Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ba and Wellington

For one person, living is cheaper in Ba: $93.4 a month against $2,274 in Wellington, rent and utilities included – about $26,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

108

Cost of Living Index in Wellington
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Wellington Living Index

Jump to prices

🇫🇯 Fiji

$93.4

/mo nomad

Wellington

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,274

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ba and in Wellington

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $93 in Ba versus $2,274 in Wellington.

Ba $93
Wellington $2,274

Estimated couple costs with rent: $208 in Ba versus $3,372 in Wellington.

Ba $208
Wellington $3,372

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $323 in Ba versus $4,470 in Wellington.

Ba $323
Wellington $4,470

Living in Ba costs roughly 96% less than in Wellington, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ba is 93% below, Wellington is 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 FJD 4.54

$14.09 NZ$25.18

-85.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.14 FJD 67.3

$65.6 NZ$117

-54.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 FJD 13.34

$9.40 NZ$16.80

-36.38%

Cappuccino

$1.96 FJD 4.38

$3.32 NZ$5.93

-40.96%

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

$1.03 FJD 2.30

$2.35 NZ$4.20

-56.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 FJD 2.27

$1.73 NZ$3.10

-41.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 FJD 9.15

$7.32 NZ$13.08

-43.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 FJD 7.69

$6.65 NZ$11.88

-48.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 NZ$3.26

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 NZ$3.82

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.28

Eggs

$6.89 NZ$12.32

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 NZ$16.65

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 NZ$17.64

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.86 NZ$26.55

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 NZ$5.27

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 NZ$3.95

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NZ$5.39

Tomato (1kg)

$6.27 NZ$11.21

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 NZ$3.75

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 NZ$2.50

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 NZ$3.64

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NZ$2.11

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.59 NZ$43.94

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 NZ$20.14

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 NZ$5.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 NZ$5.25

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 NZ$4.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 NZ$186

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 NZ$3.28

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 NZ$3.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.07 NZ$60.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 NZ$3.25

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

$27.7K NZ$49.5K

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

$23.6K NZ$42.2K

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

$188 NZ$336

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

$31.98 NZ$57.1

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 NZ$92.4

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.71 NZ$65.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.00 NZ$28.59

Cinema Ticket

$12.00 NZ$21.45

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

$1,062 NZ$1,898

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K NZ$40.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.3 NZ$140

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.75 NZ$49.58

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 NZ$182

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 NZ$269

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 NZ$2,051

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 NZ$1,901

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,996 NZ$3,567

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,796 NZ$3,209

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,545 NZ$11.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,561 NZ$6,363

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$386 FJD 862

$2,741 NZ$4,898

-85.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

-25.79%

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

Last update for Ba: October 31, 2026

Last update for Wellington: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

–

Wellington

$1.1K 46.8%

Groceries & Markets

–

Wellington

$344 15.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

–

Wellington

$272 11.9%

Eating Out

–

Wellington

$247 10.9%

Clothing & Footwear

–

Wellington

$161 7.1%

Getting Around

–

Wellington

$126 5.5%

Sport & Entertainment

–

Wellington

$61 2.7%

Cost Breakdown

Wellington pays about 7.1 times 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 at a mid-range restaurant: $30 in Ba vs $66 in Wellington for two.

Good to know

🇫🇯 Ba

🇳🇿 Wellington

🕒 Local time

16:44 4:44 PM

17:44 5:44 PM

1 h ahead of Ba

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,000

215,900 Capital

💱 Currency

Fijian Dollar FJD $

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 FJD = 0.448 USD

1 FJD = 0.399 EUR

1 NZD = 0.56 USD

1 NZD = 0.499 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD, EUR to FJD – Fijian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇫🇯 Fijian Dollar ($)

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 2.23 FJD (1 FJD = 0.448 USD). 1 EUR = 2.51 FJD (1 FJD = 0.399 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.79 NZD (1 NZD = 0.56 USD). 1 EUR = 2.01 NZD (1 NZD = 0.499 EUR).

USD to FJD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Ba Wellington 2,650 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Ba
Wellington

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

Ba vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba wins on cost – living expenses run 96% lower than in Wellington. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Ba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 86% lower in Ba. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba – a meal for two runs $30 versus $66 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $93 per month in Ba versus $2,274 in Wellington – Ba is about 96% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $93 in Ba versus $2,274 in Wellington, a $800 budget is realistic in Ba but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Ba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Ba wins on affordability, Wellington on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.