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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $991 per month in Suva vs $978 in Paarl, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,842 per month in Suva vs $1,647 in Paarl, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,694 per month in Suva vs $2,316 in Paarl, rent included.

Suva costs about 1% more than Paarl, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Suva and Paarl are more affordable than the global median – Suva 26% lower, Paarl 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 FJD 11.98

$11.12 R 185

-51.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.81 FJD 99.7

$44.19 R 736

1.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 FJD 14.50

$4.77 R 79.5

36.69%

Cappuccino

$3.08 FJD 6.86

$1.97 R 32.90

56.35%

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

$1.46 FJD 3.25

$0.87 R 14.44

67.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 FJD 1.54

$0.86 R 14.39

-19.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.16 FJD 7.02

$2.30 R 38.25

37.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 FJD 8.16

$2.58 R 42.95

42.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 FJD 2.85

$1.15 R 19.13

11.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 FJD 1.18

$0.96 R 15.99

-44.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 FJD 2.70

$1.92 R 31.96

-36.98%

Eggs

$3.38 FJD 7.53

$1.83 R 30.41

84.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 FJD 20.60

$8.05 R 134

15.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.10 FJD 15.80

$5.32 R 88.6

33.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 FJD 17.17

$7.66 R 128

0.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 FJD 5.64

$1.44 R 24.02

75.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 FJD 5.66

$1.34 R 22.39

89.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.51 FJD 7.81

$0.90 R 15.05

290.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.27 FJD 7.26

$1.43 R 23.87

128.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 FJD 3.38

$0.77 R 12.86

97.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 FJD 2.74

$0.87 R 14.41

41.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 FJD 2.57

$1.10 R 18.30

4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 FJD 1.82

$0.83 R 13.86

-1.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.02 FJD 22.30

$2.82 R 47.05

255.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 FJD 16.07

$4.68 R 77.9

54.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 FJD 4.72

$1.18 R 19.65

79.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 FJD 7.76

$0.92 R 15.40

279.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 FJD 1.95

$1.13 R 18.88

-22.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 FJD 49.58

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 FJD 2.04

$1.44 R 23.94

-36.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 FJD 0.92

$1.01 R 16.76

-59.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.14 FJD 20.33

$4.40 R 73.2

107.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 FJD 3.09

$1.18 R 19.73

17.80%

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

$24.2K FJD 53.8K

$21.5K R 357.3K

12.78%

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

$24.8K FJD 55.1K

$16.6K R 276.1K

49.47%

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

$46.04 FJD 102

$75.9 R 1,264

-39.30%

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

$13.06 FJD 29.06

$33.19 R 553

-60.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.88 FJD 53.1

$41.13 R 685

-41.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.29 FJD 67.4

$24.52 R 408

23.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 FJD 15.49

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 FJD 9.99

$6.10 R 102

-26.39%

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

$227 FJD 506

$198 R 3,290

15.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K FJD 32.2K

$4,216 R 70.2K

243.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.78 FJD 57.4

$39.03 R 650

-33.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.54 FJD 61.3

$28.50 R 475

-3.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 FJD 154

$110 R 1,824

-36.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.6 FJD 137

$86.0 R 1,432

-28.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 FJD 1,345

$686 R 11.4K

-11.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 FJD 865

$334 R 5,564

16.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,056 FJD 4,574

$1,168 R 19.5K

76.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 FJD 2,741

$830 R 13.8K

48.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,367 FJD 3,041

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$821 FJD 1,827

$4,230 R 70.5K

-80.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$956 FJD 2,126

$1,105 R 18.4K

-13.49%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Paarl: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $605 in Suva versus $686 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 16% 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: $235 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 1% 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 $1,486 per month in Suva and $1,467 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 37% 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 $978, than in Suva at $991. 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.