For one person, living is cheaper in Suva: $927 a month against $3,182 in Sydney, rent and utilities included – about $27,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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 Sydney actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $927 in Suva versus $3,182 in Sydney.
Suva $927
Sydney $3,182
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,681 in Suva versus $4,696 in Sydney.
Suva $1,681
Sydney $4,696
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,435 in Suva versus $6,210 in Sydney.
Suva $2,435
Sydney $6,210
🌍
Living in Suva costs roughly 71% less than in Sydney, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Suva is 31% below, Sydney is 137% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Suva
Sydney
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.72FJD 12.82
$17.66A$25.28
-67.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.13FJD 98.9
$97.1A$139
-54.55%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.76FJD 17.37
$11.94A$17.09
-35.01%
Cappuccino
$2.91FJD 6.52
$4.00A$5.72
-27.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50FJD 3.36
$2.84A$4.06
-47.18%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73FJD 1.65
$2.27A$3.25
-67.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.67FJD 8.21
$7.89A$11.29
-53.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.33FJD 9.70
$7.13A$10.20
-39.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Suva
Sydney
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.28FJD 2.86
$1.66A$2.38
-22.89%
White Bread(500g)
$0.56FJD 1.26
$2.79A$4.00
-79.93%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.13FJD 2.52
$2.32A$3.33
-51.29%
Eggs
$3.39FJD 7.60
$5.53A$7.92
-38.70%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.04FJD 22.49
$12.08A$17.28
-16.89%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.06FJD 13.58
$9.84A$14.09
-38.41%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.82FJD 17.51
$16.61A$23.78
-52.92%
Apples(1kg)
$2.47FJD 5.54
$4.02A$5.76
-38.56%
Banana(1kg)
$2.42FJD 5.43
$3.15A$4.51
-23.17%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.48FJD 7.79
$3.50A$5.01
-0.57%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.12FJD 7.00
$4.47A$6.39
-30.20%
Potato(1kg)
$1.22FJD 2.73
$3.32A$4.76
-63.25%
Onion(1kg)
$1.07FJD 2.39
$2.30A$3.30
-53.48%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.22FJD 2.73
$2.34A$3.35
-47.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73FJD 1.64
$1.15A$1.65
-36.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.66FJD 21.63
$45.02A$64.4
-78.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.33FJD 16.42
$13.96A$19.97
-47.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.07FJD 4.64
$3.98A$5.70
-47.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.43FJD 7.69
$4.07A$5.82
-15.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Suva
Sydney
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.94FJD 2.11
$3.16A$4.52
-70.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.37FJD 50.1
$150A$215
-85.08%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.87FJD 1.94
$3.45A$4.94
-74.78%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.42FJD 0.94
$1.63A$2.33
-74.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.95FJD 20.05
$39.98A$57.2
-77.61%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.46FJD 3.26
$1.40A$2.01
4.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4KFJD 54.7K
$28.4KA$40.7K
-14.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6KFJD 57.4K
$29.4KA$42.1K
-12.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suva
Sydney
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$46.38FJD 104
$220A$315
-78.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.79FJD 28.66
$27.70A$39.64
-53.83%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.98FJD 53.7
$55.5A$79.5
-56.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Suva
Sydney
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$36.85FJD 82.5
$74.3A$106
-50.42%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.30FJD 25.30
$23.95A$34.28
-52.82%
Cinema Ticket
$3.43FJD 7.68
$17.73A$25.37
-80.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Suva
Sydney
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$228FJD 510
$2,157A$3,087
-89.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.4KFJD 30.0K
$28.3KA$40.5K
-52.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Suva
Sydney
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.19FJD 74.3
$78.4A$112
-57.67%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.53FJD 90.8
$70.5A$101
-42.54%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$68.9FJD 154
$111A$159
-38.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$61.4FJD 138
$132A$189
-53.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Suva
Sydney
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$891FJD 1,996
$2,514A$3,598
-64.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$330FJD 740
$1,732A$2,478
-80.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,641FJD 5,916
$4,889A$6,996
-45.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,001FJD 2,242
$3,039A$4,349
-67.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,320FJD 2,957
$13.2KA$18.9K
-90.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$818FJD 1,832
$8,117A$11.6K
-89.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Suva
Sydney
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$961FJD 2,152
$4,082A$5,842
-76.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.7
5.84
31.85%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Suva: October 5, 2026
Last update for Sydney: October 5, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Suva
$330 34.9%
Sydney
$1.7K 54.5% ↑ 424%$1.4K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Suva
$228 24.1%
Sydney
$380 12% ↑ 66.7%$152
🍽Eating Out
Suva
$140 14.8%
Sydney
$299 9.4% ↑ 114%$159
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Suva
$92 9.7%
Sydney
$176 5.6% ↑ 92.1%$85
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suva
$83 8.8%
Sydney
$303 9.6% ↑ 265%$220
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Suva
$44 4.6%
Sydney
$110 3.5% ↑ 151%$66
🚌Getting Around
Suva
$29 3.1%
Sydney
$174 5.5% ↑ 498%$145
🏠Accommodation & Living
Suva
$1K 40.3%
Sydney
$3K 48.1% ↑ 204%$2K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Suva
$530 21.4%
Sydney
$876 13.9% ↑ 65.1%$345
🍽Eating Out
Suva
$492 19.8%
Sydney
$1.1K 17.1% ↑ 120%$589
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Suva
$204 8.2%
Sydney
$392 6.2% ↑ 92.1%$188
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suva
$96 3.9%
Sydney
$331 5.2% ↑ 245%$235
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Suva
$99 4%
Sydney
$244 3.9% ↑ 147%$145
🚌Getting Around
Suva
$60 2.4%
Sydney
$355 5.6% ↑ 490%$295
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $891 in Suva and $2,514 in Sydney. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Sydney pays 325% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $44.00 in Suva vs $97.0 in Sydney for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $380 per month, with Suva cheaper across the board.
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 Sydney: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Suva or Sydney?
Suva wins on cost – living expenses run 243% lower than in Sydney. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Suva the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Suva or in Sydney?
On paper, salaries run 325% lower in Sydney. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Suva compared to Sydney?
Rent for a central apartment: $891 in Suva versus $2,514 in Sydney. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Suva compared to Sydney?
A monthly transit pass in Suva runs roughly 570% less than in Sydney. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Suva and in Sydney?
Childcare runs $228 in Suva versus $2,157 in Sydney. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Suva or in Sydney?
At $927 in Suva versus $3,182 in Sydney, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Suva but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Suva the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Suva or Sydney?
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.
How safe is Suva compared to Sydney?
Safety-wise, Suva and Sydney are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Suva gentler on the wallet – expenses run 243% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.