Cost of Living Comparison Between Paarl and Suva Cost of Living Comparison Between Paarl and Suva

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $978 per month in Paarl vs $991 in Suva, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,647 per month in Paarl vs $1,842 in Suva, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,316 per month in Paarl vs $2,694 in Suva, rent included.

Paarl is about 1% cheaper than Suva, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Paarl and Suva are more affordable than the global median – Paarl 27% lower, Suva 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.12 R 185

$5.38 FJD 11.98

106.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.19 R 736

$44.81 FJD 99.7

-1.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 R 79.5

$6.52 FJD 14.50

-26.84%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R 32.90

$3.08 FJD 6.86

-36.04%

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

$0.87 R 14.44

$1.46 FJD 3.25

-40.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R 14.39

$0.69 FJD 1.54

24.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 R 38.25

$3.16 FJD 7.02

-27.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 R 42.95

$3.67 FJD 8.16

-29.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 19.13

$1.28 FJD 2.85

-10.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 R 15.99

$0.53 FJD 1.18

81.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 R 31.96

$1.21 FJD 2.70

58.68%

Eggs

$1.83 R 30.41

$3.38 FJD 7.53

-45.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R 134

$9.26 FJD 20.60

-13.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.32 R 88.6

$7.10 FJD 15.80

-25.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.66 R 128

$7.71 FJD 17.17

-0.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 R 24.02

$2.53 FJD 5.64

-43.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 R 22.39

$2.54 FJD 5.66

-47.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 R 15.05

$3.51 FJD 7.81

-74.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.87

$3.27 FJD 7.26

-56.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 R 12.86

$1.52 FJD 3.38

-49.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 R 14.41

$1.23 FJD 2.74

-29.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 R 18.30

$1.15 FJD 2.57

-4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 R 13.86

$0.82 FJD 1.82

1.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 R 47.05

$10.02 FJD 22.30

-71.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.68 R 77.9

$7.22 FJD 16.07

-35.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 R 19.65

$2.12 FJD 4.72

-44.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 R 15.40

$3.49 FJD 7.76

-73.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 R 18.88

$0.88 FJD 1.95

28.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 FJD 49.58

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 R 23.94

$0.92 FJD 2.04

56.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R 16.76

$0.41 FJD 0.92

146.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.40 R 73.2

$9.14 FJD 20.33

-51.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 R 19.73

$1.39 FJD 3.09

-15.11%

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

$21.5K R 357.3K

$24.2K FJD 53.8K

-11.34%

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

$16.6K R 276.1K

$24.8K FJD 55.1K

-33.10%

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

$75.9 R 1,264

$46.04 FJD 102

64.75%

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

$33.19 R 553

$13.06 FJD 29.06

154.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.13 R 685

$23.88 FJD 53.1

72.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.52 R 408

$30.29 FJD 67.4

-19.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 FJD 15.49

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 R 102

$4.49 FJD 9.99

35.86%

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

$198 R 3,290

$227 FJD 506

-13.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,216 R 70.2K

$14.5K FJD 32.2K

-70.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.03 R 650

$25.78 FJD 57.4

51.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.50 R 475

$27.54 FJD 61.3

3.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 R 1,824

$69.2 FJD 154

58.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.0 R 1,432

$61.6 FJD 137

39.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 R 11.4K

$605 FJD 1,345

13.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 R 5,564

$389 FJD 865

-14.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 R 19.5K

$2,056 FJD 4,574

-43.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 R 13.8K

$1,232 FJD 2,741

-32.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,367 FJD 3,041

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,230 R 70.5K

$821 FJD 1,827

415.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,105 R 18.4K

$956 FJD 2,126

15.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.4

7.7

48.05%

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

Last update for Paarl: July 26, 2026

Last update for Suva: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $686 in Paarl versus $605 in Suva. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 16% higher in Paarl, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Paarl versus $45.00 in Suva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $235 – making Paarl the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Paarl vs Suva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Suva costs about 1% more than Paarl, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,467 per month in Paarl and $1,486 in Suva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paarl, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Paarl and $45.00 in Suva. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Suva, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Paarl, where all-in costs run around $978, than in Suva at $991. In Paarl it covers expenses comfortably, while in Suva it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Paarl – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Paarl. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Suva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.