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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,508 in Noumea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,888 in Noumea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,268 in Noumea.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 50% less than in Noumea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Noumea is 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$21.61 CFPF 2,228

-46.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$116 CFPF 11.9K

-59.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$14.80 CFPF 1,526

-19.73%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$4.69 CFPF 484

-15.14%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.98 CFPF 204

-27.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.26 CFPF 130

-34.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$9.57 CFPF 987

-66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$7.72 CFPF 796

-12.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.21 CFPF 125

38.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.61 CFPF 373

-39.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.23 CFPF 230

-23.32%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$6.38 CFPF 657

-57.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$30.21 CFPF 3,114

-68.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$29.56 CFPF 3,048

-69.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$29.16 CFPF 3,006

-56.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$4.86 CFPF 501

-40.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$7.35 CFPF 758

-79.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$6.14 CFPF 633

-64.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$8.41 CFPF 867

-73.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$5.65 CFPF 582

-64.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$3.96 CFPF 409

-49.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$4.27 CFPF 440

-71.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.54 CFPF 159

-22.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$20.52 CFPF 2,116

-77.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$17.67 CFPF 1,822

-41.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$5.73 CFPF 590

-71.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$4.93 CFPF 508

-87.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$7.05 CFPF 727

-23.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.15 CFPF 118

224.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$21.49 CFPF 2,216

-73.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.63 CFPF 168

-5.52%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$33.7K CFPF 3.5M

-33.07%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$38.4K CFPF 4.0M

-32.10%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$203 CFPF 20.9K

-54.94%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$44.20 CFPF 4,557

-42.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$51.0 CFPF 5,254

-38.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$51.7 CFPF 5,328

30.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$8.59 CFPF 886

238.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$14.80 CFPF 1,526

-67.16%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$782 CFPF 80.6K

-71.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$9,819 CFPF 1.0M

-56.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$112 CFPF 11.5K

-57.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$67.2 CFPF 6,926

-34.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$103 CFPF 10.6K

-22.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$255 CFPF 26.3K

-63.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$769 CFPF 79.3K

38.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$799 CFPF 82.3K

-51.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,600 CFPF 165.0K

34.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,380 CFPF 142.3K

-7.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$4,898 CFPF 505.0K

-18.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$3,528 CFPF 363.8K

84.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$2,765 CFPF 285.1K

-72.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.13

265.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Noumea: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $769 in Noumea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Noumea pays 265% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $116 in Noumea for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $668 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 98% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 265% 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $769 in Noumea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $782 in Noumea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $116 in Noumea. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,508 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 98% less than in Noumea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.