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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $963 per month in Suva vs $961 in Paarl, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,814 per month in Suva vs $1,628 in Paarl, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,665 per month in Suva vs $2,295 in Paarl, rent included.

Suva and Paarl have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Suva and Paarl are more affordable than the global median – Suva 28% lower, Paarl 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 FJD 11.55

$10.70 R 177

-50.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.27 FJD 97.4

$44.05 R 729

0.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 FJD 14.92

$4.99 R 82.6

35.87%

Cappuccino

$3.15 FJD 6.92

$1.90 R 31.51

65.79%

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

$1.48 FJD 3.27

$0.82 R 13.59

80.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 FJD 1.53

$0.87 R 14.42

-19.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 FJD 6.91

$2.17 R 35.97

44.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 FJD 7.61

$2.60 R 42.95

33.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 FJD 2.92

$1.10 R 18.17

20.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 FJD 1.17

$0.98 R 16.24

-45.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 FJD 2.52

$1.90 R 31.53

-39.47%

Eggs

$3.46 FJD 7.61

$1.81 R 29.93

91.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 FJD 20.37

$8.17 R 135

13.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 FJD 16.17

$5.16 R 85.4

42.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.84 FJD 17.25

$7.32 R 121

7.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 FJD 5.58

$1.48 R 24.53

70.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 FJD 5.42

$1.34 R 22.18

83.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 FJD 7.55

$0.96 R 15.97

257.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 FJD 6.95

$1.37 R 22.65

130.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 FJD 3.22

$0.83 R 13.66

75.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 FJD 2.66

$0.85 R 14.13

42.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 FJD 2.68

$1.05 R 17.39

16.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 FJD 1.79

$0.87 R 14.41

-6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.94 FJD 21.88

$2.83 R 46.77

251.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.31 FJD 16.09

$4.92 R 81.4

48.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 FJD 4.70

$1.16 R 19.27

84.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 FJD 7.75

$0.94 R 15.55

274.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 FJD 2.03

$1.14 R 18.82

-19.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.42 FJD 49.33

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 FJD 1.89

$1.39 R 22.94

-38.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 FJD 0.91

$0.94 R 15.54

-56.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 FJD 20.03

$4.46 R 73.8

104.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 FJD 3.03

$1.19 R 19.72

15.97%

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

$24.8K FJD 54.5K

$21.1K R 349.2K

17.50%

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

$25.6K FJD 56.3K

$16.7K R 275.8K

53.50%

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

$45.87 FJD 101

$74.5 R 1,233

-38.44%

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

$13.33 FJD 29.32

$32.77 R 542

-59.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.31 FJD 53.5

$41.17 R 681

-40.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.88 FJD 65.7

$24.95 R 413

19.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.97 FJD 15.33

Cinema Ticket

$4.42 FJD 9.72

$6.05 R 100

-26.94%

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

$224 FJD 492

$201 R 3,331

11.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K FJD 31.0K

$4,170 R 69.0K

237.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.84 FJD 56.9

$37.94 R 628

-31.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.87 FJD 59.1

$28.46 R 471

-5.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 FJD 153

$108 R 1,781

-35.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.6 FJD 136

$82.9 R 1,372

-25.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 FJD 1,303

$681 R 11.3K

-13.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 FJD 829

$342 R 5,666

10.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 FJD 4,508

$1,199 R 19.8K

70.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 FJD 2,643

$814 R 13.5K

47.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,377 FJD 3,029

$924 R 15.3K

48.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$836 FJD 1,839

$2,473 R 40.9K

-66.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$969 FJD 2,132

$1,148 R 19.0K

-15.57%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Paarl: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $592 in Suva versus $681 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 18% higher in Paarl. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Suva versus $44.00 in Paarl. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Suva vs $170 in Paarl – so Paarl wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,445 per month in Suva and $1,441 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.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Suva and $44.00 in Paarl. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Paarl, where all-in costs run around $961, than in Suva at $963. 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.