Cost of Living Comparison Between Cook Islands and Fiji Cost of Living Comparison Between Cook Islands and Fiji

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,092 in Cook Islands versus $496 in Fiji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,690 in Cook Islands versus $857 in Fiji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,288 in Cook Islands versus $1,218 in Fiji.

Living in Cook Islands is roughly 120% more expensive than in Fiji on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Cook Islands 18% lower, Fiji 63% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cook Islands
Fiji
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.16 NZ$20.99
$4.53 FJD 10.09
168.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.6 NZ$105
$42.78 FJD 95.3
41.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.21 NZ$15.91
$7.14 FJD 15.90
28.99%
Cappuccino
$4.22 NZ$7.28
$2.84 FJD 6.32
48.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 NZ$4.33
$1.26 FJD 2.81
99.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 NZ$4.12
$0.88 FJD 1.96
171.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.50 NZ$11.23
$2.72 FJD 6.05
138.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.49 NZ$9.48
$3.58 FJD 7.97
53.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cook Islands
Fiji
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.16 NZ$3.73
$1.36 FJD 3.03
58.82%
White Bread (500g)
$3.17 NZ$5.48
$0.57 FJD 1.27
456.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 NZ$2.84
$1.06 FJD 2.36
54.72%
Eggs
$5.85 NZ$10.10
$3.34 FJD 7.43
75.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.90 NZ$17.09
$8.68 FJD 19.33
14.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.07 NZ$13.93
$7.94 FJD 17.69
1.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.92 NZ$15.40
$7.63 FJD 17.00
16.91%
Apples (1kg)
$3.04 NZ$5.24
$2.49 FJD 5.55
22.09%
Banana (1kg)
$2.47 NZ$4.27
$2.57 FJD 5.73
-3.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.67 NZ$6.33
$3.17 FJD 7.07
15.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.24 NZ$10.78
$2.76 FJD 6.15
126.09%
Potato (1kg)
$2.38 NZ$4.11
$1.38 FJD 3.06
72.46%
Onion (1kg)
$1.93 NZ$3.33
$1.24 FJD 2.75
55.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.09 NZ$3.61
$1.06 FJD 2.36
97.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.38 NZ$5.84
$0.85 FJD 1.89
297.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.15 NZ$26.15
$9.52 FJD 21.20
59.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.36 NZ$23.07
$8.71 FJD 19.40
53.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.61 NZ$6.23
$2.16 FJD 4.82
67.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.06 NZ$8.74
$3.38 FJD 7.54
49.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Cook Islands
Fiji
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.93 NZ$5.05
$0.70 FJD 1.56
318.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$22.02 FJD 49.04
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$21.30 NZ$36.78
$0.86 FJD 1.92
2376.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.42 FJD 0.93
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.86 NZ$61.9
$4.68 FJD 10.43
666.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.77 NZ$3.05
$1.34 FJD 2.97
32.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.2K NZ$21.0K
$23.2K FJD 51.6K
-47.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$22.6K FJD 50.4K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cook Islands
Fiji
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$105 NZ$182
$53.0 FJD 118
98.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.13 NZ$52.0
$13.46 FJD 29.97
123.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$107 NZ$184
$22.89 FJD 51.0
365.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cook Islands
Fiji
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.63 NZ$42.53
$31.97 FJD 71.2
-22.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.51 NZ$42.32
$6.63 FJD 14.77
269.68%
Cinema Ticket
$7.01 NZ$12.11
$4.43 FJD 9.87
58.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cook Islands
Fiji
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$174 FJD 388
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,456 NZ$2,514
$11.8K FJD 26.3K
-87.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cook Islands
Fiji
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 NZ$118
$25.31 FJD 56.4
169.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$30.48 FJD 67.9
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$68.1 FJD 152
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.1 NZ$126
$74.1 FJD 165
-1.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cook Islands
Fiji
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$319 NZ$551
$632 FJD 1,406
-49.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$325 NZ$562
$339 FJD 755
-4.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$362 NZ$626
$1,589 FJD 3,540
-77.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$476 NZ$821
$930 FJD 2,071
-48.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,983 NZ$8,604
$1,225 FJD 2,729
306.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$726 NZ$1,253
$810 FJD 1,805
-10.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cook Islands
Fiji
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,014 NZ$6,932
$872 FJD 1,942
360.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8
6.5
23.08%

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

Last update for Cook Islands: July 21, 2026

Last update for Fiji: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $320 in Cook Islands, $277 in Fiji. Capital cities: $158 in Avarua vs $603 in Suva.

National salary averages: $4,080 in Cook Islands, $739 in Fiji. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 16% higher in Cook Islands.

Dining out costs 131% more in Cook Islands.

Salaries are 452% higher in Cook Islands, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Cook Islands.

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
Cook Islands vs Fiji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Cook Islands or Fiji?
At $1,092 per month in Cook Islands and $518 in Fiji, there's a 111% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Cook Islands or Fiji?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Fiji: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Cook Islands and Fiji?
Rent in Cook Islands is consistently higher than in Fiji across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $1,500 go in Cook Islands compared to Fiji?
In Fiji, $1,500 covers most cities easily; in Cook Islands it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Cook Islands and in Fiji?
It depends on what you're after: Fiji wins on affordability; Cook Islands may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Cook Islands vs other spots: cost of living compared

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