Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Noumea Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Noumea

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,350 in Noumea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,723 in Noumea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,096 in Noumea.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Noumea is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$14.47 CFPF 1,497

-19.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$96.9 CFPF 10.0K

-56.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$14.26 CFPF 1,476

-26.30%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$6.05 CFPF 627

-40.66%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.35 CFPF 244

-35.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.06 CFPF 110

-13.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$10.96 CFPF 1,134

-72.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$7.36 CFPF 762

-40.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.23 CFPF 128

13.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$3.07 CFPF 317

-38.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.96 CFPF 203

-20.41%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$5.62 CFPF 582

-53.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$18.89 CFPF 1,955

-55.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$22.48 CFPF 2,326

-62.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$26.15 CFPF 2,706

-58.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$4.18 CFPF 432

-35.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$7.41 CFPF 767

-79.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$6.71 CFPF 694

-72.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$7.19 CFPF 745

-69.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$3.73 CFPF 386

-50.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$3.19 CFPF 331

-30.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.84 CFPF 294

-62.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.50 CFPF 155

-27.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$20.02 CFPF 2,072

-79.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$17.31 CFPF 1,792

-39.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$5.35 CFPF 553

-68.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$6.23 CFPF 644

-58.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$2.84 CFPF 294

-80.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$63.2 CFPF 6,544

-58.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$5.29 CFPF 547

-41.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.04 CFPF 108

130.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$25.03 CFPF 2,591

-87.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.61 CFPF 167

-18.63%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$34.8K CFPF 3.6M

-14.37%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$39.8K CFPF 4.1M

-41.40%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$210 CFPF 21.8K

-61.34%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$40.09 CFPF 4,149

-43.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$58.3 CFPF 6,030

-48.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$61.8 CFPF 6,394

-14.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$7.89 CFPF 817

133.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$12.97 CFPF 1,342

-62.07%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$803 CFPF 83.1K

-74.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$111 CFPF 11.5K

-67.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$59.1 CFPF 6,112

-32.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$126 CFPF 13.0K

-36.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$240 CFPF 24.8K

-63.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$803 CFPF 83.1K

21.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$800 CFPF 82.8K

-41.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,628 CFPF 168.5K

1.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,331 CFPF 137.8K

-9.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$4,693 CFPF 485.7K

-15.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$3,561 CFPF 368.5K

85.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$2,774 CFPF 287.1K

-75.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.33

390.13%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Noumea: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $803 in Noumea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Noumea pays 310% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $97.0 in Noumea for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $570 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

Playa del Carmen vs Noumea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 310% 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $803 in Noumea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 126% higher in Noumea. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $97.0 in Noumea. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,350 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 86% less than in Noumea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.