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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $961 per month in Paarl vs $963 in Suva, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,628 per month in Paarl vs $1,814 in Suva, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,295 per month in Paarl vs $2,665 in Suva, rent included.

Paarl and Suva have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Paarl and Suva are more affordable than the global median – Paarl 28% lower, Suva 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.70 R 177

$5.25 FJD 11.55

103.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.05 R 729

$44.27 FJD 97.4

-0.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 R 82.6

$6.78 FJD 14.92

-26.40%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R 31.51

$3.15 FJD 6.92

-39.68%

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

$0.82 R 13.59

$1.48 FJD 3.27

-44.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.42

$0.70 FJD 1.53

24.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 R 35.97

$3.14 FJD 6.91

-30.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 R 42.95

$3.46 FJD 7.61

-24.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 R 18.17

$1.33 FJD 2.92

-17.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 R 16.24

$0.53 FJD 1.17

84.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 R 31.53

$1.15 FJD 2.52

65.22%

Eggs

$1.81 R 29.93

$3.46 FJD 7.61

-47.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.17 R 135

$9.26 FJD 20.37

-11.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 R 85.4

$7.35 FJD 16.17

-29.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 R 121

$7.84 FJD 17.25

-6.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.53

$2.53 FJD 5.58

-41.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 R 22.18

$2.46 FJD 5.42

-45.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 R 15.97

$3.43 FJD 7.55

-72.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 R 22.65

$3.16 FJD 6.95

-56.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 R 13.66

$1.46 FJD 3.22

-43.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 R 14.13

$1.21 FJD 2.66

-29.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R 17.39

$1.22 FJD 2.68

-13.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.41

$0.81 FJD 1.79

7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 R 46.77

$9.94 FJD 21.88

-71.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.92 R 81.4

$7.31 FJD 16.09

-32.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 19.27

$2.14 FJD 4.70

-45.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.55

$3.52 FJD 7.75

-73.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 R 18.82

$0.92 FJD 2.03

23.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.42 FJD 49.33

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 R 22.94

$0.86 FJD 1.89

61.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.54

$0.41 FJD 0.91

129.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 R 73.8

$9.11 FJD 20.03

-51.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.72

$1.38 FJD 3.03

-13.77%

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

$21.1K R 349.2K

$24.8K FJD 54.5K

-14.89%

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

$16.7K R 275.8K

$25.6K FJD 56.3K

-34.85%

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

$74.5 R 1,233

$45.87 FJD 101

62.44%

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

$32.77 R 542

$13.33 FJD 29.32

145.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.17 R 681

$24.31 FJD 53.5

69.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.95 R 413

$29.88 FJD 65.7

-16.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.97 FJD 15.33

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 R 100

$4.42 FJD 9.72

36.88%

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

$201 R 3,331

$224 FJD 492

-10.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,170 R 69.0K

$14.1K FJD 31.0K

-70.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.94 R 628

$25.84 FJD 56.9

46.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.46 R 471

$26.87 FJD 59.1

5.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 R 1,781

$69.6 FJD 153

54.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.9 R 1,372

$61.6 FJD 136

34.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 R 11.3K

$592 FJD 1,303

14.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 R 5,666

$377 FJD 829

-9.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,199 R 19.8K

$2,049 FJD 4,508

-41.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 R 13.5K

$1,201 FJD 2,643

-32.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$924 R 15.3K

$1,377 FJD 3,029

-32.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,473 R 40.9K

$836 FJD 1,839

195.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,148 R 19.0K

$969 FJD 2,132

18.44%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Suva: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $681 in Paarl versus $592 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 18% higher in Paarl. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Paarl versus $44.00 in Suva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $236 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,441 per month in Paarl and $1,445 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.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Paarl and $44.00 in Suva. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Paarl, where all-in costs run around $961, than in Suva at $963. 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.