For one person, living is cheaper in Fiji: $709 a month against $3,182 in Sydney, rent and utilities included – about $29,700 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 Sydney and in Fiji actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,182 in Sydney versus $709 in Fiji.
Sydney $3,182
Fiji $709
Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,696 in Sydney versus $1,144 in Fiji.
Sydney $4,696
Fiji $1,144
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,210 in Sydney versus $1,578 in Fiji.
Sydney $6,210
Fiji $1,578
🌍
Living in Sydney is roughly 349% more expensive than in Fiji, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Sydney is 137% above, Fiji is 47% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.66A$25.28
$4.32FJD 9.68
308.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$97.1A$139
$31.65FJD 70.9
206.76%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.94A$17.09
$6.54FJD 14.65
82.57%
Cappuccino
$4.00A$5.72
$2.50FJD 5.59
60.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84A$4.06
$1.35FJD 3.01
110.37%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27A$3.25
$1.05FJD 2.34
116.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.89A$11.29
$4.08FJD 9.14
93.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.13A$10.20
$4.04FJD 9.06
76.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.66A$2.38
$1.25FJD 2.80
32.80%
White Bread(500g)
$2.79A$4.00
$0.26FJD 0.59
973.08%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.32A$3.33
$0.85FJD 1.90
172.94%
Eggs
$5.53A$7.92
$3.08FJD 6.91
79.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.08A$17.28
$10.64FJD 23.83
13.53%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.84A$14.09
$5.30FJD 11.87
85.66%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.61A$23.78
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$4.02A$5.76
$1.30FJD 2.92
209.23%
Banana(1kg)
$3.15A$4.51
$0.86FJD 1.94
266.28%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.50A$5.01
$1.83FJD 4.10
91.26%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.47A$6.39
$1.31FJD 2.93
241.22%
Potato(1kg)
$3.32A$4.76
$0.70FJD 1.56
374.29%
Onion(1kg)
$2.30A$3.30
$0.74FJD 1.65
210.81%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.34A$3.35
$0.88FJD 1.96
165.91%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15A$1.65
$0.52FJD 1.16
121.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$45.02A$64.4
$10.95FJD 24.52
311.14%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.96A$19.97
$6.19FJD 13.87
125.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.98A$5.70
$3.97FJD 8.90
0.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.07A$5.82
$4.12FJD 9.22
-1.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.16A$4.52
$0.93FJD 2.08
239.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$150A$215
-
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Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.45A$4.94
$1.12FJD 2.52
208.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.63A$2.33
-
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Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$39.98A$57.2
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Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.40A$2.01
$1.25FJD 2.81
12.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4KA$40.7K
$46.1KFJD 103.2K
-38.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.4KA$42.1K
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🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$220A$315
$53.5FJD 120
311.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.70A$39.64
$13.37FJD 29.96
107.18%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.5A$79.5
$17.80FJD 39.88
211.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$74.3A$106
$21.89FJD 49.04
239.52%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.95A$34.28
$4.42FJD 9.89
441.86%
Cinema Ticket
$17.73A$25.37
$4.10FJD 9.18
332.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$2,157A$3,087
$44.79FJD 100
4715.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$28.3KA$40.5K
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👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.4A$112
$19.42FJD 43.50
303.76%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$70.5A$101
-
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$111A$159
$30.25FJD 67.8
268.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132A$189
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🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,514A$3,598
$680FJD 1,524
269.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,732A$2,478
$270FJD 605
541.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$4,889A$6,996
$1,095FJD 2,453
346.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$3,039A$4,349
$610FJD 1,367
397.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$13.2KA$18.9K
$1,289FJD 2,887
925.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$8,117A$11.6K
$1,293FJD 2,897
527.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,082A$5,842
$538FJD 1,205
658.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.84
6
-2.67%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sydney: October 5, 2026
Last update for Fiji: October 4, 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
Sydney
$1.7K 54.5%
Fiji
$270 38.4% ↓ 84.4%$1.5K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sydney
$380 12%
Fiji
$169 * 24% ↓ 55.7%$212
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sydney
$303 9.6%
Fiji
$85 12% ↓ 72.1%$218
🍽Eating Out
Sydney
$299 9.4%
Fiji
$122 17.4% ↓ 59.2%$177
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sydney
$176 5.6%
Fiji
$22 * 3.2% ↓ 87.3%$154
🚌Getting Around
Sydney
$174 5.5%
Fiji
$4.8 * 0.7% ↓ 97.2%$169
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sydney
$110 3.5%
Fiji
$30 4.3% ↓ 72.6%$80
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sydney
$3K 48.1%
Fiji
$610 38.3% ↓ 79.9%$2.4K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sydney
$876 13.9%
Fiji
$369 * 23.2% ↓ 57.8%$507
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sydney
$331 5.2%
Fiji
$98 6.1% ↓ 70.4%$233
🍽Eating Out
Sydney
$1.1K 17.1%
Fiji
$392 24.6% ↓ 63.8%$690
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sydney
$392 6.2%
Fiji
$50 * 3.1% ↓ 87.3%$342
🚌Getting Around
Sydney
$355 5.6%
Fiji
$12 * 0.7% ↓ 96.8%$343
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sydney
$244 3.9%
Fiji
$65 4.1% ↓ 73.5%$179
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,514 in Sydney and $680 in Fiji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Sydney pays 659% 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: $97.0 in Sydney vs $32.00 in Fiji for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $380 vs $169 per month, with Fiji 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
Sydney vs Fiji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fiji cheaper than Sydney?
Fiji is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 349% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Sydney or Fiji?
Average pay runs 659% higher in Sydney, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Sydney and Fiji?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,514 in Sydney versus $680 in Fiji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Sydney and in Fiji?
Supermarket bills run roughly 126% higher in Sydney. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Sydney and in Fiji?
All in, you'll spend $3,182 per month in Sydney versus $709 in Fiji – a 349% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Sydney or in Fiji?
At $709 in Fiji versus $3,182 in Sydney, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fiji but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Fiji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Sydney or in Fiji?
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.
Which city is safer, Sydney or Fiji?
Safety-wise, Sydney and Fiji 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Fiji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 349% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.