25 Tips to Save Money in Fiji 💵 [2026]

Last Updated: 21 October, 2024

How to Save Money on Your Trip to Fiji

Fiji is a land of paradise islands with crystal clear waters, once-in-a-lifetime activities, and, of course, gorgeous weather. However, many wrongly believe that Fiji is a holiday for the rich and famous. Let us tell you, it’s completely possible to enjoy a blissful holiday in Fiji without spending all your savings away! In fact, there are so many ways to save money when travelling to Fiji!

While staying in one of the budget accommodations in Fiji is the obvious way to save money, there are other ways to save money in Fiji that can apply to any type of traveller or holidaymaker. Here are some of our top 20 ways to save money in Fiji!

1. Get to the Coral Coast, Pacific Harbour, Suva or the Suncoast Using the Express Buses

There’s no doubt that the cheapest way to travel across the mainland, Viti Levu, is via an express bus. If your resort is along the Queens Road or Kings Road, buses can usually drop you off right on the doorstep, or at least as close as possible. Express buses from Nadi take 1 hr 30 mins to reach the Coral Coast and around 3-4 hours to reach Suva, costing around FJ$8-$28 per person, depending on where you are travelling to. Check out Where to Book Bus Transport in Fiji? for more information.

2. Eat at Local Restaurants, Not Resorts

This one’s a biggie! Resort food prices are incredibly expensive compared to what you can find in restaurants in Fiji’s towns and cities. For instance, resort mains on the dinner menu often start from FJ$30, whereas you’ll find plenty of restaurants in places like Nadi, Lautoka, Suva, Savusavu, etc., with full mains starting from just FJ$10! Eat where the locals eat, and you’ll save a ton!

3. Eat from the Lunch Menu Rather Than the Dinner Menu (Or Get the Half-Board Meal Plan)

In some circumstances, the resort restaurant is all that’s available when it comes to food. That’s especially true if you are staying on an island resort. In this instance, it might be worth having a late lunch/early dinner to save some money on resort meals. Resort restaurants are usually open all day with their dinner menus not starting until 5 pm or 6 pm, so have your dinner around 4 pm from the lunch menu, and you’ll be paying around FJ$20 for a meal. And don’t worry, even the lunch portions are pretty huge. Alternatively, when a la carte menus are not available, purchase a half-board meal plan and enjoy a large breakfast from the buffet!

4. Use Cash More Than Your Credit Card

Each time you use your overseas credit or debit card in Fiji, you’ll be charged 2-5%! For this reason alone, using Fijian Dollars as much as possible will save you a ton of money. What’s more, there are quite a few situations where you can only use cash, such as when spending time on one of the outer islands, when visiting a Fijian village, or when visiting more remote areas of the country. Take a deep dive into the subject in our guide, What is the Best Way to Pay in Fiji?

5. Make Minimal ATM Withdrawals to Save on Fees

On the subject of money, when withdrawing money from an ATM or exchanging currency at a currency exchange bureau, try to withdraw as much money as you reasonably need. While it won’t save you on percentage fees, you will save money on one-off withdrawal fees. For more information on ATMs and banking in Fiji, see our What is the Currency in Fiji article.

6. Double and Triple Check Your Luggage Weight

The popular airlines flying into Fiji are not forgiving. You’ll almost always get charged for having overweight luggage or even making any mistakes with the information given during your online booking. So don’t over-pack, book your flight carefully, and you shouldn’t have any nasty surprises.

7. Consider Using Different Airlines

On the subject of flying to Fiji, a good way to lower the cost of travel to Fiji is to use a couple of different airlines to get here. If your flight requires a stopover, you don’t necessarily need to take the same airline all the way to Fiji. You also don’t need to do a return flight with the same airline: take an airline like Fiji Airways to get here and, say, Virgin Australia to return. See which airlines have the cheapest prices on the days you wish to travel! For more tips concerning your flights, check out How to Book a Cheap Flight to Fiji.

8. Travel During the Low Season

This is a general rule for saving money in any touristic country, but it certainly applies to Fiji too! During the low season, which is between November and April, resort and hotel prices are lower, flights are cheaper, and you often find some sweet deals on holiday packages too! For more low season perks, check out the 10 Reasons to Travel in the Low Season in Fiji.

9. Use WiFi or a Local SIM, Not Roaming Data

While it’s fun to stay connected and make your mates jealous on Instagram, it’s not so fun getting the bill for how much data you’ve used overseas. If your phone network provider doesn’t have a good roaming rate, keep an eye out for free WiFi! Most of the major hotels and resorts have good WiFi hotspots. Alternatively, you might want to consider getting a Fiji SIM card, which you can learn more about in Best Phone Networks in Fiji.

