Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Suva and Waiheke Island

For one person, living is cheaper in Suva: $946 a month against $1,908 in Waiheke Island, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Suva
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Suva Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Waiheke Island
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Waiheke Island Living Index

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Suva

🇫🇯 Fiji

$946

/mo nomad

Waiheke Island

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,908

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Suva and in Waiheke Island

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $946 in Suva versus $1,908 in Waiheke Island.

Suva $946
Waiheke Island $1,908

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,717 in Suva versus $2,944 in Waiheke Island.

Suva $1,717
Waiheke Island $2,944

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Suva versus $3,979 in Waiheke Island.

Suva $2,489
Waiheke Island $3,979

Living in Suva costs roughly 50% less than in Waiheke Island, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Suva is 30% below, Waiheke Island is 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 FJD 13.28

$14.57 NZ$25.76

-59.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.78 FJD 100

$68.5 NZ$121

-34.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 FJD 16.81

$8.82 NZ$15.59

-14.85%

Cappuccino

$2.85 FJD 6.37

$3.28 NZ$5.80

-13.11%

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

$1.50 FJD 3.36

$2.27 NZ$4.01

-33.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 FJD 1.67

$1.60 NZ$2.83

-53.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 FJD 7.98

$6.03 NZ$10.66

-40.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 FJD 10.24

$6.46 NZ$11.42

-29.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 FJD 2.97

$1.54 NZ$2.71

-13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 FJD 1.28

$1.96 NZ$3.46

-70.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 FJD 2.53

$1.79 NZ$3.16

-36.87%

Eggs

$3.38 FJD 7.57

$4.93 NZ$8.72

-31.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 FJD 22.78

$8.13 NZ$14.38

25.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 FJD 14.19

$8.06 NZ$14.25

-21.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.96 FJD 17.82

$14.90 NZ$26.35

-46.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 FJD 5.58

$2.26 NZ$3.99

10.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 FJD 5.43

$2.30 NZ$4.06

5.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 FJD 7.94

$3.40 NZ$6.02

4.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 FJD 7.11

$5.44 NZ$9.62

-41.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 FJD 2.83

$2.07 NZ$3.66

-39.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 FJD 2.37

$1.59 NZ$2.82

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 FJD 2.61

$2.07 NZ$3.66

-43.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 FJD 1.54

$0.98 NZ$1.73

-29.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 FJD 22.15

$21.85 NZ$38.64

-54.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.19 FJD 16.10

$8.93 NZ$15.80

-19.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 FJD 4.74

$3.01 NZ$5.32

-29.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 FJD 7.60

$3.18 NZ$5.62

6.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 FJD 1.97

$1.88 NZ$3.32

-53.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.34 FJD 50.0

$73.7 NZ$130

-69.68%

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

$1.87 NZ$3.32

-75.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 FJD 19.70

$30.71 NZ$54.3

-71.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 FJD 3.21

$1.65 NZ$2.92

-13.33%

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

$24.3K FJD 54.5K

$28.1K NZ$49.8K

-13.59%

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

$24.7K FJD 55.3K

$22.3K NZ$39.4K

10.95%

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

$46.26 FJD 104

$102 NZ$181

-54.68%

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

$12.75 FJD 28.54

$27.42 NZ$48.48

-53.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.21 FJD 54.2

$43.86 NZ$77.6

-44.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.81 FJD 82.4

$39.44 NZ$69.8

-6.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.31 FJD 25.32

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 FJD 7.65

$11.70 NZ$20.69

-70.77%

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

$225 FJD 503

$576 NZ$1,019

-60.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K FJD 30.0K

$18.0K NZ$31.8K

-25.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.29 FJD 74.5

$70.1 NZ$124

-52.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.64 FJD 88.8

$36.02 NZ$63.7

10.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 FJD 154

$105 NZ$186

-34.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 FJD 134

$107 NZ$189

-44.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 FJD 1,992

$1,048 NZ$1,854

-15.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 FJD 736

$890 NZ$1,573

-63.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,589 FJD 5,797

$1,625 NZ$2,873

59.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$999 FJD 2,236

$1,610 NZ$2,847

-37.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,310 FJD 2,933

$5,251 NZ$9,286

-75.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$820 FJD 1,836

$3,477 NZ$6,149

-76.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$965 FJD 2,160

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

5.57

38.24%

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

Last update for Suva: October 10, 2026

Last update for Waiheke Island: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Suva

$329 34.7%

Waiheke Island

$890 46.6% 171% $561

Groceries & Markets

Suva

$231 24.4%

Waiheke Island

$306 16% 32.5% $75

Eating Out

Suva

$140 14.8%

Waiheke Island

$241 12.6% 71.9% $101

Clothing & Footwear

Suva

$91 9.6%

Waiheke Island

$143 7.5% 57.9% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Suva

$83 8.8%

Waiheke Island

$173 9.1% 108% $90

Sport & Entertainment

Suva

$44 4.6%

Waiheke Island

$63 3.3% 44% $19

Getting Around

Suva

$29 3.1%

Waiheke Island

$93 4.9% 220% $64

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $889 in Suva and $1,048 in Waiheke Island. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Suva vs $68.0 in Waiheke Island for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $306 per month, with Suva cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇫🇯 Suva

🇳🇿 Waiheke Island

🕒 Local time

12:13 12:13 PM

13:13 1:13 PM

1 h ahead of Suva

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

100,000 Capital

1,950

💱 Currency

Fijian Dollar FJD $

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 FJD = 0.447 USD

1 FJD = 0.397 EUR

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD, EUR to FJD – Fijian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇫🇯 Fijian Dollar ($)

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 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 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

USD to FJD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Suva Waiheke Island 2,100 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Suva
Waiheke Island

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 Waiheke Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Suva wins on cost – living expenses run 102% lower than in Waiheke Island. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Suva the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,419 in Suva and $2,863 in Waiheke Island to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $889 in Suva versus $1,048 in Waiheke Island. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Suva runs roughly 230% less than in Waiheke Island. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $225 in Suva versus $576 in Waiheke Island. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $946 in Suva versus $1,908 in Waiheke Island, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Suva but tight or insufficient in Waiheke Island. The gap between the two cities makes Suva the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Suva and Waiheke Island are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Suva gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Waiheke Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.