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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $400 in Fiji versus $1,430 in Cook Islands.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $674 in Fiji versus $1,663 in Cook Islands.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $947 in Fiji versus $1,896 in Cook Islands.

Living in Fiji costs about 72% less than in Cook Islands on average.

Fiji (71% below) and Cook Islands (4% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fiji
Cook Islands
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.37 FJD 11.77
$11.87 NZ$20.41
-54.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.74 FJD 89.3
$59.9 NZ$103
-32.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.41 FJD 16.23
$7.48 NZ$12.87
-0.94%
Cappuccino
$3.15 FJD 6.90
$3.44 NZ$5.91
-8.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 FJD 3.32
$2.46 NZ$4.23
-38.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 FJD 2.17
$2.51 NZ$4.32
-60.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.27 FJD 7.17
$5.84 NZ$10.04
-44.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.21 FJD 9.22
$5.15 NZ$8.85
-18.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fiji
Cook Islands
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 FJD 3.02
$2.31 NZ$3.96
-40.26%
White Bread (500g)
$0.67 FJD 1.48
$3.17 NZ$5.45
-78.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.10 FJD 2.42
$1.79 NZ$3.08
-38.55%
Eggs
$3.49 FJD 7.64
$5.55 NZ$9.54
-37.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.64 FJD 21.11
$9.65 NZ$16.60
-0.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.40 FJD 20.60
$8.26 NZ$14.21
13.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.47 FJD 18.55
$10.51 NZ$18.07
-19.41%
Apples (1kg)
$2.71 FJD 5.94
$2.88 NZ$4.95
-5.90%
Banana (1kg)
$2.74 FJD 5.99
$1.80 NZ$3.09
52.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.37 FJD 7.38
$3.60 NZ$6.19
-6.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.93 FJD 6.42
$9.51 NZ$16.35
-69.19%
Potato (1kg)
$1.31 FJD 2.88
$2.97 NZ$5.11
-55.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.23 FJD 2.70
$2.37 NZ$4.07
-48.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 FJD 2.23
$2.30 NZ$3.95
-55.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 FJD 1.73
$2.97 NZ$5.10
-73.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.92 FJD 21.74
$11.84 NZ$20.35
-16.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.20 FJD 17.97
$13.35 NZ$22.95
-38.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.32 FJD 5.08
$3.58 NZ$6.15
-35.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.86 FJD 8.47
$4.82 NZ$8.29
-19.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Fiji
Cook Islands
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.83 FJD 1.82
$3.01 NZ$5.17
-72.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.62 FJD 49.55
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.87 FJD 1.90
$20.68 NZ$35.55
-95.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.44 FJD 0.97
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.13 FJD 15.62
$34.68 NZ$59.6
-79.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 FJD 2.97
$2.03 NZ$3.50
-33.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.9K FJD 54.5K
$11.9K NZ$20.5K
108.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K FJD 57.8K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fiji
Cook Islands
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$57.1 FJD 125
$108 NZ$186
-47.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.66 FJD 32.11
$50.0 NZ$86.0
-70.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.70 FJD 47.55
$106 NZ$183
-79.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fiji
Cook Islands
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.73 FJD 80.5
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.58 FJD 16.62
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.85 FJD 8.44
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fiji
Cook Islands
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 FJD 435
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.8K FJD 30.2K
$1,416 NZ$2,434
874.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fiji
Cook Islands
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.20 FJD 61.8
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.18 FJD 77.1
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.0 FJD 151
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$63.8 FJD 140
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fiji
Cook Islands
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$953 FJD 2,089
$744 NZ$1,279
28.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$416 FJD 911
$729 NZ$1,253
-42.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,075 FJD 4,547
$407 NZ$700
409.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$929 FJD 2,034
$649 NZ$1,116
43.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,242 FJD 2,720
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$818 FJD 1,791
$990 NZ$1,702
-17.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fiji
Cook Islands
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$881 FJD 1,930
$4,119 NZ$7,083
-78.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.44
0
-

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

Last update for Fiji: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cook Islands: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $356 in Fiji, $743 in Cook Islands. Capital cities: $925 in Suva vs $1,012 in Avarua.

National salary averages: $751 in Fiji, $4,121 in Cook Islands. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 109% higher in Cook Islands.

Dining out costs 128% more in Cook Islands.

Salaries are 449% 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
Fiji vs Cook Islands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Cook Islands or Fiji?
At $1,430 per month in Cook Islands and $713 in Fiji, there's a 101% 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.

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