Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Victoria and Avarua

For one person, living is cheaper in Avarua: $1,609 a month against $2,574 in Victoria, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Victoria
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Victoria Living Index

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Victoria

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,574

/mo nomad

Avarua

🇨🇰 Cook Islands

$1,609

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Victoria and in Avarua

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Victoria and in Avarua actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,574 per month in Victoria vs $1,609 in Avarua, rent included.

Victoria $2,574
Avarua $1,609

A couple spends around $3,856 per month in Victoria vs $1,634 in Avarua, rent included.

Victoria $3,856
Avarua $1,634

A family of three spends $5,138 per month in Victoria vs $1,658 in Avarua, rent included.

Victoria $5,138
Avarua $1,658

Victoria costs about 60% more than Avarua, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Victoria and Avarua sit above the global median – Victoria by 92%, Avarua by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.98 CA$27.06

$11.27 NZ$20.08

68.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$99.7

$55.8 NZ$99.5

25.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.46

$8.65 NZ$15.42

25.32%

Cappuccino

$4.21 CA$6.00

$3.11 NZ$5.53

35.37%

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

$2.21 CA$3.15

$2.22 NZ$3.95

-0.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.57

$2.21 NZ$3.94

-18.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.69 CA$8.11

$5.38 NZ$9.59

5.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.47 CA$9.23

$4.24 NZ$7.56

52.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 CA$3.78

$1.64 NZ$2.93

61.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$4.12

$3.37 NZ$6.00

-14.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.65

$1.73 NZ$3.08

128.90%

Eggs

$4.04 CA$5.76

$4.84 NZ$8.63

-16.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.77 CA$38.16

$11.12 NZ$19.81

140.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.55 CA$17.89

$7.96 NZ$14.18

57.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.51 CA$20.68

$9.91 NZ$17.66

46.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.69

$2.82 NZ$5.03

41.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$2.04

$1.64 NZ$2.91

-12.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.45

$3.30 NZ$5.88

15.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.89

$9.16 NZ$16.33

-54.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 CA$5.04

$2.73 NZ$4.86

29.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.18

$2.17 NZ$3.87

35.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.18 CA$4.53

$2.19 NZ$3.90

45.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 CA$3.63

$2.82 NZ$5.02

-9.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.02 CA$21.41

Wine (Bottle)

$17.86 CA$25.46

$14.02 NZ$24.99

27.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.00 CA$5.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 CA$4.89

$4.24 NZ$7.56

-19.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 CA$2.90

$2.78 NZ$4.96

-26.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.5 CA$83.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 CA$3.81

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 CA$2.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.48 CA$47.72

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 CA$1.93

$2.17 NZ$3.86

-37.79%

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

$27.7K CA$39.5K

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

$18.5K CA$26.3K

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

$105 CA$150

$111 NZ$197

-4.62%

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

$44.49 CA$63.4

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.5 CA$87.6

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.45 CA$60.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.27 CA$24.62

Cinema Ticket

$10.68 CA$15.22

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

$878 CA$1,251

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K CA$33.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 CA$75.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.19 CA$63.0

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 CA$128

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$155

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,522 CA$2,170

$934 NZ$1,665

62.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,326 CA$1,890

$946 NZ$1,686

40.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,683 CA$3,825

$113 NZ$201

2275.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,261 CA$3,222

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,368 CA$7,651

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,469 CA$6,370

$940 NZ$1,676

375.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,202 CA$4,564

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.31

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

Last update for Victoria: October 5, 2026

Last update for Avarua: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Victoria

$1.3K 51.7%

Avarua

–

Groceries & Markets

Victoria

$461 18%

Avarua

–

Eating Out

Victoria

$292 11.4%

Avarua

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Victoria

$211 8.2%

Avarua

–

Clothing & Footwear

Victoria

$133 5.2%

Avarua

–

Getting Around

Victoria

$77 3%

Avarua

–

Sport & Entertainment

Victoria

$64 2.5%

Avarua

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,522 in Victoria versus $934 in Avarua. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Victoria versus $56.0 in Avarua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $461 vs $354 – making Avarua the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Victoria

🇨🇰 Avarua

🕒 Local time

06:44 6:44 AM

03:44 3:44 AM

3 h behind Victoria

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

85,792

5,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 NZD = 0.561 USD

1 NZD = 0.501 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.561 USD). 1 EUR = 2 NZD (1 NZD = 0.501 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Victoria Avarua 8,550 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Victoria
Avarua

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

Victoria vs Avarua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Victoria costs about 60% more than Avarua, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,862 per month in Victoria and $2,414 in Avarua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Avarua, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,574 in Victoria and $1,609 in Avarua. That's a gap of about 60%.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Victoria, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Avarua, where all-in costs run around $1,609, than in Victoria at $2,574. In Avarua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Victoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Avarua – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Avarua. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Victoria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.