Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nadi and Paihia

For one person, living is cheaper in Nadi: $1,386 a month against $1,878 in Paihia, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Nadi
🇫🇯 Fiji
$1,386
/mo nomad
Paihia
🇳🇿 New Zealand
$1,878
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nadi and in Paihia

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

A single person spends $1,386 per month in Nadi vs $1,878 in Paihia, rent included.

  • Nadi $1,386
  • Paihia $1,878

A couple spends around $2,044 per month in Nadi vs $2,919 in Paihia, rent included.

  • Nadi $2,044
  • Paihia $2,919

A family of three spends $2,702 per month in Nadi vs $3,960 in Paihia, rent included.

  • Nadi $2,702
  • Paihia $3,960

Nadi is about 26% cheaper than Paihia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Nadi and Paihia sit above the global median – Nadi by 3%, Paihia by 39%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nadi
Paihia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.87 FJD 19.85
$13.79 NZ$24.39
-35.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.73 FJD 82.2
$33.24 NZ$58.8
10.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.00 FJD 20.16
$8.35 NZ$14.77
7.78%
Cappuccino
$4.41 FJD 9.88
$3.31 NZ$5.86
33.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49 FJD 3.35
$1.92 NZ$3.40
-22.40%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 FJD 2.86
$1.80 NZ$3.18
-28.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.74 FJD 6.13
$6.68 NZ$11.81
-58.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55 FJD 10.19
$6.63 NZ$11.72
-31.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nadi
Paihia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.34 FJD 3.00
$1.86 NZ$3.29
-27.96%
White Bread (500g)
$1.08 FJD 2.43
$2.24 NZ$3.96
-51.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 FJD 2.93
$1.89 NZ$3.34
-30.69%
Eggs
$3.12 FJD 6.99
$6.39 NZ$11.29
-51.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.07 FJD 27.01
$8.42 NZ$14.89
43.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.75 FJD 30.78
$9.68 NZ$17.13
42.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.66 FJD 35.07
$17.32 NZ$30.63
-9.58%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 FJD 6.57
$2.83 NZ$5.00
3.89%
Banana (1kg)
$2.77 FJD 6.20
$2.11 NZ$3.74
31.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.71 FJD 8.30
$3.01 NZ$5.33
23.26%
Tomato (1kg)
-
$5.68 NZ$10.05
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 FJD 4.44
$2.08 NZ$3.67
-4.81%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 FJD 4.44
$1.53 NZ$2.70
29.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 FJD 2.45
$1.99 NZ$3.52
-44.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 FJD 2.15
$1.04 NZ$1.83
-7.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.46 FJD 21.19
$27.24 NZ$48.17
-65.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.00 FJD 22.39
$10.39 NZ$18.37
-3.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.73 FJD 6.11
$2.73 NZ$4.82
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.41 FJD 7.63
$3.30 NZ$5.84
3.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Nadi
Paihia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.70 FJD 1.57
$1.60 NZ$2.82
-56.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$82.1 NZ$145
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 FJD 2.55
$1.70 NZ$3.01
-32.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 FJD 0.94
$2.00 NZ$3.54
-79.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.84 FJD 10.84
$31.30 NZ$55.4
-84.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 FJD 2.96
$1.87 NZ$3.30
-29.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.9K FJD 55.7K
$25.6K NZ$45.2K
-2.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K FJD 50.0K
$22.4K NZ$39.6K
-0.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nadi
Paihia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$65.8 FJD 147
$184 NZ$325
-64.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.97 FJD 40.23
$26.10 NZ$46.16
-31.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.26 FJD 52.1
$50.5 NZ$89.4
-53.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nadi
Paihia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.21 FJD 83.3
$33.25 NZ$58.8
11.91%
Cinema Ticket
$5.45 FJD 12.19
$12.74 NZ$22.53
-57.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nadi
Paihia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$1,097 NZ$1,939
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$19.4K NZ$34.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nadi
Paihia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$29.10 FJD 65.2
$77.9 NZ$138
-62.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.62 FJD 97.7
$39.32 NZ$69.5
10.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$56.8 FJD 127
$91.0 NZ$161
-37.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$67.7 FJD 152
$108 NZ$192
-37.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nadi
Paihia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,127 FJD 2,524
$939 NZ$1,660
20.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$645 FJD 1,444
$742 NZ$1,311
-13.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,673 FJD 3,745
$1,802 NZ$3,187
-7.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,004 FJD 2,248
$1,607 NZ$2,843
-37.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$679 FJD 1,521
$4,161 NZ$7,359
-83.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$518 FJD 1,161
$3,605 NZ$6,376
-85.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nadi
Paihia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$806 FJD 1,805
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.25
5.37
35.01%

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

Last update for Nadi: October 10, 2026

Last update for Paihia: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nadi
$645
Paihia
$742 15% $97
Groceries & Markets
Nadi
$306 *
Paihia
$338 10.3% $31
Eating Out
Nadi
$185
Paihia
$237 28.1% $52
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nadi
$107
Paihia
$260 143% $153
Clothing & Footwear
Nadi
$89
Paihia
$143 60.7% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Nadi
$48
Paihia
$59 22.1% $11
Getting Around
Nadi
$6 *
Paihia
$100 1559% $94

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,127 in Nadi versus $939 in Paihia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Nadi versus $33.00 in Paihia. Groceries tell a different story – $306 in Nadi vs $338 in Paihia – so Nadi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇫🇯 Nadi
🇳🇿 Paihia
🕒 Local time
07:52 7:52 AM
08:52 8:52 AM
1 h ahead of Nadi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
50,000
1,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD, EUR to FJD – Fijian Dollar Converter

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 2.24 FJD (1 FJD = 0.447 USD). 1 EUR = 2.52 FJD (1 FJD = 0.397 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nadi Paihia 1,970 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nadi
  • Paihia

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
Nadi vs Paihia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Paihia cheaper than Nadi?
Yes – Paihia is pricier by about 35%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,079 per month in Nadi and $2,816 in Paihia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nadi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Nadi and in Paihia?
Groceries cost about 10% more in Paihia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Nadi or in Paihia?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Nadi and $33.00 in Paihia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Nadi or in Paihia?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nadi, where all-in costs run around $1,386, than in Paihia at $1,878. In Nadi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Paihia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Nadi or Paihia more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Nadi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Nadi or Paihia?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Nadi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Paihia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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