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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,390 in Noumea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $3,715 in Noumea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $5,040 in Noumea.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 48% less than in Noumea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Noumea is 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$14.65 CFPF 1,526

-68.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$97.1 CFPF 10.1K

-52.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$14.64 CFPF 1,525

-39.62%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$5.98 CFPF 623

-48.83%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$2.45 CFPF 255

-70.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.10 CFPF 115

-63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$11.29 CFPF 1,176

-78.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$7.67 CFPF 799

-50.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.23 CFPF 128

83.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$3.08 CFPF 321

-41.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.98 CFPF 206

13.64%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$5.76 CFPF 600

-60.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$19.01 CFPF 1,980

2.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$22.21 CFPF 2,313

-83.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$25.41 CFPF 2,647

-48.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$4.33 CFPF 451

-25.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$7.29 CFPF 759

-77.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$6.63 CFPF 691

-64.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$7.09 CFPF 738

-71.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$3.82 CFPF 397

-59.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$3.31 CFPF 345

-54.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$2.96 CFPF 309

-66.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.50 CFPF 156

-65.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$20.47 CFPF 2,132

-78.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$17.10 CFPF 1,781

7.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$5.21 CFPF 542

-64.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$6.32 CFPF 658

-57.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$2.92 CFPF 304

-51.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$63.5 CFPF 6,613

-81.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$5.37 CFPF 559

-42.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.01 CFPF 105

2.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$24.88 CFPF 2,591

-43.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.61 CFPF 168

-18.63%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$34.4K CFPF 3.6M

-19.08%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$39.5K CFPF 4.1M

-15.85%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$208 CFPF 21.6K

-41.08%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$40.53 CFPF 4,221

-66.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$58.0 CFPF 6,038

-67.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$61.8 CFPF 6,435

-2.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$7.85 CFPF 818

116.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$12.77 CFPF 1,330

-28.97%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$783 CFPF 81.5K

-9.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$113 CFPF 11.8K

-48.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$57.0 CFPF 5,941

-38.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$126 CFPF 13.1K

-8.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$238 CFPF 24.8K

-64.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$805 CFPF 83.9K

-22.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$794 CFPF 82.7K

-43.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$1,591 CFPF 165.7K

28.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$1,335 CFPF 139.0K

11.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$4,854 CFPF 505.5K

-28.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$3,511 CFPF 365.7K

-26.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$2,719 CFPF 283.2K

-81.62%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Noumea: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $805 in Noumea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Noumea pays 444% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $97.0 in Noumea for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $567 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 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 444% lower in Noumea. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $805 in Noumea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 96% 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 $46.00 versus $97.0 in Noumea. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,390 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 91% less than in Noumea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.