Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fiji and Nuku'alofa

For one person, living is cheaper in Fiji: $709 a month against $1,019 in Nuku'alofa, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. The total is higher in Nuku'alofa despite lower rent and utilities.

34

Cost of Living Index in Fiji
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Fiji Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Nuku'alofa
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Nuku'alofa Living Index

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Fiji

🇫🇯 Fiji

$709

/mo nomad

Nuku'alofa

🇹🇴 Tonga

$1,019

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fiji and in Nuku'alofa

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $709 in Fiji versus $1,019 in Nuku'alofa.

Fiji $709
Nuku'alofa $1,019

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,144 in Fiji versus $1,886 in Nuku'alofa.

Fiji $1,144
Nuku'alofa $1,886

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,578 in Fiji versus $2,752 in Nuku'alofa.

Fiji $1,578
Nuku'alofa $2,752

Living in Fiji costs roughly 30% less than in Nuku'alofa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Fiji 47% lower, Nuku'alofa 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.32 FJD 9.68

$8.52 TOP 20.43

-49.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.65 FJD 70.9

$61.8 TOP 148

-48.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.54 FJD 14.65

$10.32 TOP 24.74

-36.63%

Cappuccino

$2.50 FJD 5.59

$2.93 TOP 7.02

-14.68%

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

$1.35 FJD 3.01

$2.82 TOP 6.75

-52.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 FJD 2.34

$2.52 TOP 6.03

-58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 FJD 9.14

$3.38 TOP 8.09

20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 FJD 9.06

$5.03 TOP 12.07

-19.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 FJD 2.80

$1.52 TOP 3.64

-17.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.26 FJD 0.59

$1.07 TOP 2.56

-75.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 FJD 1.90

$2.11 TOP 5.07

-59.72%

Eggs

$3.08 FJD 6.91

$4.97 TOP 11.91

-38.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 FJD 23.83

$8.75 TOP 20.98

21.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.30 FJD 11.87

$5.91 TOP 14.16

-10.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 TOP 18.75

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 FJD 2.92

$2.79 TOP 6.69

-53.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 FJD 1.94

$2.71 TOP 6.49

-68.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 FJD 4.10

$2.87 TOP 6.87

-36.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 FJD 2.93

$3.68 TOP 8.82

-64.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 FJD 1.56

$3.16 TOP 7.57

-77.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 FJD 1.65

$2.65 TOP 6.34

-72.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 FJD 1.96

$2.28 TOP 5.46

-61.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 FJD 1.16

$1.42 TOP 3.40

-63.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.95 FJD 24.52

$10.24 TOP 24.54

6.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 FJD 13.87

$17.36 TOP 41.62

-64.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.97 FJD 8.90

$3.14 TOP 7.51

26.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 FJD 9.22

$3.41 TOP 8.18

20.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 FJD 2.08

$2.14 TOP 5.12

-56.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.65 TOP 99.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 FJD 2.52

$2.05 TOP 4.92

-45.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 TOP 4.96

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.16 TOP 98.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 FJD 2.81

$1.47 TOP 3.53

-14.97%

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

$46.1K FJD 103.2K

$5,817 TOP 13.9K

692.14%

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

$8,461 TOP 20.3K

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

$53.5 FJD 120

$188 TOP 450

-71.50%

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

$13.37 FJD 29.96

$22.27 TOP 53.4

-39.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.80 FJD 39.88

$123 TOP 294

-85.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.89 FJD 49.04

$31.62 TOP 75.8

-30.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.42 FJD 9.89

$40.72 TOP 97.6

-89.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 FJD 9.18

$40.75 TOP 97.7

-89.94%

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

$44.79 FJD 100

$157 TOP 376

-71.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$248 TOP 593

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.42 FJD 43.50

$14.35 TOP 34.38

35.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.98 TOP 43.09

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$30.25 FJD 67.8

$20.42 TOP 48.93

48.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.28 TOP 70.2

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$680 FJD 1,524

$619 TOP 1,484

9.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 FJD 605

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 FJD 2,453

$831 TOP 1,992

31.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 FJD 1,367

$560 TOP 1,342

9.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,289 FJD 2,887

$418 TOP 1,001

208.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,293 FJD 2,897

$252 TOP 603

413.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$538 FJD 1,205

$680 TOP 1,630

-20.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Fiji: October 4, 2026

Last update for Nuku'alofa: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fiji

$270 38.4%

Nuku'alofa

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Fiji

$169 * 24%

Nuku'alofa

$292 28.6% 73% $123

Eating Out

Fiji

$122 17.4%

Nuku'alofa

$183 17.9% 49.4% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fiji

$85 12%

Nuku'alofa

$332 32.6% 293% $248

Sport & Entertainment

Fiji

$30 4.3%

Nuku'alofa

$113 11.1% 276% $83

Clothing & Footwear

Fiji

$22 * 3.2%

Nuku'alofa

$37 3.6% 65.1% $15

Getting Around

Fiji

$4.8 * 0.7%

Nuku'alofa

$63 6.1% 1196% $58

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 $680 in Fiji and $619 in Nuku'alofa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nuku'alofa pays 26% 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: $32.00 in Fiji vs $62.0 in Nuku'alofa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $292 per month, with Fiji cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇫🇯 Fiji

🇹🇴 Nuku'alofa

🕒 Local time

16:45 4:45 PM

17:45 5:45 PM

1 h ahead of Fiji

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

92,043

24,500 Capital

💱 Currency

Fijian Dollar FJD $

Tongan Paʻanga TOP T$

📈 Exchange rate

1 FJD = 0.446 USD

1 FJD = 0.398 EUR

1 TOP = 0.417 USD

1 TOP = 0.372 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TOP, USD, EUR to FJD – Fijian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇫🇯 Fijian Dollar ($)

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.24 FJD (1 FJD = 0.446 USD). 1 EUR = 2.51 FJD (1 FJD = 0.398 EUR).

Tongan Paʻanga exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.4 TOP (1 TOP = 0.417 USD). 1 EUR = 2.69 TOP (1 TOP = 0.372 EUR).

USD to FJD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Fiji Nuku'alofa 740 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Fiji
Nuku'alofa

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

Fiji vs Nuku'alofa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fiji is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Nuku'alofa. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $680 in Fiji versus $619 in Nuku'alofa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 73% higher in Nuku'alofa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $709 per month in Fiji versus $1,019 in Nuku'alofa – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $709 in Fiji versus $1,019 in Nuku'alofa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fiji but tight or insufficient in Nuku'alofa. The gap between the two cities makes Fiji 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.

Safety-wise, Fiji and Nuku'alofa 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 Fiji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Nuku'alofa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.