Cost of Living Comparison Between Fiji and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Fiji and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $729 in Fiji versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,193 in Fiji versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,657 in Fiji versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Fiji costs roughly 42% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Fiji 47% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 FJD 9.76

$4.56 ฿151

-2.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 FJD 70.9

$32.62 ฿1,082

-0.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 FJD 14.59

$8.90 ฿295

-25.28%

Cappuccino

$2.48 FJD 5.43

$2.80 ฿93.0

-11.43%

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

$1.37 FJD 3.00

$0.88 ฿29.19

55.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 FJD 2.28

$0.49 ฿16.23

112.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.21 FJD 9.23

$2.39 ฿79.2

76.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 FJD 9.15

$3.71 ฿123

12.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 FJD 2.73

$1.79 ฿59.3

-30.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.24 FJD 0.52

$1.44 ฿47.81

-83.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 FJD 2.07

$1.58 ฿52.6

-40.51%

Eggs

$3.22 FJD 7.06

$2.13 ฿70.5

51.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 FJD 24.08

$19.92 ฿661

-44.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 FJD 12.16

$3.43 ฿114

61.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿376

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 FJD 2.92

$2.95 ฿97.8

-54.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 FJD 2.09

$1.72 ฿57.1

-44.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 FJD 4.10

$2.32 ฿77.1

-19.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 FJD 2.97

$2.08 ฿69.0

-35.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 FJD 1.57

$1.47 ฿48.77

-51.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 FJD 1.54

$1.36 ฿45.05

-48.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 FJD 1.91

$1.10 ฿36.45

-20.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 FJD 1.24

$0.57 ฿19.06

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.36 FJD 24.91

$4.27 ฿142

166.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.25 FJD 13.72

$18.42 ฿611

-66.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 FJD 9.20

$1.87 ฿62.1

124.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 FJD 8.92

$2.92 ฿96.9

39.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 FJD 2.07

$2.22 ฿73.6

-57.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 FJD 2.56

$3.03 ฿101

-61.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.63

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 FJD 2.97

$1.49 ฿49.49

-8.72%

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

$46.4K FJD 101.8K

$27.1K ฿899.8K

71.14%

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

$27.5K ฿910.6K

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

$55.1 FJD 121

$103 ฿3,410

-46.44%

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

$13.80 FJD 30.28

$10.99 ฿365

25.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.87 FJD 39.19

$17.51 ฿581

2.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.74 FJD 49.88

$53.5 ฿1,776

-57.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.59 FJD 10.07

$11.20 ฿371

-59.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 FJD 9.16

$7.48 ฿248

-44.12%

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

$46.38 FJD 102

$557 ฿18.5K

-91.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿393.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.55 FJD 42.89

$64.1 ฿2,125

-69.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿964

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$30.69 FJD 67.3

$96.0 ฿3,183

-68.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,997

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 FJD 1,519

$730 ฿24.2K

-5.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 FJD 599

$500 ฿16.6K

-45.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 FJD 2,505

$2,090 ฿69.3K

-45.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 FJD 1,354

$1,209 ฿40.1K

-48.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 FJD 2,896

$3,596 ฿119.3K

-63.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,321 FJD 2,898

$2,512 ฿83.3K

-47.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 FJD 1,211

$503 ฿16.7K

9.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.72%

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

Last update for Fiji: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Fiji and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fiji pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Fiji vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $273 per month, with Fiji cheaper across the board.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fiji is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Fiji, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $692 in Fiji versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $729 per month in Fiji versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $729 in Fiji versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fiji but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Fiji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fiji is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Fiji and Phuket 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 72% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.