812
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.54 CFPF 590
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Noumea
Vava'u
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.62 CFPF 491
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.96 CFPF 741
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.11 CFPF 119
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.46 CFPF 2,284
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.63 CFPF 174
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.5K CFPF 3.5M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.3K CFPF 4.0M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Noumea
Vava'u
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 CFPF 21.8K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.24 CFPF 4,707
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.09 CFPF 5,117
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Noumea
Vava'u
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.48 CFPF 5,158
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.25 CFPF 878
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.26 CFPF 1,517
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Noumea
Vava'u
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$759 CFPF 80.8K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,318 CFPF 991.4K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Noumea
Vava'u
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111 CFPF 11.9K
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$65.0 CFPF 6,912
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 CFPF 10.7K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$247 CFPF 26.3K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Noumea
Vava'u
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$761 CFPF 80.9K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$761 CFPF 81.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,520 CFPF 161.7K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,349 CFPF 143.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,777 CFPF 508.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,453 CFPF 367.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Noumea
Vava'u
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,726 CFPF 290.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.13
0
-

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

Last update for Noumea: October 3, 2026

Last update for Vava'u: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Noumea
$761
Vava'u
–
Groceries & Markets
Noumea
$646 *
Vava'u
–
Eating Out
Noumea
$340
Vava'u
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Noumea
$297
Vava'u
–
Clothing & Footwear
Noumea
$236
Vava'u
–
Sport & Entertainment
Noumea
$77
Vava'u
–
Getting Around
Noumea
$31 *
Vava'u
–

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

Good to know
🇳🇨 Noumea
🇹🇴 Vava'u
🕒 Local time
18:02 6:02 PM
20:02 8:02 PM
2 h ahead of Noumea
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
91,386 Capital
501
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TOP, 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).

Tongan Paʻanga exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.38 TOP (1 TOP = 0.421 USD). 1 EUR = 2.67 TOP (1 TOP = 0.375 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Noumea Vava'u 2,080 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Noumea
  • Vava'u

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 Vava'u: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Noumea or Vava'u more family-friendly?
For families, Vava'u 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 Vava'u?
Safety-wise, Noumea and Vava'u 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 the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Vava'u wins on affordability, Noumea on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Noumea vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

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