Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Fiji

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.

Sydney
🇦🇺 Australia
$3,182
/mo nomad
Fiji
🇫🇯 Fiji
$709
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sydney and in Fiji

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
🍽 Eating Out
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.66 A$25.28
$4.32 FJD 9.68
308.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$97.1 A$139
$31.65 FJD 70.9
206.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.94 A$17.09
$6.54 FJD 14.65
82.57%
Cappuccino
$4.00 A$5.72
$2.50 FJD 5.59
60.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 A$4.06
$1.35 FJD 3.01
110.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 A$3.25
$1.05 FJD 2.34
116.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.89 A$11.29
$4.08 FJD 9.14
93.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.13 A$10.20
$4.04 FJD 9.06
76.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 A$2.38
$1.25 FJD 2.80
32.80%
White Bread (500g)
$2.79 A$4.00
$0.26 FJD 0.59
973.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.32 A$3.33
$0.85 FJD 1.90
172.94%
Eggs
$5.53 A$7.92
$3.08 FJD 6.91
79.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.08 A$17.28
$10.64 FJD 23.83
13.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.84 A$14.09
$5.30 FJD 11.87
85.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.61 A$23.78
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$4.02 A$5.76
$1.30 FJD 2.92
209.23%
Banana (1kg)
$3.15 A$4.51
$0.86 FJD 1.94
266.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.50 A$5.01
$1.83 FJD 4.10
91.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.47 A$6.39
$1.31 FJD 2.93
241.22%
Potato (1kg)
$3.32 A$4.76
$0.70 FJD 1.56
374.29%
Onion (1kg)
$2.30 A$3.30
$0.74 FJD 1.65
210.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 A$3.35
$0.88 FJD 1.96
165.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 A$1.65
$0.52 FJD 1.16
121.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$45.02 A$64.4
$10.95 FJD 24.52
311.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.96 A$19.97
$6.19 FJD 13.87
125.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.98 A$5.70
$3.97 FJD 8.90
0.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.07 A$5.82
$4.12 FJD 9.22
-1.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.16 A$4.52
$0.93 FJD 2.08
239.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$150 A$215
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.45 A$4.94
$1.12 FJD 2.52
208.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 A$2.33
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.98 A$57.2
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.40 A$2.01
$1.25 FJD 2.81
12.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K A$40.7K
$46.1K FJD 103.2K
-38.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.4K A$42.1K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$220 A$315
$53.5 FJD 120
311.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.70 A$39.64
$13.37 FJD 29.96
107.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.5 A$79.5
$17.80 FJD 39.88
211.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$74.3 A$106
$21.89 FJD 49.04
239.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.95 A$34.28
$4.42 FJD 9.89
441.86%
Cinema Ticket
$17.73 A$25.37
$4.10 FJD 9.18
332.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,157 A$3,087
$44.79 FJD 100
4715.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$28.3K A$40.5K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.4 A$112
$19.42 FJD 43.50
303.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$70.5 A$101
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 A$159
$30.25 FJD 67.8
268.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 A$189
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,514 A$3,598
$680 FJD 1,524
269.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,732 A$2,478
$270 FJD 605
541.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,889 A$6,996
$1,095 FJD 2,453
346.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,039 A$4,349
$610 FJD 1,367
397.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$13.2K A$18.9K
$1,289 FJD 2,887
925.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$8,117 A$11.6K
$1,293 FJD 2,897
527.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sydney
Fiji
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,082 A$5,842
$538 FJD 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.
Accommodation & Living
Sydney
$1.7K
Fiji
$270 84.4% $1.5K
Groceries & Markets
Sydney
$380
Fiji
$169 * 55.7% $212
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sydney
$303
Fiji
$85 72.1% $218
Eating Out
Sydney
$299
Fiji
$122 59.2% $177
Clothing & Footwear
Sydney
$176
Fiji
$22 * 87.3% $154
Getting Around
Sydney
$174
Fiji
$4.8 * 97.2% $169
Sport & Entertainment
Sydney
$110
Fiji
$30 72.6% $80

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.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Sydney
🇫🇯 Fiji
🕒 Local time
23:07 11:07 PM
00:07 12:07 AM
1 h ahead of Sydney
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,840,600
92,043
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

FJD, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.699 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.624 EUR).

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.24 FJD (1 FJD = 0.446 USD). 1 EUR = 2.51 FJD (1 FJD = 0.398 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sydney Fiji 3,220 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sydney
  • Fiji

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.

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