Cost of Living Comparison Between Papua New Guinea and Fiji Cost of Living Comparison Between Papua New Guinea and Fiji

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $473 per month in Papua New Guinea vs $402 in Fiji, rent included.

A couple spends around $747 per month in Papua New Guinea vs $675 in Fiji, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,021 per month in Papua New Guinea vs $948 in Fiji, rent included.

The cost of living in Papua New Guinea is about 18% higher than in Fiji on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Papua New Guinea and Fiji are more affordable than the global median – Papua New Guinea 66% lower, Fiji 71% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Papua New Guinea
Fiji
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.12 PGK 30.82
$5.51 FJD 12.09
29.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.01 PGK 195
$41.60 FJD 91.2
8.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.80 PGK 25.09
$7.46 FJD 16.35
-22.25%
Cappuccino
$2.39 PGK 10.36
$3.15 FJD 6.90
-24.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 PGK 3.46
$1.52 FJD 3.33
-47.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 PGK 2.94
$0.98 FJD 2.16
-30.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.77 PGK 11.98
$3.26 FJD 7.16
-15.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.15 PGK 17.97
$4.38 FJD 9.61
-5.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Papua New Guinea
Fiji
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.85 PGK 7.99
$1.38 FJD 3.02
34.06%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 PGK 6.66
$0.72 FJD 1.58
113.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.40 PGK 6.07
$1.10 FJD 2.41
27.27%
Eggs
$3.70 PGK 16.00
$3.47 FJD 7.60
6.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.41 PGK 27.74
$9.58 FJD 21.00
-33.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.76 PGK 24.95
$9.56 FJD 20.96
-39.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.06 PGK 39.23
$8.28 FJD 18.17
9.42%
Apples (1kg)
$3.96 PGK 17.14
$2.70 FJD 5.92
46.67%
Banana (1kg)
$3.42 PGK 14.80
$2.71 FJD 5.94
26.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.23 PGK 26.97
$3.41 FJD 7.48
82.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.90 PGK 21.19
$3.02 FJD 6.63
62.25%
Potato (1kg)
$3.59 PGK 15.53
$1.33 FJD 2.91
169.92%
Onion (1kg)
$2.47 PGK 10.68
$1.26 FJD 2.77
96.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.79 PGK 7.74
$1.03 FJD 2.26
73.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 PGK 4.62
$0.76 FJD 1.67
40.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.23 PGK 26.96
$9.87 FJD 21.64
-36.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.04 PGK 47.78
$8.59 FJD 18.83
28.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 PGK 12.22
$2.36 FJD 5.17
19.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 PGK 16.45
$3.80 FJD 8.33
-
🚌 Getting Around
Papua New Guinea
Fiji
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.44 PGK 1.90
$0.80 FJD 1.75
-45.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.99 PGK 112
$22.91 FJD 50.2
13.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.11 PGK 22.10
$0.87 FJD 1.91
487.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.23 PGK 9.67
$0.44 FJD 0.97
406.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.45 PGK 62.6
$6.83 FJD 14.99
111.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 PGK 4.29
$1.36 FJD 2.98
-27.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K PGK 96.4K
$24.7K FJD 54.3K
-10.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K PGK 101.7K
$27.0K FJD 59.2K
-12.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Papua New Guinea
Fiji
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.1 PGK 407
$57.0 FJD 125
65.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.27 PGK 122
$14.29 FJD 31.34
97.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$120 PGK 520
$21.26 FJD 46.62
465.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Papua New Guinea
Fiji
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.8 PGK 280
$36.54 FJD 80.1
77.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.94 PGK 90.7
$7.48 FJD 16.39
179.95%
Cinema Ticket
$9.21 PGK 39.87
$3.65 FJD 8.01
152.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Papua New Guinea
Fiji
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$534 PGK 2,313
$195 FJD 428
174.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,656 PGK 24.5K
$13.6K FJD 29.8K
-58.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Papua New Guinea
Fiji
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.36 PGK 153
$28.15 FJD 61.7
25.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.17 PGK 135
$35.69 FJD 78.3
-12.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.2 PGK 299
$68.5 FJD 150
0.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.4 PGK 404
$64.3 FJD 141
45.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Papua New Guinea
Fiji
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,654 PGK 7,161
$938 FJD 2,057
76.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$456 PGK 1,972
$428 FJD 939
6.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,599 PGK 11.2K
$2,023 FJD 4,437
28.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,058 PGK 4,580
$925 FJD 2,028
14.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,049 PGK 8,867
$1,240 FJD 2,720
65.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,872 PGK 16.8K
$844 FJD 1,851
358.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Papua New Guinea
Fiji
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$416 PGK 1,799
$881 FJD 1,932
-52.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.67
6.44
112.27%

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

Last update for Papua New Guinea: August 31, 2026

Last update for Fiji: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $780 in Papua New Guinea vs $353 in Fiji. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,657 in Port Moresby and $894 in Suva.

Average salary: $317 in Papua New Guinea vs $754 in Fiji. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 121% higher in Papua New Guinea.

Dining out costs 32% more in Fiji.

Public transport is 167% more expensive in Papua New Guinea.

Salaries are 138% higher in Fiji, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Fiji.

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
Papua New Guinea vs Fiji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fiji more expensive than Papua New Guinea?
Fiji is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 8% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Papua New Guinea, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Papua New Guinea consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Fiji, contributing to the overall 8% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget in Fiji or in Papua New Guinea?
$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Fiji, but in Papua New Guinea it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Fiji or to Papua New Guinea?
Fiji is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Papua New Guinea vs other spots: cost of living compared

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