Anecdotal evidence is that the cost of living for locals in Fiji is getting really difficult for families. I was told that bananas in the market are 3 for $2,
and tapioca is $6 a kilo!
What are the costs in the market these days then? How do people manage who are on low incomes? Even middle-income Fiji people have told me how hard it is becoming.
These are statistics (what date?) from Rob Kaye's Fiji website and biased towards what a tourist/visitor to Fiji might require.
The Cost of Living
Inevitably one will ask how expensive Fiji is relative to other destinations or even to your home town. We have compiled a list of everyday purchases to give you an idea of how much things cost. All prices will be denominated in Fiji dollars.
Taxi ride from Nadi Airport to Nadi Town $12
Car Rental per day ( unlimited mileage) $100
Bottle of (Fiji Bitter) Beer in hotel $3
Draft beer in local bar $2
Cocktail $8-12
Small bottle of coca cola $1
Loaf of whole meal bread from bakery 1.19 cents
Bottle of decent Australian or N.Z.wine $25
Dinner for two at Chinese Restaurant $F18 - 30
Dinner for two at curry house $15 - 20
Dinner for two public market stall $F6 - 10
Roti Snack at Bus Stop (pumpkin curry ) $1
Taxi ride from Nadi Airport to Nadi Town $12
Bus Fare to go 10 km F$1.00
Admission Price for Movie $2.00- 4.00
Long distance call to North America $2.57/per minute
Internet ISP cost $9/ per hour
1 bunch of bananas $2-3
1 pile of mangoes (6) $1.00
Fruit Loaf purchased at Hot Bread Shop $1.30 cents
Locally made Bula Shirt $30-40
Sulu (sarong) $10 - $20
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I would welcome comments from readers of this blog from people who live in Suva, Labasa, Lautoka and other places in Fiji.
I don't shop at the markets but the price of fuel is going up so steadily that it must be getting tougher for everyone. I can confirm though that I bought 2 Bula shirts (nice ones, XXL) and a pocket sulu (42, so not a small one!) for fjd$71.00...
ReplyDeletea movie in town will set you back a hefty $5.50!
ReplyDeleteOops I don't want to sound like a snob! I love the markets, the only place to get fruit and veges: but I don't do any grocery shopping (comes in in bulk here)...
ReplyDeleteWilson I'm pretty sure we only paid $4 to see Harry Potter last year in Lautoka...
I know you're not a snob Meg! The farmers who grow fruit and vegies in the Western side could make a lot of money selling directly to the resorts, but how much food is imported I wonder!
ReplyDeleteI am sure there is a big difference in the cost of clothing at a resort shop, or in Nadi, or in fleamarkets. And they see you coming if you look like a vavalagi!
Movies here in Oz are $8.50 for me as a 'senior' but $5.50 sounds a lot for Suva people - well, for those who are labourers or unemployed!
w.
so i am trying to find out how a single person would need to live Suva for a week or month. Comfortable but not luxury.
ReplyDeleteAnon,
ReplyDeleteI suggest you email to the writer of 'Promoting Suva' website and him as he's in a position to know heaps more than we do - from the distance of living in Australia. And of course it depends on standard of living as many people in Suva have to somehow survive on very little indeed.
w.
Am about to move to Nadi on a short term contract, thanks for the info. Looking forward to those curries!
ReplyDeleteHello Kiwigardener,
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely time in Nadi. It's raining at present but usually it's very sunny there. Check out the Garden of the Sleeping Giant and there's a backpackers up near there too, but I guess you have accommodation fixed.
w.
does anybody known if you need prescriptions for medications?
ReplyDeletePerhaps someone else could answer the question but from my experience you need a prescription for some medicines, but I guess some other kinds might be over the counter. I've found that a private doctor might charge you $5 for a visit, and then you get the medicine at the chemist maybe for another $5. It's not as expensive as in Australia where a visit to a doctor might set you back $40! and medicine over $20, but medicare can make it less, medicine to $5 perhaps.
ReplyDeletew.
an update September 2008.
ReplyDeleteMH Superfresh in Tamavua is very expensive. Overseas lettuce $11! Most items twice what the Oz price is, so the answer is always to buy local produce, not imported or find a supermarket that is cheaper than MH.
Fuel is expensive, I think about $2.20F a litre.
w.
your all snobs
ReplyDeleteHave you a real name, Mr/Ms Anonymous? Snobs? As Pauline once said when asked about xenophobia, 'Please explain!'
ReplyDeletew.
Dear Friends I am an Indian intend to take up a contract in Fiji may be in Suva from April 2010 can anybody give me the following details.
ReplyDelete1. Cost of living
2. Accommodation (Housing Cost)
3. Food (Mainly rice)
4. Buying or renting a Car
5. Living Condition
6. Phone (Landline or Mobile)
7. Any other usefull information.
I show some of the information in this site it is useful but little out dated Please give me some more information. Thanking all the good hearts inadvance
Sorry, can't give all of that information here. Look up Fiji newspapers perhaps, or phone someone in Fiji.
ReplyDeleteAn update on April 10 2010 -
A friend just returned to Australia from Fiji yesterday and he said that the vegetables in the Suva market are just so, so, so expensive e.g. a small bundle of beans is $7, three carrots $5. In the supermarket he picked up three packets of butter and the check-out woman said, you can only have one packet. And as for sugar (yes, sugar in Fiji) he was only allowed to have 1 kilo of sugar!
Unbelievable!
w.
I would just like to open your minds to the real problem given the state of the world economy.
ReplyDeleteThe weak Fiji Dollar is making everything expensive. RBF needs to make this stronger and fix the foreign reserves some other way. They have to choose between the people and foreign reserves.
This will makes things cheaper in Fiji, at least the imported goods.