Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Suva and Blenheim

For one person, living is cheaper in Suva: $946 a month against $1,366 in Blenheim, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Suva
🇫🇯 Fiji
$946
/mo nomad
Blenheim
🇳🇿 New Zealand
$1,366
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Suva and in Blenheim

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Suva and in Blenheim actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $946 per month in Suva vs $1,366 in Blenheim, rent included.

  • Suva $946
  • Blenheim $1,366

A couple spends around $1,717 per month in Suva vs $2,231 in Blenheim, rent included.

  • Suva $1,717
  • Blenheim $2,231

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Suva vs $3,095 in Blenheim, rent included.

  • Suva $2,489
  • Blenheim $3,095

Suva is about 31% cheaper than Blenheim, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Suva sits 30% below the global median, while Blenheim is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Suva
Blenheim
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.93 FJD 13.28
$13.77 NZ$24.35
-56.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.78 FJD 100
$68.4 NZ$121
-34.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.51 FJD 16.81
$7.91 NZ$13.99
-5.06%
Cappuccino
$2.85 FJD 6.37
$3.16 NZ$5.58
-9.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 FJD 3.36
$2.21 NZ$3.90
-32.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 FJD 1.67
$1.75 NZ$3.10
-57.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.56 FJD 7.98
$5.54 NZ$9.81
-35.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.57 FJD 10.24
$6.90 NZ$12.20
-33.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Suva
Blenheim
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.33 FJD 2.97
$1.65 NZ$2.92
-19.39%
White Bread (500g)
$0.57 FJD 1.28
$1.42 NZ$2.51
-59.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.13 FJD 2.53
$1.07 NZ$1.90
5.61%
Eggs
$3.38 FJD 7.57
$5.38 NZ$9.51
-37.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.18 FJD 22.78
$6.73 NZ$11.90
51.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.34 FJD 14.19
$4.97 NZ$8.78
27.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.96 FJD 17.82
$10.32 NZ$18.26
-22.87%
Apples (1kg)
$2.49 FJD 5.58
$2.57 NZ$4.55
-3.11%
Banana (1kg)
$2.43 FJD 5.43
$1.71 NZ$3.03
42.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.55 FJD 7.94
$2.63 NZ$4.65
34.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.17 FJD 7.11
$3.82 NZ$6.75
-17.02%
Potato (1kg)
$1.26 FJD 2.83
$1.48 NZ$2.62
-14.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.06 FJD 2.37
$1.44 NZ$2.55
-26.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 FJD 2.61
$1.67 NZ$2.95
-30.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69 FJD 1.54
$1.22 NZ$2.16
-43.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.89 FJD 22.15
$23.74 NZ$41.98
-58.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.19 FJD 16.10
$7.88 NZ$13.94
-8.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.11 FJD 4.74
$3.48 NZ$6.16
-39.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39 FJD 7.60
$4.44 NZ$7.85
-23.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Suva
Blenheim
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.88 FJD 1.97
$1.71 NZ$3.02
-48.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.34 FJD 50.0
$80.9 NZ$143
-72.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.92 FJD 2.05
$2.55 NZ$4.50
-63.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 FJD 1.01
$1.10 NZ$1.95
-59.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.80 FJD 19.70
$28.38 NZ$50.2
-68.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 FJD 3.21
$1.53 NZ$2.71
-6.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.3K FJD 54.5K
$10.6K NZ$18.7K
129.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K FJD 55.3K
$17.4K NZ$30.7K
42.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suva
Blenheim
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$46.26 FJD 104
$44.61 NZ$78.9
3.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.75 FJD 28.54
$22.46 NZ$39.72
-43.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.21 FJD 54.2
$46.00 NZ$81.4
-47.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Suva
Blenheim
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.81 FJD 82.4
$22.16 NZ$39.19
66.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.31 FJD 25.32
$4.54 NZ$8.03
149.12%
Cinema Ticket
$3.42 FJD 7.65
$5.17 NZ$9.15
-33.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Suva
Blenheim
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$225 FJD 503
$444 NZ$785
-49.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.4K FJD 30.0K
$21.8K NZ$38.5K
-38.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Suva
Blenheim
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.29 FJD 74.5
$19.58 NZ$34.63
70.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.64 FJD 88.8
$11.34 NZ$20.05
249.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$68.6 FJD 154
$99.2 NZ$175
-30.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.9 FJD 134
$122 NZ$216
-50.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Suva
Blenheim
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$889 FJD 1,992
$669 NZ$1,182
33.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$329 FJD 736
$526 NZ$931
-37.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,589 FJD 5,797
$1,204 NZ$2,130
115.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$999 FJD 2,236
$1,053 NZ$1,863
-5.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,310 FJD 2,933
$5,178 NZ$9,157
-74.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$820 FJD 1,836
$3,133 NZ$5,540
-73.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Suva
Blenheim
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$965 FJD 2,160
$2,398 NZ$4,241
-59.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.7
5.91
30.29%

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

Last update for Suva: October 10, 2026

Last update for Blenheim: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Suva
$329
Blenheim
$526 60.2% $198
Groceries & Markets
Suva
$231
Blenheim
$256 10.9% $25
Eating Out
Suva
$140
Blenheim
$229 63.5% $89
Clothing & Footwear
Suva
$91
Blenheim
$114 25.3% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suva
$83
Blenheim
$113 35.9% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Suva
$44
Blenheim
$33 25.5% $11
Getting Around
Suva
$29
Blenheim
$96 230% $67

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $889 in Suva versus $669 in Blenheim. 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 149% higher in Blenheim, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Suva versus $68.0 in Blenheim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $256 – making Suva the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇯 Suva
🇳🇿 Blenheim
🕒 Local time
06:39 6:39 AM
07:39 7:39 AM
1 h ahead of Suva
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
100,000 Capital
28,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD, EUR to FJD – Fijian Dollar Converter

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).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Suva Blenheim 2,630 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Suva
  • Blenheim

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
Suva vs Blenheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blenheim cheaper than Suva?
Yes – Blenheim is pricier by about 44%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,419 per month in Suva and $2,050 in Blenheim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Suva, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Suva and in Blenheim?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $946 in Suva and $1,366 in Blenheim. That's a gap of about 44%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 262% less in Suva. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Suva or in Blenheim?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Suva, where all-in costs run around $946, than in Blenheim at $1,366. In Suva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Blenheim it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Suva or Blenheim more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Suva – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Suva or Blenheim?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Suva. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Blenheim makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Suva vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?