For one person, living is cheaper in Suva: $927 a month against $2,410 in Noumea, rent and utilities included – about $17,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Suva and in Noumea actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $927 in Suva versus $2,410 in Noumea.
Suva $927
Noumea $2,410
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,681 in Suva versus $3,800 in Noumea.
Suva $1,681
Noumea $3,800
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,435 in Suva versus $5,190 in Noumea.
Suva $2,435
Noumea $5,190
🌍
Living in Suva costs roughly 62% less than in Noumea, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Suva is 31% below, Noumea is 80% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Suva
Noumea
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.72FJD 12.81
$20.86CFPF 2,220
-72.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.13FJD 98.8
$114CFPF 12.1K
-61.18%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.76FJD 17.37
$13.85CFPF 1,474
-43.97%
Cappuccino
$2.91FJD 6.52
$4.68CFPF 498
-37.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50FJD 3.36
$2.01CFPF 214
-25.37%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73FJD 1.64
$1.27CFPF 135
-42.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.67FJD 8.21
$9.50CFPF 1,011
-61.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.33FJD 9.70
$7.26CFPF 773
-40.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Suva
Noumea
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.28FJD 2.86
$1.17CFPF 125
9.40%
White Bread(500g)
$0.56FJD 1.26
$3.58CFPF 381
-84.36%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.13FJD 2.52
$2.16CFPF 230
-47.69%
Eggs
$3.39FJD 7.60
$6.13CFPF 653
-44.70%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.04FJD 22.48
$30.21CFPF 3,215
-66.77%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.06FJD 13.57
$27.65CFPF 2,942
-78.08%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.82FJD 17.50
$28.19CFPF 3,000
-72.26%
Apples(1kg)
$2.47FJD 5.54
$4.58CFPF 487
-46.07%
Banana(1kg)
$2.42FJD 5.43
$7.29CFPF 776
-66.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.48FJD 7.79
$6.27CFPF 668
-44.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.12FJD 6.99
$7.98CFPF 849
-60.90%
Potato(1kg)
$1.22FJD 2.72
$5.55CFPF 591
-78.02%
Onion(1kg)
$1.07FJD 2.39
$3.86CFPF 411
-72.28%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.22FJD 2.73
$4.04CFPF 430
-69.80%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73FJD 1.64
$1.50CFPF 160
-51.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.66FJD 21.62
$19.46CFPF 2,070
-50.36%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.33FJD 16.41
$17.03CFPF 1,812
-56.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.07FJD 4.64
$5.54CFPF 590
-62.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.43FJD 7.69
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Suva
Noumea
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.94FJD 2.11
$4.62CFPF 491
-79.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.37FJD 50.1
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.87FJD 1.94
$6.96CFPF 741
-87.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.42FJD 0.94
$1.11CFPF 119
-62.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.95FJD 20.04
$21.46CFPF 2,284
-58.29%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.46FJD 3.26
$1.63CFPF 174
-10.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4KFJD 54.6K
$32.5KCFPF 3.5M
-24.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6KFJD 57.4K
$37.3KCFPF 4.0M
-31.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suva
Noumea
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$46.38FJD 104
$205CFPF 21.8K
-77.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.79FJD 28.65
$44.24CFPF 4,707
-71.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.98FJD 53.7
$48.09CFPF 5,117
-50.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Suva
Noumea
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$36.85FJD 82.5
$48.48CFPF 5,158
-23.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.30FJD 25.29
$8.25CFPF 878
36.97%
Cinema Ticket
$3.43FJD 7.68
$14.26CFPF 1,517
-75.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Suva
Noumea
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$228FJD 509
$759CFPF 80.8K
-70.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.4KFJD 30.0K
$9,318CFPF 991.4K
43.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Suva
Noumea
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.19FJD 74.3
$111CFPF 11.9K
-70.21%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.53FJD 90.8
$65.0CFPF 6,912
-37.61%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$68.9FJD 154
$100CFPF 10.7K
-31.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$61.4FJD 138
$247CFPF 26.3K
-75.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Suva
Noumea
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$891FJD 1,995
$761CFPF 80.9K
17.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$330FJD 740
$761CFPF 81.0K
-56.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,641FJD 5,913
$1,520CFPF 161.7K
73.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,001FJD 2,241
$1,349CFPF 143.6K
-25.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,320FJD 2,956
$4,777CFPF 508.3K
-72.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$818FJD 1,832
$3,453CFPF 367.4K
-76.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Suva
Noumea
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$961FJD 2,151
$2,726CFPF 290.1K
-64.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.7
3.13
146.01%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Suva: October 5, 2026
Last update for Noumea: October 3, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Suva
$330 34.9%
Noumea
$761 31.9% ↑ 130%$431
🛒Groceries & Markets
Suva
$228 24.1%
Noumea
$646 * 27.1% ↑ 183%$418
🍽Eating Out
Suva
$140 14.8%
Noumea
$340 14.2% ↑ 143%$200
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Suva
$92 9.7%
Noumea
$236 9.9% ↑ 156%$144
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suva
$83 8.8%
Noumea
$297 12.4% ↑ 257%$214
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Suva
$44 4.6%
Noumea
$77 3.2% ↑ 76.1%$33
🚌Getting Around
Suva
$29 3.1%
Noumea
$31 * 1.3% ↑ 6.5%$1.9
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Suva
$1K 40.3%
Noumea
$1.3K 25.9% ↑ 34.8%$348
🛒Groceries & Markets
Suva
$530 21.4%
Noumea
$1.5K * 29% ↑ 185%$981
🍽Eating Out
Suva
$492 19.8%
Noumea
$1.3K 24% ↑ 154%$758
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Suva
$204 8.2%
Noumea
$523 10.1% ↑ 156%$319
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suva
$96 3.9%
Noumea
$341 6.6% ↑ 256%$245
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Suva
$99 4%
Noumea
$162 3.1% ↑ 64.4%$64
🚌Getting Around
Suva
$60 2.4%
Noumea
$71 * 1.4% ↑ 18.5%$11
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $891 in Suva and $761 in Noumea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Noumea pays 184% 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: $44.00 in Suva vs $114 in Noumea for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $646 per month, with Suva cheaper across the board.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Suva vs Noumea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Noumea cheaper than Suva?
Suva is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 160% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Suva or Noumea?
On paper, salaries run 184% 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.
What is the rent difference between Suva and Noumea?
Rent for a central apartment: $891 in Suva versus $761 in Noumea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $228 in Suva versus $759 in Noumea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Suva or in Noumea?
Dining out is cheaper in Suva – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $114 in Noumea. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Suva or in Noumea?
At $927 in Suva versus $2,410 in Noumea, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Suva but tight or insufficient in Noumea. The gap between the two cities makes Suva the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Suva or Noumea more family-friendly?
For families, Suva 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.
Which city is safer, Suva or Noumea?
Safety-wise, Suva 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Suva gentler on the wallet – expenses run 160% less than in Noumea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.