Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Fiji Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Fiji

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $694 in Fiji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,182 in Fiji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,670 in Fiji.

Living in Phuket is roughly 80% more expensive than in Fiji, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Fiji 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.54 FJD 10.15

0.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$44.27 FJD 99.1

4.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$7.66 FJD 17.15

15.40%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.28 FJD 5.10

34.21%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.35 FJD 3.01

-45.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$1.15 FJD 2.58

-65.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.81 FJD 6.30

-13.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.38 FJD 7.57

11.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.28 FJD 2.86

76.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.65 FJD 1.46

178.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.51 FJD 3.38

49.01%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$2.22 FJD 4.97

1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$10.80 FJD 24.17

80.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.75 FJD 8.39

-2.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$2.27 FJD 5.08

474.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.74 FJD 3.88

85.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.51 FJD 3.37

7.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$2.05 FJD 4.59

16.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$1.81 FJD 4.06

12.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.42 FJD 3.18

7.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.50 FJD 3.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.97 FJD 2.17

1.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.74 FJD 1.65

-29.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$11.32 FJD 25.34

-60.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$6.38 FJD 14.28

187.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.76 FJD 6.18

-32.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$2.44 FJD 5.47

9.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.86 FJD 1.91

63.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.08 FJD 2.41

187.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.27 FJD 2.83

3.15%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$46.0K FJD 103.0K

-39.55%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿4,120

$53.7 FJD 120

128.09%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$13.46 FJD 30.12

0.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$17.50 FJD 39.17

6.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$22.24 FJD 49.77

171.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$4.52 FJD 10.12

275.66%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.90 FJD 8.74

132.56%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$44.36 FJD 99.3

1492.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$8.23 FJD 18.41

611.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$29.55 FJD 66.1

290.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$680 FJD 1,522

-8.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$262 FJD 587

69.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$1,101 FJD 2,465

85.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$598 FJD 1,339

149.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$1,285 FJD 2,876

171.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,327 FJD 2,969

94.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$540 FJD 1,209

-7.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-11.17%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Fiji: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $680 in Fiji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fiji pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in Fiji for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $179 per month, with Fiji cheaper across the board.

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

Phuket vs Fiji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fiji is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Fiji. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $680 in Fiji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $694 in Fiji – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $694 in Fiji versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fiji but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Fiji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fiji is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Fiji 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 Fiji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.