Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Suva and Manukau

For one person, living is cheaper in Suva: $946 a month against $1,753 in Manukau, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Suva
🇫🇯 Fiji
$946
/mo nomad
Manukau
🇳🇿 New Zealand
$1,753
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Suva and in Manukau

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

A single person spends $946 per month in Suva vs $1,753 in Manukau, rent included.

  • Suva $946
  • Manukau $1,753

A couple spends around $1,717 per month in Suva vs $2,707 in Manukau, rent included.

  • Suva $1,717
  • Manukau $2,707

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Suva vs $3,661 in Manukau, rent included.

  • Suva $2,489
  • Manukau $3,661

Suva is about 46% cheaper than Manukau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Suva
Manukau
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.93 FJD 13.28
$11.90 NZ$21.04
-50.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.78 FJD 100
$67.2 NZ$119
-33.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.51 FJD 16.81
$8.35 NZ$14.77
-10.06%
Cappuccino
$2.85 FJD 6.37
$3.39 NZ$6.00
-15.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 FJD 3.36
$2.00 NZ$3.54
-25.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 FJD 1.67
$1.74 NZ$3.07
-56.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.56 FJD 7.98
$6.11 NZ$10.80
-41.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.57 FJD 10.24
$5.56 NZ$9.83
-17.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Suva
Manukau
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.33 FJD 2.97
$1.41 NZ$2.50
-5.67%
White Bread (500g)
$0.57 FJD 1.28
$1.29 NZ$2.28
-55.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.13 FJD 2.53
$1.80 NZ$3.18
-37.22%
Eggs
$3.38 FJD 7.57
$5.19 NZ$9.18
-34.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.18 FJD 22.78
$5.64 NZ$9.97
80.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.34 FJD 14.19
$7.23 NZ$12.79
-12.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.96 FJD 17.82
$11.66 NZ$20.63
-31.73%
Apples (1kg)
$2.49 FJD 5.58
$2.56 NZ$4.52
-2.73%
Banana (1kg)
$2.43 FJD 5.43
$2.04 NZ$3.61
19.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.55 FJD 7.94
$2.92 NZ$5.16
21.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.17 FJD 7.11
$5.65 NZ$9.99
-43.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.26 FJD 2.83
$1.95 NZ$3.45
-35.38%
Onion (1kg)
$1.06 FJD 2.37
$1.37 NZ$2.42
-22.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 FJD 2.61
$1.98 NZ$3.51
-41.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69 FJD 1.54
$0.90 NZ$1.60
-23.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.89 FJD 22.15
$25.28 NZ$44.71
-60.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.19 FJD 16.10
$10.13 NZ$17.91
-29.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.11 FJD 4.74
$2.83 NZ$5.00
-25.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39 FJD 7.60
$3.33 NZ$5.89
1.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Suva
Manukau
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.88 FJD 1.97
$1.77 NZ$3.14
-50.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.34 FJD 50.0
$91.2 NZ$161
-75.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.92 FJD 2.05
$2.28 NZ$4.04
-59.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 FJD 1.01
$1.98 NZ$3.50
-77.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.80 FJD 19.70
$31.55 NZ$55.8
-72.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 FJD 3.21
$1.70 NZ$3.01
-15.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.3K FJD 54.5K
$24.8K NZ$43.8K
-1.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K FJD 55.3K
$22.3K NZ$39.4K
10.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suva
Manukau
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$46.26 FJD 104
$56.2 NZ$99.3
-17.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.75 FJD 28.54
$26.35 NZ$46.60
-51.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.21 FJD 54.2
$49.91 NZ$88.3
-51.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Suva
Manukau
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.81 FJD 82.4
$38.03 NZ$67.3
-3.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.31 FJD 25.32
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.42 FJD 7.65
$12.81 NZ$22.65
-73.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Suva
Manukau
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$225 FJD 503
$675 NZ$1,194
-66.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.4K FJD 30.0K
$19.7K NZ$34.8K
-31.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Suva
Manukau
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.29 FJD 74.5
$61.8 NZ$109
-46.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.64 FJD 88.8
$37.04 NZ$65.5
7.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$68.6 FJD 154
$93.3 NZ$165
-26.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.9 FJD 134
$110 NZ$194
-45.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Suva
Manukau
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$889 FJD 1,992
$956 NZ$1,690
-6.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$329 FJD 736
$817 NZ$1,444
-59.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,589 FJD 5,797
$1,595 NZ$2,821
62.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$999 FJD 2,236
$1,443 NZ$2,552
-30.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,310 FJD 2,933
$4,910 NZ$8,683
-73.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$820 FJD 1,836
$3,309 NZ$5,852
-75.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Suva
Manukau
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$965 FJD 2,160
$1,744 NZ$3,085
-44.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.7
5.9
30.51%

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

Last update for Suva: October 10, 2026

Last update for Manukau: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Suva
$329
Manukau
$817 148% $488
Groceries & Markets
Suva
$231
Manukau
$276 19.8% $46
Eating Out
Suva
$140
Manukau
$218 55.3% $77
Clothing & Footwear
Suva
$91
Manukau
$136 49.9% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suva
$83
Manukau
$132 59.1% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Suva
$44
Manukau
$64 45.9% $20
Getting Around
Suva
$29
Manukau
$110 281% $81

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $889 in Suva versus $956 in Manukau. 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 81% higher in Manukau, 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 $67.0 in Manukau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $276 – making Suva the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇯 Suva
🇳🇿 Manukau
🕒 Local time
10:41 10:41 AM
11:41 11:41 AM
1 h ahead of Suva
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
100,000 Capital
362,000
💱 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 Manukau 2,140 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Suva
  • Manukau

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 Manukau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Suva and in Manukau compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $946 in Suva, $1,753 in Manukau – roughly 85% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Suva compared to Manukau?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,419 per month in Suva and $2,629 in Manukau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Suva and Manukau?
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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 20% more in Manukau, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Suva and $67.0 in Manukau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Suva, where all-in costs run around $946, than in Manukau at $1,753. In Suva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manukau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Suva or Manukau?
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.
Is Suva or Manukau safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Suva and Manukau?
If budget matters most, go with Suva. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manukau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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