Cost of Living Comparison Between Suva and Paarl Cost of Living Comparison Between Suva and Paarl

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $994 per month in Suva vs $959 in Paarl, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,832 per month in Suva vs $1,603 in Paarl, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,671 per month in Suva vs $2,247 in Paarl, rent included.

Suva costs about 4% more than Paarl, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Suva and Paarl are more affordable than the global median – Suva 26% lower, Paarl 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 FJD 11.70

$11.04 R 178

-52.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.04 FJD 99.6

$44.20 R 715

1.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 FJD 15.22

$4.87 R 78.8

41.27%

Cappuccino

$3.18 FJD 7.04

$1.98 R 31.99

60.61%

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

$1.48 FJD 3.27

$0.80 R 12.91

85.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 FJD 1.46

$0.87 R 14.05

-24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 FJD 6.80

$2.25 R 36.40

36.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 FJD 8.08

$2.47 R 39.89

47.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 FJD 2.81

$1.15 R 18.54

10.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 FJD 1.08

$0.93 R 14.97

-47.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 FJD 2.69

$1.85 R 29.89

-34.59%

Eggs

$3.33 FJD 7.37

$1.88 R 30.42

77.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.52 FJD 21.07

$8.05 R 130

18.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.04 FJD 15.57

$5.15 R 83.2

36.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 FJD 17.12

$7.39 R 119

4.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 FJD 5.41

$1.43 R 23.06

71.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 FJD 5.60

$1.41 R 22.79

79.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 FJD 7.87

$0.98 R 15.79

263.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 FJD 7.16

$1.43 R 23.12

126.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 FJD 3.29

$0.82 R 13.32

81.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 FJD 2.70

$0.86 R 13.88

41.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 FJD 2.57

$1.04 R 16.82

11.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 FJD 1.64

$0.89 R 14.39

-16.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.84 FJD 21.77

$2.74 R 44.37

259.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 FJD 16.35

$5.10 R 82.5

44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 FJD 4.90

$1.16 R 18.69

91.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 FJD 7.45

$0.94 R 15.17

258.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 FJD 2.08

$1.13 R 18.34

-16.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.30 FJD 49.33

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 FJD 2.06

$1.39 R 22.40

-33.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 FJD 0.92

$0.99 R 16.05

-57.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.65 FJD 19.14

$4.47 R 72.2

93.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 FJD 2.92

$1.24 R 20.02

6.45%

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

$24.0K FJD 53.2K

$21.2K R 343.1K

13.30%

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

$25.1K FJD 55.4K

$17.1K R 276.5K

46.54%

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

$46.17 FJD 102

$73.4 R 1,187

-37.12%

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

$13.13 FJD 29.06

$32.85 R 531

-60.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.47 FJD 54.1

$41.43 R 670

-40.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.98 FJD 66.3

$25.07 R 405

19.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.02 FJD 15.53

Cinema Ticket

$4.51 FJD 9.97

$6.14 R 99.3

-26.55%

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

$228 FJD 504

$200 R 3,241

13.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K FJD 32.0K

$4,182 R 67.6K

245.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.62 FJD 56.7

$39.07 R 632

-34.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.40 FJD 60.6

$28.19 R 456

-2.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 FJD 153

$109 R 1,763

-36.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.8 FJD 137

$84.2 R 1,361

-26.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 FJD 1,294

$677 R 10.9K

-13.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 FJD 861

$336 R 5,428

15.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,054 FJD 4,543

$1,194 R 19.3K

72.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 FJD 2,680

$820 R 13.3K

47.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,327 FJD 2,935

$926 R 15.0K

43.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$842 FJD 1,863

$2,468 R 39.9K

-65.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$965 FJD 2,134

$1,150 R 18.6K

-16.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

11.4

-32.46%

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

Last update for Suva: June 7, 2026

Last update for Paarl: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $585 in Suva versus $677 in Paarl. 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 19% higher in Paarl, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Suva versus $44.00 in Paarl. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $171 – making Paarl the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Paarl: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Suva costs about 4% more than Paarl, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,490 per month in Suva and $1,438 in Paarl. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paarl, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Suva and $44.00 in Paarl. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Suva, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Paarl, where all-in costs run around $959, than in Suva at $994. In Paarl it covers expenses comfortably, while in Suva it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Paarl – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Paarl. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Suva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.