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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,354 in Noumea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,678 in Noumea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,003 in Noumea.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 45% less than in Noumea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Noumea is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$14.28 CFPF 1,465

-17.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$97.3 CFPF 9,976

-57.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$14.71 CFPF 1,509

-29.23%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$6.00 CFPF 615

-39.83%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$2.45 CFPF 251

-40.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$1.11 CFPF 114

-12.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$11.36 CFPF 1,165

-74.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$7.44 CFPF 763

-37.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.23 CFPF 126

16.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$3.08 CFPF 316

-38.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.97 CFPF 202

-20.30%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$5.69 CFPF 584

-53.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$18.55 CFPF 1,903

-54.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$22.18 CFPF 2,276

-61.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$25.89 CFPF 2,656

-57.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$4.21 CFPF 432

-35.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$7.15 CFPF 733

-78.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$6.64 CFPF 682

-71.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$7.06 CFPF 724

-69.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$3.69 CFPF 378

-49.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$3.26 CFPF 334

-31.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.96 CFPF 304

-63.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.51 CFPF 155

-29.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$19.92 CFPF 2,043

-79.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$17.15 CFPF 1,760

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$5.27 CFPF 540

-68.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$6.19 CFPF 635

-59.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$2.95 CFPF 302

-81.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$61.7 CFPF 6,332

-57.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$5.34 CFPF 548

-40.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.00 CFPF 102

146.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$24.60 CFPF 2,524

-86.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.66 CFPF 171

-20.48%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$34.2K CFPF 3.5M

-11.93%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$40.0K CFPF 4.1M

-41.53%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$207 CFPF 21.3K

-60.75%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$39.88 CFPF 4,090

-43.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$58.3 CFPF 5,979

-48.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$61.1 CFPF 6,266

-15.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$7.85 CFPF 806

134.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$12.86 CFPF 1,319

-59.88%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$777 CFPF 79.7K

-74.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$109 CFPF 11.2K

-67.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$58.6 CFPF 6,011

-31.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$124 CFPF 12.7K

-36.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$246 CFPF 25.3K

-64.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$813 CFPF 83.4K

16.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$777 CFPF 79.7K

-38.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,586 CFPF 162.7K

2.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$1,332 CFPF 136.6K

-8.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$4,822 CFPF 494.7K

-16.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$3,534 CFPF 362.6K

83.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$2,829 CFPF 290.2K

-76.21%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Noumea: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $813 in Noumea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Noumea pays 320% 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 $254 vs $564 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 82% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Noumea earns 320% 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: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $813 in Noumea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 122% 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,354 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 82% less than in Noumea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.