10. Compare Hotels and Resorts to Get Discounted Rooms

When you want to book a quick getaway, it’s easy to go for the first deal you find. However, it’s always worth doing a hotel and resort room comparison before securing your spot. Comparison websites like Booking.com and Expedia make accommodation comparison super easy! Bonus tip: if a hotel is out of rooms on Booking.com, give them a call or an email and ask for the same price, as they’ll almost certainly have rooms that they haven’t listed on booking websites!

11. Make Use of the “Kids Stay, Play and Eat for Free” Resorts

Fiji is a super family-friendly destination. That’s partly thanks to so many resorts offering “kids stay, play and eat for free” deals. This usually means that children under 12 years old can use the kids’ clubs for free, get free buffet meals at certain times of the day, and can stay for free in the same room as their parents using existing bedding. Check out the 10 Fiji Resorts Where Kids Stay & Eat for Free! to see some resorts with this offer!

12. Stay in One of the Budget Resorts

That’s right, contrary to popular belief, Fiji is not just brimming with luxury resorts! Budget resorts, lodges, hotels and apartments are also available for all styles of budget travellers. There are options for budgeting backpackers, families, couples and travel mates. Check out your options in our 20 Best Budget Resorts in Fiji.

13. Start Your Stay Mid-Week

Play around with your dates when booking your resort. The more flexible you can be with your nights of stay, the more you’ll save. Often, we find that it’s cheaper to start your stay mid-week, for instance, Tuesday or Wednesday, compared to Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

14. See What Activities Are Included in Your Resort

It’s important to know what is offered at various resorts before you panic about having nothing to do in Fiji. Resorts in Fiji offer their own in-house tours and activities, many of which are free. This is especially true for resorts that are a bit more off the beaten track. While resorts in Nadi, Denarau, the Coral Coast, the Pacific Harbour and the Mamanuca Islands mostly offer activities with external tour operators, resorts in Fiji’s outer islands, like the Yasawa Islands, Vanua Levu, Taveuni, the Lomaiviti Islands and Kadavu, offer their own tours and activities.

Free tours that we have regularly seen include medicinal and herbal tours, tropical garden tours, Fijian weaving and crafting tours, kava ceremonies, island walking tours, cultural dance shows and much more! That’s on top of the usually free use of kayaks, snorkelling gear or beach sports equipment. Also, check out the 20 Free & Cheap Things to Do in Fiji for more ideas.

15. Buy From the Liquor Store

When you’re on vacation, of course, you want to treat yourself to a few drinks! However, you can end up spending an obscene amount of money on beer and cocktails in resorts if you let things get out of hand. In resorts, beer is around FJ$9-$12, while cocktails are FJ$18-$40 each! Head to the liquor store or supermarket, stock up on a few drinks for half the price of what you would pay in a resort and enjoy a relaxing Fiji beer in your resort or hotel room. That way, you won’t drink as much at the restaurant. Learn more about self-catering in A Guide to Supermarkets & Food Shopping in Fiji.

16. Plan and Book Your Activities Independently

Rather than booking whatever your resort offers you, plan your own activities. Of course, your resort will only offer you a select few activities (usually the ones where they will make the most commission), so you could be missing out on other activities that you’d rather do at lower prices. Resorts will also offer to book your transport to activities, but most activities offer pick-ups.

17. Book Activities Once You Arrive in Fiji

For those of you who love to plan ahead, this tip might sound like a nightmare to you! Nevertheless, many of the activities and transport services, such as island ferries, are advertised at a much higher price to people overseas than to people already in Fiji. It’s a pretty common thing for websites to track what country you are browsing from and change their prices. You’ll be kicking yourself when you see the activity and transport deals available once you arrive in Fiji!

18. Get Supplies Before Going to the Islands

If you’re lucky enough to be staying on an island with a convenience store in the resort or on the island, supplies are going to be much more expensive than what’s available on the mainland. Stock up on things like sunscreen, insect repellent, snacks (check if your accommodation has a fridge) and anything else you might think you’ll need. See Fiji Packing List: What to Pack for Fiji for ideas.

19. Take a Lifestraw Bottle to the Outer Islands

Only the higher-end resorts will offer their guests complimentary bottled water. Even if the tap water is “safe” to drink, it won’t agree with everyone. Bring a few bottles of water to drink with you. Better yet, pack a Lifestraw Bottle to filter the water so it is safe to drink. Otherwise, you’ll end up paying way too much for bottled water. Check out Can You Drink the Water in Fiji? for more tips.

