Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Suva and Gisborne

For one person, living is cheaper in Suva: $947 a month against $1,943 in Gisborne, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Suva
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Suva Living Index
97

Cost of Living Index in Gisborne
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Gisborne Living Index

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Suva

🇫🇯 Fiji

$947

/mo nomad

Gisborne

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,943

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Suva and in Gisborne

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 Gisborne actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Suva versus $1,943 in Gisborne.

Suva $947
Gisborne $1,943

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,700 in Suva versus $2,973 in Gisborne.

Suva $1,700
Gisborne $2,973

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,452 in Suva versus $4,003 in Gisborne.

Suva $2,452
Gisborne $4,003

Living in Suva costs roughly 51% less than in Gisborne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Suva is 30% below, Gisborne is 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.81 FJD 13.00

$28.26 NZ$49.97

-79.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.24 FJD 99.1

$53.7 NZ$94.9

-17.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 FJD 17.14

$9.03 NZ$15.96

-15.28%

Cappuccino

$2.90 FJD 6.49

$3.44 NZ$6.09

-15.70%

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

$1.51 FJD 3.37

$2.07 NZ$3.66

-27.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 FJD 1.77

$1.94 NZ$3.43

-59.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 FJD 7.77

$6.22 NZ$11.01

-44.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 FJD 9.74

$5.76 NZ$10.18

-24.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 FJD 2.94

$1.76 NZ$3.12

-25.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 FJD 1.27

$2.03 NZ$3.58

-71.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 FJD 2.51

$1.75 NZ$3.10

-36.00%

Eggs

$3.29 FJD 7.37

$5.93 NZ$10.49

-44.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 FJD 23.07

$8.14 NZ$14.40

26.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 FJD 14.25

$9.69 NZ$17.13

-34.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.86 FJD 17.59

$14.19 NZ$25.09

-44.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 FJD 5.65

$2.65 NZ$4.68

-4.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 FJD 5.61

$2.15 NZ$3.81

16.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 FJD 7.69

$2.97 NZ$5.25

15.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 FJD 7.21

$5.48 NZ$9.69

-41.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 FJD 2.88

$2.00 NZ$3.53

-35.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 FJD 2.49

$1.47 NZ$2.60

-24.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 FJD 2.59

$2.21 NZ$3.91

-47.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 FJD 1.62

$1.11 NZ$1.97

-35.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 FJD 22.14

$24.86 NZ$43.96

-60.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.47 FJD 16.73

$9.53 NZ$16.85

-21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 FJD 4.80

$3.53 NZ$6.24

-39.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 FJD 7.81

$2.95 NZ$5.21

18.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 FJD 1.94

$1.57 NZ$2.77

-44.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 FJD 48.72

$76.0 NZ$134

-71.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 FJD 1.94

$2.45 NZ$4.32

-64.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 FJD 1.03

$1.67 NZ$2.96

-72.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.79 FJD 19.68

$28.09 NZ$49.68

-68.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 FJD 3.07

$2.19 NZ$3.88

-37.44%

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

$24.4K FJD 54.7K

$30.9K NZ$54.6K

-20.86%

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

$25.2K FJD 56.4K

$25.2K NZ$44.6K

-0.15%

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

$45.44 FJD 102

$103 NZ$182

-55.77%

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

$12.52 FJD 28.02

$24.95 NZ$44.12

-49.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.31 FJD 54.4

$48.54 NZ$85.8

-49.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.52 FJD 81.8

$34.81 NZ$61.6

4.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.95 FJD 24.52

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 FJD 7.35

$11.38 NZ$20.12

-71.18%

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

$225 FJD 503

$664 NZ$1,174

-66.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K FJD 30.2K

$19.5K NZ$34.5K

-30.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.75 FJD 73.3

$59.3 NZ$105

-44.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.10 FJD 89.8

$35.00 NZ$61.9

14.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 FJD 153

$87.7 NZ$155

-22.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.5 FJD 138

$95.5 NZ$169

-35.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 FJD 1,971

$1,048 NZ$1,854

-16.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 FJD 740

$814 NZ$1,440

-59.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,636 FJD 5,902

$1,871 NZ$3,310

40.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$967 FJD 2,164

$1,470 NZ$2,599

-34.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,338 FJD 2,995

$5,477 NZ$9,685

-75.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$820 FJD 1,835

$3,709 NZ$6,560

-77.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$969 FJD 2,169

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

5.57

38.24%

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

Last update for Suva: October 18, 2026

Last update for Gisborne: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Suva

$330 34.9%

Gisborne

$814 41.9% 147% $484

Groceries & Markets

Suva

$232 24.5%

Gisborne

$323 16.6% 39.2% $91

Eating Out

Suva

$139 14.7%

Gisborne

$353 18.2% 153% $214

Clothing & Footwear

Suva

$91 9.6%

Gisborne

$125 6.4% 36.8% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Suva

$82 8.7%

Gisborne

$176 9.1% 114% $94

Sport & Entertainment

Suva

$43 4.6%

Gisborne

$58 3% 33.6% $14

Getting Around

Suva

$28 3%

Gisborne

$93 4.8% 228% $65

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Suva and $1,048 in Gisborne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Suva vs $54.0 in Gisborne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $323 per month, with Suva cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇫🇯 Suva

🇳🇿 Gisborne

🕒 Local time

02:15 2:15 AM

03:15 3:15 AM

1 h ahead of Suva

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

100,000 Capital

37,300

💱 Currency

Fijian Dollar FJD $

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 FJD = 0.447 USD

1 FJD = 0.397 EUR

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD, EUR to FJD – Fijian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇫🇯 Fijian Dollar ($)

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

USD to FJD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Suva Gisborne 2,280 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Suva
Gisborne

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 Gisborne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Suva is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,420 in Suva and $2,914 in Gisborne to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $880 in Suva versus $1,048 in Gisborne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $947 per month in Suva versus $1,943 in Gisborne – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Suva runs roughly 249% less than in Gisborne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $947 in Suva versus $1,943 in Gisborne, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Suva but tight or insufficient in Gisborne. The gap between the two cities makes Suva the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Suva and Gisborne 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 Suva gentler on the wallet – expenses run 105% less than in Gisborne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.