Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Timaru and Noumea

For one person, living is cheaper in Timaru: $1,980 a month against $2,391 in Noumea, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. The total is higher in Noumea despite lower rent and utilities.

90

Cost of Living Index in Timaru
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Timaru Living Index
116

Cost of Living Index in Noumea
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Noumea Living Index

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Timaru

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,980

/mo nomad

Noumea

🇳🇨 New Caledonia

$2,391

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Timaru and in Noumea

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Timaru and in Noumea actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,980 in Timaru versus $2,391 in Noumea.

Timaru $1,980
Noumea $2,391

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,925 in Timaru versus $3,791 in Noumea.

Timaru $2,925
Noumea $3,791

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,870 in Timaru versus $5,191 in Noumea.

Timaru $3,870
Noumea $5,191

Living in Timaru costs roughly 17% less than in Noumea, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Timaru 47% above, Noumea 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.80 NZ$24.41

$20.61 CFPF 2,180

-33.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.1 NZ$110

$111 CFPF 11.8K

-44.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.70 NZ$18.93

$14.29 CFPF 1,512

-25.12%

Cappuccino

$3.37 NZ$5.95

$4.50 CFPF 477

-25.11%

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

$2.03 NZ$3.59

$1.92 CFPF 203

5.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.20

$1.27 CFPF 135

42.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 NZ$10.11

$9.28 CFPF 982

-38.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 NZ$10.81

$7.04 CFPF 745

-13.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 NZ$1.96

$1.22 CFPF 129

-9.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 NZ$3.22

$3.50 CFPF 370

-48.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 NZ$1.93

$2.20 CFPF 233

-50.45%

Eggs

$5.69 NZ$10.06

$6.02 CFPF 637

-5.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 NZ$14.57

$29.56 CFPF 3,128

-72.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 NZ$16.15

$28.42 CFPF 3,007

-67.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 NZ$28.89

$28.43 CFPF 3,007

-42.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 NZ$5.17

$4.70 CFPF 497

-37.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 NZ$4.12

$7.18 CFPF 759

-67.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 NZ$5.72

$6.04 CFPF 639

-46.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 NZ$9.18

$8.19 CFPF 866

-36.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.30

$5.41 CFPF 572

-65.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 NZ$3.14

$3.63 CFPF 384

-50.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 NZ$3.98

$4.07 CFPF 430

-44.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 NZ$0.97

$1.50 CFPF 158

-63.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.75 NZ$36.70

$19.12 CFPF 2,023

8.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.63 NZ$9.96

$16.93 CFPF 1,792

-66.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 NZ$5.42

$5.80 CFPF 614

-47.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 NZ$2.09

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 NZ$2.91

$4.59 CFPF 486

-64.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.4 NZ$163

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 NZ$4.04

$6.87 CFPF 726

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 NZ$3.68

$1.11 CFPF 117

87.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.65 NZ$48.90

$21.45 CFPF 2,269

28.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 NZ$2.61

$1.58 CFPF 167

-6.33%

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

$24.8K NZ$43.9K

$32.2K CFPF 3.4M

-22.83%

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

$24.9K NZ$44.1K

$37.1K CFPF 3.9M

-32.69%

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

$110 NZ$194

$201 CFPF 21.3K

-45.38%

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

$22.70 NZ$40.15

$42.95 CFPF 4,544

-47.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 NZ$90.9

$49.00 CFPF 5,185

4.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.87 NZ$68.7

$49.91 CFPF 5,280

-22.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.60 CFPF 910

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 NZ$17.98

$13.91 CFPF 1,472

-26.89%

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

$579 NZ$1,025

$762 CFPF 80.6K

-23.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K NZ$30.3K

$9,253 CFPF 978.9K

84.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 NZ$105

$107 CFPF 11.4K

-44.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.65 NZ$61.3

$64.7 CFPF 6,844

-46.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 NZ$161

$96.9 CFPF 10.3K

-6.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 NZ$234

$249 CFPF 26.3K

-46.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 NZ$1,550

$751 CFPF 79.4K

16.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 NZ$1,674

$773 CFPF 81.8K

22.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 NZ$2,857

$1,494 CFPF 158.1K

8.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NZ$2,670

$1,359 CFPF 143.7K

11.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,303 NZ$7,610

$4,622 CFPF 489.0K

-6.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,018 NZ$5,337

$3,488 CFPF 369.1K

-13.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,663 CFPF 281.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

3.13

125.88%

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

Last update for Timaru: October 11, 2026

Last update for Noumea: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Timaru

$946 47.8%

Noumea

$773 32.3% 18.3% $173

Groceries & Markets

Timaru

$297 15%

Noumea

$648 * 27.1% 118% $351

Eating Out

Timaru

$239 12.1%

Noumea

$335 14% 40.2% $96

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Timaru

$184 9.3%

Noumea

$293 12.3% 59.3% $109

Clothing & Footwear

Timaru

$143 7.2%

Noumea

$233 9.7% 63.3% $90

Getting Around

Timaru

$112 5.6%

Noumea

$31 * 1.3% 72.5% $81

Sport & Entertainment

Timaru

$59 3%

Noumea

$78 3.3% 31.3% $19

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 $877 in Timaru and $751 in Noumea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Timaru vs $111 in Noumea for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $648 per month, with Timaru cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Timaru

🇳🇨 Noumea

🕒 Local time

07:40 7:40 AM

05:40 5:40 AM

2 h behind Timaru

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

28,600

91,386 Capital

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

CFP Franc XPF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1,000 XPF = 9.45 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XPF, USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 106 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.45 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.41 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Timaru Noumea 2,500 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Timaru
Noumea

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

Timaru vs Noumea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Timaru is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,970 in Timaru and $3,587 in Noumea to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $877 in Timaru versus $751 in Noumea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $579 in Timaru versus $762 in Noumea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Timaru – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $111 in Noumea. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,980 in Timaru versus $2,391 in Noumea, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Timaru but tight or insufficient in Noumea. The gap between the two cities makes Timaru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Timaru 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, Timaru 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 Timaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Noumea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.