Moving to New Caledonia from Saint Lucia

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Saint Lucia to New Caledonia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Saint Lucia to New Caledonia, and you’d need to navigate life in French. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Saint Lucia and New Caledonia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

LC
36.7
NC
3.1

New Caledonia performs significantly better than Saint Lucia across all safety metrics.

What about the environment?

CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LC
1.7t
NC
17.1t

Saint Lucia performs better than New Caledonia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

LC
10.8
NC
19.2
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

LC
78.0%
NC
82.0%

New Caledonia performs significantly better than Saint Lucia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

LC
11.1%
NC
11.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LC
$22,700
NC
$35,700

New Caledonia generally does better on employment & economy, though Saint Lucia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

LC
79.0 yrs
NC
78.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LC
12.0
NC
5.0

Saint Lucia generally does better on family life, though New Caledonia leads in infant mortality.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Castries Rain: 0.0 in/yr (0 mm)
None° / None°F

Avg. annual high / low

Noumea Rain: 42.2 in/yr (1072 mm)
79° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Castries Noumea
Jan–Mar 84°/73°F (29°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/68°F (25°/20°C)
Jul–Sep 74°/63°F (23°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 81°/69°F (27°/21°C)
View all months
Month Castries Noumea
Jan 84°/73°F (28.9°/23.0°C)
Feb 84°/74°F (29.0°/23.2°C)
Mar 83°/73°F (28.5°/22.8°C)
Apr 80°/71°F (26.9°/21.4°C)
May 77°/68°F (25.2°/19.8°C)
Jun 75°/65°F (23.7°/18.5°C)
Jul 73°/63°F (22.6°/17.2°C)
Aug 73°/63°F (22.8°/17.2°C)
Sep 75°/64°F (23.8°/17.7°C)
Oct 78°/67°F (25.5°/19.2°C)
Nov 81°/69°F (27.0°/20.7°C)
Dec 83°/71°F (28.2°/21.9°C)

Data: Saint Lucia Meteorological Services Saint Lucia Meteorological Services, Météo-France Regional Service New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna Météo-France Regional Service New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saint Lucia and New Caledonia. To live, work, or study long-term in New Caledonia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check New Caledonia's immigration authority.

Saint Lucia passport

Saint Lucia passport holder visiting New Caledonia

Visa Free
Saint Lucia passport holders can enter New Caledonia without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from New Caledonia?

With 19.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, New Caledonia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Saint Lucia and New Caledonia.

Is New Caledonia safe for expats?

New Caledonia performs significantly better than Saint Lucia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in New Caledonia is 3.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 36.7 in Saint Lucia.

What's the weather like in New Caledonia compared to Saint Lucia?

The average high temperature in Noumea is 79°F, compared to None°F in Castries. Noumea receives around 42.2 in of rainfall per year.

What language do they speak in New Caledonia?

The official language in New Caledonia is French. In Saint Lucia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

LC NC
Population 167,122 297,160
Currency East Caribbean Dollar (EC$) CFP Franc (CFPF)
Languages English French
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +1758 +687
Time zones 1 1