Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Suva and Wairoa

For one person, living is cheaper in Suva: $946 a month against $1,932 in Wairoa, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 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 Wairoa
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Wairoa Living Index

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Suva

🇫🇯 Fiji

$946

/mo nomad

Wairoa

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,932

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Suva and in Wairoa

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $946 in Suva versus $1,932 in Wairoa.

Suva $946
Wairoa $1,932

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,717 in Suva versus $2,867 in Wairoa.

Suva $1,717
Wairoa $2,867

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Suva versus $3,802 in Wairoa.

Suva $2,489
Wairoa $3,802

Living in Suva costs roughly 51% less than in Wairoa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Suva is 30% below, Wairoa is 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 FJD 13.28

$14.86 NZ$26.27

-60.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.78 FJD 100

$59.2 NZ$105

-24.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 FJD 16.81

$8.52 NZ$15.06

-11.85%

Cappuccino

$2.85 FJD 6.37

$3.11 NZ$5.51

-8.36%

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

$1.50 FJD 3.36

$2.28 NZ$4.03

-34.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 FJD 1.67

$1.66 NZ$2.94

-54.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 FJD 7.98

$6.69 NZ$11.83

-46.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 FJD 10.24

$6.30 NZ$11.15

-27.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 FJD 2.97

$1.92 NZ$3.40

-30.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 FJD 1.28

$2.20 NZ$3.89

-74.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 FJD 2.53

$1.74 NZ$3.07

-35.06%

Eggs

$3.38 FJD 7.57

$6.31 NZ$11.17

-46.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 FJD 22.78

$8.79 NZ$15.54

15.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 FJD 14.19

$8.65 NZ$15.30

-26.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.96 FJD 17.82

$15.26 NZ$26.99

-47.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 FJD 5.58

$2.96 NZ$5.24

-15.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 FJD 5.43

$2.21 NZ$3.90

9.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 FJD 7.94

$2.62 NZ$4.63

35.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 FJD 7.11

$5.45 NZ$9.63

-41.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 FJD 2.83

$1.97 NZ$3.48

-36.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 FJD 2.37

$1.31 NZ$2.32

-19.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 FJD 2.61

$2.24 NZ$3.96

-48.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 FJD 1.54

$1.02 NZ$1.81

-32.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 FJD 22.15

$23.97 NZ$42.39

-58.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.19 FJD 16.10

$10.24 NZ$18.12

-29.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 FJD 4.74

$2.83 NZ$5.01

-25.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 FJD 7.60

$2.91 NZ$5.15

16.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 FJD 1.97

$1.76 NZ$3.10

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.34 FJD 50.0

$70.2 NZ$124

-68.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 FJD 2.05

$2.41 NZ$4.27

-61.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 FJD 1.01

$1.58 NZ$2.80

-71.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 FJD 19.70

$28.67 NZ$50.7

-69.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 FJD 3.21

$1.72 NZ$3.04

-16.86%

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

$24.3K FJD 54.5K

$24.9K NZ$44.1K

-2.37%

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

$24.7K FJD 55.3K

$19.8K NZ$35.0K

24.81%

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

$46.26 FJD 104

$98.1 NZ$174

-52.86%

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

$12.75 FJD 28.54

$24.87 NZ$43.98

-48.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.21 FJD 54.2

$57.2 NZ$101

-57.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.81 FJD 82.4

$43.61 NZ$77.1

-15.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.31 FJD 25.32

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 FJD 7.65

$9.93 NZ$17.56

-65.56%

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

$225 FJD 503

$727 NZ$1,287

-69.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K FJD 30.0K

$16.9K NZ$29.8K

-20.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.29 FJD 74.5

$53.8 NZ$95.1

-38.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.64 FJD 88.8

$36.83 NZ$65.1

7.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 FJD 154

$102 NZ$181

-32.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 FJD 134

$114 NZ$202

-47.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 FJD 1,992

$1,016 NZ$1,796

-12.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 FJD 736

$894 NZ$1,582

-63.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,589 FJD 5,797

$1,600 NZ$2,830

61.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$999 FJD 2,236

$1,443 NZ$2,552

-30.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,310 FJD 2,933

$5,236 NZ$9,260

-74.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$820 FJD 1,836

$3,126 NZ$5,528

-73.77%

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 Wairoa: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Suva

$329 34.7%

Wairoa

$894 46.3% 172% $566

Groceries & Markets

Suva

$231 24.4%

Wairoa

$325 16.8% 40.8% $94

Eating Out

Suva

$140 14.8%

Wairoa

$244 12.6% 73.9% $104

Clothing & Footwear

Suva

$91 9.6%

Wairoa

$138 7.2% 52.5% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Suva

$83 8.8%

Wairoa

$180 9.3% 117% $97

Sport & Entertainment

Suva

$44 4.6%

Wairoa

$63 3.3% 45.4% $20

Getting Around

Suva

$29 3.1%

Wairoa

$88 4.5% 202% $59

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $889 in Suva and $1,016 in Wairoa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Suva vs $59.0 in Wairoa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $325 per month, with Suva cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇫🇯 Suva

🇳🇿 Wairoa

🕒 Local time

09:02 9:02 AM

10:02 10:02 AM

1 h ahead of Suva

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

100,000 Capital

4,300

💱 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 17, 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 17, 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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Highest

Between locations

Suva Wairoa 2,330 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Suva
Wairoa

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 Wairoa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Suva wins on cost – living expenses run 104% lower than in Wairoa. 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 $2,898 in Wairoa 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 $1,016 in Wairoa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Suva runs roughly 214% less than in Wairoa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $225 in Suva versus $727 in Wairoa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $946 in Suva versus $1,932 in Wairoa, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Suva but tight or insufficient in Wairoa. 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 Wairoa 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 104% less than in Wairoa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.