Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and Suva

For one person, living is cheaper in Suva: $927 a month against $2,433 in Auckland, rent and utilities included – about $18,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Auckland
🇳🇿 New Zealand
$2,433
/mo nomad
Suva
🇫🇯 Fiji
$927
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Auckland and in Suva

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,433 in Auckland versus $927 in Suva.

  • Auckland $2,433
  • Suva $927

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,354 in Auckland versus $1,681 in Suva.

  • Auckland $3,354
  • Suva $1,681

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,274 in Auckland versus $2,435 in Suva.

  • Auckland $4,274
  • Suva $2,435

Living in Auckland is roughly 163% more expensive than in Suva, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

The two cities straddle the global median: Auckland is 82% above, Suva is 31% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Auckland
Suva
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.84 NZ$24.68
$5.72 FJD 12.81
141.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.7 NZ$121
$44.13 FJD 98.8
53.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.14 NZ$16.31
$7.76 FJD 17.37
17.78%
Cappuccino
$3.36 NZ$5.99
$2.91 FJD 6.52
15.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 NZ$3.45
$1.50 FJD 3.36
28.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 NZ$3.09
$0.73 FJD 1.64
136.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.82 NZ$12.16
$3.67 FJD 8.21
85.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.54 NZ$11.66
$4.33 FJD 9.70
51.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Auckland
Suva
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 NZ$3.48
$1.28 FJD 2.86
52.34%
White Bread (500g)
$2.18 NZ$3.88
$0.56 FJD 1.26
289.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.90 NZ$3.40
$1.13 FJD 2.52
68.14%
Eggs
$6.20 NZ$11.05
$3.39 FJD 7.60
82.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.48 NZ$15.13
$10.04 FJD 22.48
-15.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.96 NZ$17.76
$6.06 FJD 13.57
64.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 NZ$30.27
$7.82 FJD 17.50
117.01%
Apples (1kg)
$2.80 NZ$4.99
$2.47 FJD 5.54
13.36%
Banana (1kg)
$2.07 NZ$3.69
$2.42 FJD 5.43
-14.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.86 NZ$5.11
$3.48 FJD 7.79
-17.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.69 NZ$10.16
$3.12 FJD 6.99
82.37%
Potato (1kg)
$2.13 NZ$3.80
$1.22 FJD 2.72
74.59%
Onion (1kg)
$1.58 NZ$2.82
$1.07 FJD 2.39
47.66%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.98 NZ$3.53
$1.22 FJD 2.73
62.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 NZ$1.86
$0.73 FJD 1.64
42.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$27.14 NZ$48.41
$9.66 FJD 21.62
180.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.29 NZ$18.35
$7.33 FJD 16.41
40.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.85 NZ$5.09
$2.07 FJD 4.64
37.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34 NZ$5.96
$3.43 FJD 7.69
-2.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Auckland
Suva
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.55 NZ$4.55
$0.94 FJD 2.11
171.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$124 NZ$220
$22.37 FJD 50.1
452.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.28 NZ$4.06
$0.87 FJD 1.94
162.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.99 NZ$3.55
$0.42 FJD 0.94
373.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.10 NZ$57.3
$8.95 FJD 20.04
258.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 NZ$3.33
$1.46 FJD 3.26
28.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.0K NZ$44.5K
$24.4K FJD 54.6K
2.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.4K NZ$40.0K
$25.6K FJD 57.4K
-12.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Auckland
Suva
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$179 NZ$319
$46.38 FJD 104
285.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.11 NZ$46.56
$12.79 FJD 28.65
104.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.4 NZ$90.0
$23.98 FJD 53.7
110.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Auckland
Suva
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.76 NZ$79.8
$36.85 FJD 82.5
21.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.91 NZ$31.95
$11.30 FJD 25.29
58.50%
Cinema Ticket
$12.81 NZ$22.85
$3.43 FJD 7.68
273.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Auckland
Suva
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,110 NZ$1,979
$228 FJD 509
387.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.4K NZ$34.7K
$13.4K FJD 30.0K
45.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Auckland
Suva
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.2 NZ$143
$33.19 FJD 74.3
141.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.62 NZ$70.7
$40.53 FJD 90.8
-2.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.9 NZ$168
$68.9 FJD 154
36.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 NZ$199
$61.4 FJD 138
81.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Auckland
Suva
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,327 NZ$2,367
$891 FJD 1,995
48.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,215 NZ$2,168
$330 FJD 740
267.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,152 NZ$3,838
$2,641 FJD 5,913
-18.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,652 NZ$2,946
$1,001 FJD 2,241
65.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,205 NZ$12.9K
$1,320 FJD 2,956
445.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,497 NZ$9,804
$818 FJD 1,832
571.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Auckland
Suva
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,905 NZ$5,181
$961 FJD 2,151
202.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.37
7.7
-30.26%

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

Last update for Auckland: October 6, 2026

Last update for Suva: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Auckland
$1.2K
Suva
$330 72.8% $885
Groceries & Markets
Auckland
$338
Suva
$228 32.4% $110
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Auckland
$256
Suva
$83 67.5% $172
Eating Out
Auckland
$240
Suva
$140 41.8% $100
Clothing & Footwear
Auckland
$146
Suva
$92 37.3% $55
Getting Around
Auckland
$146
Suva
$29 80.1% $117
Sport & Entertainment
Auckland
$70
Suva
$44 37.9% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,327 in Auckland and $891 in Suva. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Auckland pays 202% 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: $68.0 in Auckland vs $44.00 in Suva for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $338 vs $228 per month, with Suva cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇿 Auckland
🇫🇯 Suva
🕒 Local time
19:22 7:22 PM
18:22 6:22 PM
1 h behind Auckland
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,463,000
100,000 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.561 USD). 1 EUR = 2 NZD (1 NZD = 0.5 EUR).

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.24 FJD (1 FJD = 0.447 USD). 1 EUR = 2.51 FJD (1 FJD = 0.398 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Auckland Suva 2,110 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Auckland
  • Suva

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
Auckland vs Suva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Auckland or Suva?
Suva wins on cost – living expenses run 163% lower than in Auckland. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Suva the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Auckland or in Suva?
Average pay runs 202% higher in Auckland, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Auckland compared to Suva?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,327 in Auckland versus $891 in Suva. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Auckland and in Suva?
Childcare runs $1,110 in Auckland versus $228 in Suva. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Auckland or in Suva?
Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Auckland. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Auckland or in Suva?
At $927 in Suva versus $2,433 in Auckland, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Suva but tight or insufficient in Auckland. The gap between the two cities makes Suva the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Auckland or Suva?
Both work as nomad bases, but Suva delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $927 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Suva hard to pass up.
How safe is Auckland compared to Suva?
Safety-wise, Auckland and Suva 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Suva gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Auckland. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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