20. The Cheapest Way to Get to Vanua Levu, Taveuni and Kadavu is by Ferry, Although…

It’s true that the cheapest way to get to outer islands like Vanua Levu, Taveuni and Kadavu is by taking the ferry from Suva (Viti Levu). However, with a 8-15-hour journey that is infamous for not sticking to a schedule, it’s often easy to justify forking out extra for a domestic flight from Nadi. The best price on flights to these outer islands can be found if booked far in advance and during the low seasons – January-May and October-November. Learn more about taking the ferry in Fiji Ferry Guide: How to Use Ferries for Interisland Travel.

21. Don’t Book Anything on Your Cruise; Book at Port

The same two points above also apply to cruise ships! Cruise ships are notorious for charging much more for activities in Fiji that otherwise would be almost half the price at port. For more tips, see our How to Save Money on a Cruise to Fiji.

22. Use the VAT Refund Scheme

VAT is a tax applied to all goods purchased in Fiji. If you buy from souvenir and duty-free retailers like Jack’s of Fiji, Tappoo and others, you might be able to claim the VAT tax back when you are about to leave Fiji. Mind you, it’s only if you are spending more than FJ$500 at these stores. Nevertheless, refunding your VAT will be a considerable saving. Find out more about the VAT Refund Scheme in our Fiji Tipping & Tax Guide for Travellers.

23. Haggle for a Good Deal

Yes, in some circumstances, haggling is acceptable in Fiji. For instance, when taking a taxi, make sure you agree on a price before you get into the taxi, not when you arrive at your destination. On that note, make sure that the price that is agreed is for you to go straight to your destination – not waiting around to fill up the taxi. Other situations where it may be acceptable to haggle are at markets and some souvenir stores. Remember, many people’s livelihoods rely on the tourist dollar, so it’s also important to not haggle too low. A fair price is what you should aim for.

24. Make a Note of When Happy Hour is for Cheaper Drinks!

Of course, the obligatory cocktail or “Fiji Gold” at the end of the day can add up by the end of your stay, so make a note of when happy hour is – every resort bar has one – and show up then for some tropical fruity flavours! We list a whole bunch of happy hours in The Ultimate Guide to the Fiji Nightlife + Happy Hour List.

25. Be Prepared; Read Fiji Pocket Guide

Did you know it is customary to bring kava root during a village visit (and it is super expensive to buy once you are at the village compared to picking some up from the market)? Did you know that locals list their homes on Airbnb and Booking.com as accommodation for less than FJ$50 a night?! There are loads more ways to save money when travelling in Fiji that we share with you throughout our online travel guide to Fiji! Keep on browsing Fiji Pocket Guide for more tips that will save you money in Fiji!

More Ways to Save Money When Travelling in Fiji

That’s it for the ways to save money when travelling Fiji. For more money-saving tips, take a look at the following:

Finally, check out Fiji Travel Budget: How Much Does a Trip to Fiji Cost? for even more budgeting tips.

Sources:

The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across Fiji and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:

Tourism Fiji (General travel advice - Updated [2025])
Fiji Immigration (Visa and immigration advice - Updated [2025])
Fiji Revenue & Customs Service (Customs and visitor taxes - Updated [2025])
Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (Biosecurity advice - Updated [2025])
Fiji Meteorological Service (Weather forecast and warnings - Updated [2025])
Fiji Bureau of Statistics (Statistics and travel data - Updated [2025])
Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (Tourism statistics - Updated [2025])
Land Transport Authority (Road safety advice - Updated [2025])
Safe Travel (New Zealand travel advisory for Fiji - Updated [2025])
Smart Traveller (Australia travel advisory for Fiji - Updated [2025])
Travel.State.Gov (U.S. travel advisory for Fiji - Updated [2025])
SPTO (Pacific tourism advice - Updated [2025])
Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association (Tourism trade association - Updated [2025])

Our editorial standards: At Fiji Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.

About The Author

Robin (Ruveni) C.

This article was reviewed and published by Robin, the co-founder of Fiji Pocket Guide. He has lived, worked and travelled across 16 different countries before settling in the South Pacific, so he knows a thing or two about planning the perfect trip in this corner of the world. Robin is also the co-founder of several other South Pacific travel guides and is a regular host of webinars with the South Pacific Tourism Organisation.

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