Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nelson and Suva

For one person, living is cheaper in Suva: $946 a month against $1,833 in Nelson, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in Nelson
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Nelson Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Suva
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Suva Living Index

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Nelson

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,833

/mo nomad

Suva

🇫🇯 Fiji

$946

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nelson and in Suva

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,833 in Nelson versus $946 in Suva.

Nelson $1,833
Suva $946

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,842 in Nelson versus $1,717 in Suva.

Nelson $2,842
Suva $1,717

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,852 in Nelson versus $2,489 in Suva.

Nelson $3,852
Suva $2,489

Living in Nelson is roughly 94% more expensive than in Suva, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nelson is 36% above, Suva is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.86 NZ$24.51

$5.93 FJD 13.28

133.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 NZ$114

$44.78 FJD 100

44.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 NZ$15.08

$7.51 FJD 16.81

13.58%

Cappuccino

$3.24 NZ$5.74

$2.85 FJD 6.37

13.68%

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

$1.72 NZ$3.04

$1.50 FJD 3.36

14.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 NZ$2.91

$0.75 FJD 1.67

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 NZ$12.61

$3.56 FJD 7.98

100.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 NZ$9.79

$4.57 FJD 10.24

21.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.36

$1.33 FJD 2.97

42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 NZ$3.63

$0.57 FJD 1.28

259.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.24

$1.13 FJD 2.53

61.95%

Eggs

$5.70 NZ$10.08

$3.38 FJD 7.57

68.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 NZ$16.08

$10.18 FJD 22.78

-10.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.34 NZ$12.98

$6.34 FJD 14.19

15.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.70 NZ$24.22

$7.96 FJD 17.82

72.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 NZ$5.45

$2.49 FJD 5.58

23.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 NZ$3.88

$2.43 FJD 5.43

-9.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 NZ$5.41

$3.55 FJD 7.94

-13.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.61 NZ$9.92

$3.17 FJD 7.11

76.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.63

$1.26 FJD 2.83

62.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 NZ$2.27

$1.06 FJD 2.37

20.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NZ$3.48

$1.16 FJD 2.61

69.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 NZ$1.79

$0.69 FJD 1.54

46.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.79 NZ$43.85

$9.89 FJD 22.15

150.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.44 NZ$16.69

$7.19 FJD 16.10

31.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 NZ$5.41

$2.11 FJD 4.74

45.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 NZ$4.86

$3.39 FJD 7.60

-18.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 NZ$3.92

$0.88 FJD 1.97

152.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.34 FJD 50.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 NZ$3.21

$0.92 FJD 2.05

97.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 NZ$3.14

$0.45 FJD 1.01

295.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.41 NZ$59.1

$8.80 FJD 19.70

279.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 NZ$2.85

$1.43 FJD 3.21

12.59%

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

$17.1K NZ$30.2K

$24.3K FJD 54.5K

-29.75%

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

$21.9K NZ$38.7K

$24.7K FJD 55.3K

-11.26%

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

$131 NZ$231

$46.26 FJD 104

182.17%

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

$32.95 NZ$58.3

$12.75 FJD 28.54

158.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.79 NZ$73.9

$24.21 FJD 54.2

72.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.3 NZ$176

$36.81 FJD 82.4

169.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.61 NZ$59.4

$11.31 FJD 25.32

197.17%

Cinema Ticket

$11.01 NZ$19.48

$3.42 FJD 7.65

221.93%

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

$440 NZ$777

$225 FJD 503

95.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K NZ$22.4K

$13.4K FJD 30.0K

-5.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 NZ$92.6

$33.29 FJD 74.5

57.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.78 NZ$49.13

$39.64 FJD 88.8

-29.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 NZ$179

$68.6 FJD 154

47.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 NZ$245

$59.9 FJD 134

131.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 NZ$1,769

$889 FJD 1,992

12.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$795 NZ$1,406

$329 FJD 736

141.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 NZ$3,014

$2,589 FJD 5,797

-34.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 NZ$2,574

$999 FJD 2,236

45.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,374 NZ$2,430

$1,310 FJD 2,933

4.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$827 NZ$1,462

$820 FJD 1,836

0.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,017 NZ$3,568

$965 FJD 2,160

109.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

7.7

-30.00%

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

Last update for Nelson: October 12, 2026

Last update for Suva: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nelson

$795 43.4%

Suva

$329 34.7% 58.6% $466

Groceries & Markets

Nelson

$312 17%

Suva

$231 24.4% 26% $81

Eating Out

Nelson

$236 12.9%

Suva

$140 14.8% 40.5% $95

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nelson

$205 11.2%

Suva

$83 8.8% 59.5% $122

Clothing & Footwear

Nelson

$144 7.9%

Suva

$91 9.6% 37.1% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Nelson

$121 6.6%

Suva

$44 4.6% 64% $78

Getting Around

Nelson

$20 * 1.1%

Suva

$29 3.1% 48.3% $9.5

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 $1,000 in Nelson and $889 in Suva. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nelson pays 109% 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: $65.0 in Nelson vs $45.00 in Suva for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $231 per month, with Suva cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Nelson

🇫🇯 Suva

🕒 Local time

06:54 6:54 AM

05:54 5:54 AM

1 h behind Nelson

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

51,100

100,000 Capital

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

Fijian Dollar FJD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1 FJD = 0.447 USD

1 FJD = 0.397 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

FJD, USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

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).

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).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nelson Suva 2,620 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Nelson
Suva

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

Nelson vs Suva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Suva wins on cost – living expenses run 94% lower than in Nelson. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Suva the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 109% higher in Nelson, 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: $1,000 in Nelson versus $889 in Suva. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $440 in Nelson versus $225 in Suva. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Suva – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $65.0 in Nelson. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $946 in Suva versus $1,833 in Nelson, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Suva but tight or insufficient in Nelson. The gap between the two cities makes Suva 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, Nelson and Suva 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 Suva gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Nelson. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.