Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between North Shore and Suva

For one person, living is cheaper in Suva: $946 a month against $2,119 in North Shore, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

102

Cost of Living Index in North Shore
Learn more

North Shore Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Suva
Learn more

Suva Living Index

Jump to prices

North Shore

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,119

/mo nomad

Suva

🇫🇯 Fiji

$946

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in North Shore 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 North Shore and in Suva actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,119 in North Shore versus $946 in Suva.

North Shore $2,119
Suva $946

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,933 in North Shore versus $1,717 in Suva.

North Shore $2,933
Suva $1,717

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,746 in North Shore versus $2,489 in Suva.

North Shore $3,746
Suva $2,489

Living in North Shore is roughly 124% more expensive than in Suva, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: North Shore is 57% above, Suva is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.08 NZ$24.90

$5.93 FJD 13.28

137.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.5 NZ$130

$44.78 FJD 100

64.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 NZ$14.96

$7.51 FJD 16.81

12.65%

Cappuccino

$3.27 NZ$5.78

$2.85 FJD 6.37

14.74%

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

$1.93 NZ$3.42

$1.50 FJD 3.36

28.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 NZ$3.15

$0.75 FJD 1.67

137.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.53 NZ$11.55

$3.56 FJD 7.98

83.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 NZ$9.92

$4.57 FJD 10.24

22.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 NZ$2.85

$1.33 FJD 2.97

21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 NZ$2.29

$0.57 FJD 1.28

128.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.33

$1.13 FJD 2.53

67.26%

Eggs

$5.68 NZ$10.05

$3.38 FJD 7.57

68.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 NZ$13.69

$10.18 FJD 22.78

-23.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 NZ$17.72

$6.34 FJD 14.19

58.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.56 NZ$20.45

$7.96 FJD 17.82

45.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 NZ$4.63

$2.49 FJD 5.58

5.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.63

$2.43 FJD 5.43

-15.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 NZ$5.56

$3.55 FJD 7.94

-11.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.84 NZ$10.33

$3.17 FJD 7.11

84.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 NZ$3.67

$1.26 FJD 2.83

65.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 NZ$2.67

$1.06 FJD 2.37

42.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 NZ$4.22

$1.16 FJD 2.61

106.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 NZ$1.68

$0.69 FJD 1.54

37.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.48 NZ$45.06

$9.89 FJD 22.15

157.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.33 NZ$18.26

$7.19 FJD 16.10

43.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 NZ$4.84

$2.11 FJD 4.74

29.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 NZ$5.90

$3.39 FJD 7.60

-1.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 NZ$3.90

$0.88 FJD 1.97

151.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 NZ$105

$22.34 FJD 50.0

166.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 NZ$3.93

$0.92 FJD 2.05

141.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NZ$3.39

$0.45 FJD 1.01

326.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.25 NZ$57.0

$8.80 FJD 19.70

266.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$3.02

$1.43 FJD 3.21

19.58%

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

$25.4K NZ$44.9K

$24.3K FJD 54.5K

4.34%

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

$22.4K NZ$39.5K

$24.7K FJD 55.3K

-9.46%

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

$181 NZ$321

$46.26 FJD 104

291.96%

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

$26.42 NZ$46.73

$12.75 FJD 28.54

107.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 NZ$89.5

$24.21 FJD 54.2

109.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.16 NZ$48.03

$36.81 FJD 82.4

-26.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.31 FJD 25.32

Cinema Ticket

$13.05 NZ$23.07

$3.42 FJD 7.65

281.58%

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

$672 NZ$1,188

$225 FJD 503

198.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K NZ$25.5K

$13.4K FJD 30.0K

7.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 NZ$122

$33.29 FJD 74.5

106.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.87 NZ$67.0

$39.64 FJD 88.8

-4.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 NZ$165

$68.6 FJD 154

35.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 NZ$182

$59.9 FJD 134

72.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 NZ$2,303

$889 FJD 1,992

46.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 NZ$1,856

$329 FJD 736

219.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,278 NZ$4,029

$2,589 FJD 5,797

-12.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 NZ$2,369

$999 FJD 2,236

34.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,194 NZ$12.7K

$1,310 FJD 2,933

449.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,028 NZ$10.7K

$820 FJD 1,836

635.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,774 NZ$4,905

$965 FJD 2,160

187.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

7.7

-13.90%

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

Last update for North Shore: October 10, 2026

Last update for Suva: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

North Shore

$1K 49.5%

Suva

$329 34.7% 68.7% $721

Groceries & Markets

North Shore

$306 14.4%

Suva

$231 24.4% 24.5% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

North Shore

$258 12.2%

Suva

$83 8.8% 67.8% $175

Eating Out

North Shore

$236 11.1%

Suva

$140 14.8% 40.6% $96

Clothing & Footwear

North Shore

$136 6.4%

Suva

$91 9.6% 33.5% $46

Getting Around

North Shore

$80 3.8%

Suva

$29 3.1% 63.8% $51

Sport & Entertainment

North Shore

$53 2.5%

Suva

$44 4.6% 18% $9.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,302 in North Shore and $889 in Suva. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

North Shore pays 187% 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: $73.0 in North Shore vs $45.00 in Suva for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $306 vs $231 per month, with Suva cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇿 North Shore

🇫🇯 Suva

🕒 Local time

08:51 8:51 AM

07:51 7:51 AM

1 h behind North Shore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

258,697

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

North Shore Suva 2,110 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

North Shore
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

North Shore vs Suva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Shore and Suva differ by about 124% in total monthly costs ($2,119 vs $946 including rent). Suva is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 187% higher in North Shore, 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: $1,302 in North Shore versus $889 in Suva. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Suva – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $73.0 in North Shore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,119 per month in North Shore versus $946 in Suva – a 124% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $946 in Suva versus $2,119 in North Shore, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Suva but tight or insufficient in North Shore. 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, North Shore 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 124% less than in North Shore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.