Moving to Fiji
What is Fiji?
Fiji is an island archipelago in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean
The Republic of Fiji is an archipelago of over 300 islands in Melanesia, in the South Pacific Ocean.
Despite having hundreds of islands and islets, nearly 90% of the population lives on Viti Levu and Vanua Levu.
It used to be a British colony until 1970, when it finally gained independence.
As is usual after such independence, a few military coups occurred, before it became a republic.
In 2006, another coup ensued, which lasted until 2009, but it took until 2014 for a democratic election to took place.
It’s one of the most developed economies in the Pacific, although that obviously isn’t saying much.
The economy focuses mostly on tourism, natural resources (forests, minerals and fish) and sugar cane.
As you can imagine, that didn’t go well during COVID, with double digit GDP negative growth.
Fiji’s islands are mostly beaches, mountains and contain dense tropical forest.
It has a tropical marine climate, meaning it’s warm every day, with few extremes.
Fiji’s really beautiful, with many coral reefs, white sandy beaches, warm weather and other diving attractions.
Getting around on Fiji is mostly done through buses, taxis and obviously ferries.
English is an official language and the de facto lingua franca.
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The requirements for moving to Fiji are surprisingly lax.
The cost of living isn’t very high, depending on how much luxury you want.
You usually do not need a visa for a stay of up to 4 months, and permanent residence and citizenship are also viable options, with dual nationality being allowed.
English is a national language, which makes for a very low language barrier.
What is the cost of living in Fiji?
The cost of living in Fiji is pretty low, on average a single person should expect to spend about $1,000 a month – if you’re living there, and not residing in a hotel or resort, of course.
You’ll be able to live a basic and rather tranquil life here, at a moderate cost.
As usual, I would suggest you make sure you are earning at least double the minimum requirement, so about $2,000 a month.
This will allow you to have no problems with unforeseen circumstances or expenses.
Benefits of living in Fiji
Downsides of living in Fiji
Moving to Fiji - by the numbers
Climate: 7.3/10
| Hours of sunshine (8/10) | Temperature (10/10) | Rainy days (8/10) | Humidity (3/10) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
25 C – 77 F |
11 |
80% |
Level of English: 8/10
Cost of Living: 9/10
| Minimum Annual Wage | Average monthly cost single person |
|---|---|
Taxes on international income: 7/10
0-20%
Residents get taxed on all income, non-residents only on income from Fiji.
You are considered a resident if your permanent home is in Fiji, or if you’ve been there regularly during more than half of the income year
Economic growth: 5/10
Average GDP growth over the last 10 years: 0.8%
A word on this: prior to 2019 it was actually hovering between 4-5% on average, but obviously COVID 19 wasn’t great news for a nation depending on tourism, resulting in a whopping -15% in 2020 and -4% in 2021.
Now that things are starting to become normal again, odds are Fiji’s economy will recover.
Safety: 9/10
| Global Terrorism Index (10/10) | Intentional homicide rate (9/10) | Rape rate (8/10) |
|---|---|---|
|
11 |
Visa: 9/10
How is life for expats in Fiji?
Life for expats in Fiji seems like such a dream.
A beautiful archipelago with crystal clear water, white beaches, a low cost of living, high English proficiency, and great visa options … what’s not to love?
Well, the taxes on your international income, for example.
The economy is lagging currently, but is expected to make a full recovery soon.
In summation: Fiji looks like paradise, and I’m well chuffed with what this research has revealed.
It completely deserves the score of 77%, and once that “Economic Growth” factor goes up to an 8-9, it’ll probably be one of the top 5 best countries to move to.
I’m 100% planning a trip there, and probably even using it as one of my flags.
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