Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Noumea Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Noumea

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,361 in Noumea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,697 in Noumea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $5,032 in Noumea.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 46% less than in Noumea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Noumea is 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$14.44 CFPF 1,480

-67.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$97.9 CFPF 10.0K

-53.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$14.38 CFPF 1,474

-41.38%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$5.78 CFPF 593

-49.31%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$2.39 CFPF 245

-71.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.07 CFPF 110

-65.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$11.12 CFPF 1,140

-78.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$7.49 CFPF 768

-50.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.17 CFPF 120

90.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$3.02 CFPF 310

-39.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.90 CFPF 194

14.21%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$5.51 CFPF 565

-59.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$18.74 CFPF 1,921

5.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$22.41 CFPF 2,297

-83.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$26.25 CFPF 2,691

-48.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$4.20 CFPF 431

-21.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$7.18 CFPF 736

-77.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$6.76 CFPF 693

-64.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$7.48 CFPF 767

-72.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$3.71 CFPF 380

-58.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$3.25 CFPF 333

-54.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$2.95 CFPF 303

-66.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$1.51 CFPF 154

-66.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$20.54 CFPF 2,105

-78.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$17.71 CFPF 1,816

9.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$5.39 CFPF 553

-66.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$6.24 CFPF 640

-56.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$2.84 CFPF 291

-51.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$63.5 CFPF 6,504

-82.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$5.41 CFPF 555

-44.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$1.00 CFPF 102

-1.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$24.54 CFPF 2,515

-42.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.68 CFPF 172

-19.05%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$34.7K CFPF 3.6M

-18.62%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$39.6K CFPF 4.1M

-16.84%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$208 CFPF 21.3K

-41.45%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$39.94 CFPF 4,093

-66.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$56.2 CFPF 5,762

-67.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$60.2 CFPF 6,171

0.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$7.64 CFPF 783

124.35%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$13.08 CFPF 1,341

-33.56%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$788 CFPF 80.7K

-11.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$111 CFPF 11.4K

-46.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$57.8 CFPF 5,925

-39.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$125 CFPF 12.8K

-8.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$245 CFPF 25.1K

-66.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$785 CFPF 80.4K

-21.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$802 CFPF 82.2K

-45.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$1,629 CFPF 166.9K

28.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,342 CFPF 137.5K

12.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$4,878 CFPF 500.0K

-23.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$3,524 CFPF 361.2K

-25.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$2,780 CFPF 284.9K

-81.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

2.33

128.76%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Noumea: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $785 in Noumea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Noumea pays 447% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $98.0 in Noumea for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $570 per month, with Phuket 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

Phuket vs Noumea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Noumea earns 447% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $785 in Noumea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Noumea. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $98.0 in Noumea. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,361 in Noumea, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Noumea. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Noumea are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket 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.