Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Whakatane and Suva

For one person, living is cheaper in Suva: $946 a month against $1,775 in Whakatane, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

88

Cost of Living Index in Whakatane
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Whakatane Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Suva
Learn more

Suva Living Index

Jump to prices

Whakatane

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,775

/mo nomad

Suva

🇫🇯 Fiji

$946

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Whakatane and in Suva

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Whakatane versus $946 in Suva.

Whakatane $1,775
Suva $946

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,684 in Whakatane versus $1,717 in Suva.

Whakatane $2,684
Suva $1,717

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,594 in Whakatane versus $2,489 in Suva.

Whakatane $3,594
Suva $2,489

Living in Whakatane is roughly 88% more expensive than in Suva, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Whakatane is 31% above, Suva is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.79 NZ$24.39

$5.93 FJD 13.28

132.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 NZ$119

$44.78 FJD 100

49.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 NZ$15.63

$7.51 FJD 16.81

17.71%

Cappuccino

$3.10 NZ$5.48

$2.85 FJD 6.37

8.77%

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

$2.00 NZ$3.54

$1.50 FJD 3.36

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 NZ$3.09

$0.75 FJD 1.67

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 NZ$10.73

$3.56 FJD 7.98

70.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 NZ$10.63

$4.57 FJD 10.24

31.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 NZ$3.41

$1.33 FJD 2.97

45.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 NZ$1.74

$0.57 FJD 1.28

71.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.29

$1.13 FJD 2.53

64.60%

Eggs

$5.58 NZ$9.87

$3.38 FJD 7.57

65.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 NZ$14.75

$10.18 FJD 22.78

-18.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 NZ$14.95

$6.34 FJD 14.19

33.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.54 NZ$27.48

$7.96 FJD 17.82

95.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 NZ$4.28

$2.49 FJD 5.58

-2.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.82

$2.43 FJD 5.43

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 NZ$5.10

$3.55 FJD 7.94

-18.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.87 NZ$10.38

$3.17 FJD 7.11

85.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 NZ$3.60

$1.26 FJD 2.83

61.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 NZ$2.76

$1.06 FJD 2.37

47.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 NZ$3.62

$1.16 FJD 2.61

75.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NZ$1.90

$0.69 FJD 1.54

56.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$27.44 NZ$48.52

$9.89 FJD 22.15

177.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 NZ$15.10

$7.19 FJD 16.10

18.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 NZ$2.49

$2.11 FJD 4.74

-33.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.96

$3.39 FJD 7.60

-67.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 NZ$2.66

$0.88 FJD 1.97

71.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.7 NZ$148

$22.34 FJD 50.0

274.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.30 NZ$4.07

$0.92 FJD 2.05

150.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.43

$0.45 FJD 1.01

331.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.44 NZ$57.4

$8.80 FJD 19.70

268.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 NZ$2.79

$1.43 FJD 3.21

10.49%

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

$24.7K NZ$43.7K

$24.3K FJD 54.5K

1.49%

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

$9,072 NZ$16.0K

$24.7K FJD 55.3K

-63.26%

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

$116 NZ$206

$46.26 FJD 104

151.62%

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

$26.75 NZ$47.30

$12.75 FJD 28.54

109.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.24 NZ$72.9

$24.21 FJD 54.2

70.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.19 NZ$67.5

$36.81 FJD 82.4

3.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.31 FJD 25.32

Cinema Ticket

$8.61 NZ$15.23

$3.42 FJD 7.65

151.75%

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

$1,123 NZ$1,986

$225 FJD 503

399.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K NZ$34.2K

$13.4K FJD 30.0K

44.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 NZ$117

$33.29 FJD 74.5

99.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.67 NZ$70.2

$39.64 FJD 88.8

0.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 NZ$148

$68.6 FJD 154

21.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 NZ$127

$59.9 FJD 134

20.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 NZ$1,950

$889 FJD 1,992

23.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 NZ$1,394

$329 FJD 736

139.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 NZ$2,849

$2,589 FJD 5,797

-37.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 NZ$2,310

$999 FJD 2,236

30.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,734 NZ$8,373

$1,310 FJD 2,933

261.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,330 NZ$5,890

$820 FJD 1,836

306.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,884 NZ$6,868

$965 FJD 2,160

302.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.37

7.7

-30.26%

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

Last update for Whakatane: October 10, 2026

Last update for Suva: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Whakatane

$788 44.4%

Suva

$329 34.7% 58.3% $460

Groceries & Markets

Whakatane

$295 16.6%

Suva

$231 24.4% 21.9% $65

Eating Out

Whakatane

$231 13%

Suva

$140 14.8% 39.5% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Whakatane

$184 10.4%

Suva

$83 8.8% 54.9% $101

Clothing & Footwear

Whakatane

$118 6.6%

Suva

$91 9.6% 23% $27

Getting Around

Whakatane

$102 5.7%

Suva

$29 3.1% 71.5% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Whakatane

$55 3.1%

Suva

$44 4.6% 21.3% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,102 in Whakatane and $889 in Suva. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Whakatane pays 303% 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: $67.0 in Whakatane vs $45.00 in Suva for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $231 per month, with Suva cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Whakatane

🇫🇯 Suva

🕒 Local time

06:59 6:59 AM

05:59 5:59 AM

1 h behind Whakatane

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

16,700

100,000 Capital

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

Fijian Dollar FJD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1 FJD = 0.447 USD

1 FJD = 0.397 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

FJD, USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

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).

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).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Whakatane Suva 2,210 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Whakatane
Suva

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

Whakatane vs Suva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Suva wins on cost – living expenses run 88% lower than in Whakatane. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Suva the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 303% higher in Whakatane, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,102 in Whakatane versus $889 in Suva. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Suva runs roughly 275% less than in Whakatane. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,123 in Whakatane versus $225 in Suva. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $946 in Suva versus $1,775 in Whakatane, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Suva but tight or insufficient in Whakatane. 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, Whakatane and Suva 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 88% less than in Whakatane. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.