Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajijic and Lautoka Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajijic and Lautoka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,190 per month in Ajijic vs $678 in Lautoka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,926 per month in Ajijic vs $1,225 in Lautoka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,662 per month in Ajijic vs $1,771 in Lautoka, rent included.

Ajijic costs about 75% more than Lautoka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ajijic and Lautoka are more affordable than the global median – Ajijic 11% lower, Lautoka 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.75 MX$136

$4.92 FJD 11.01

57.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.05 MX$595

$44.93 FJD 101

-24.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.93 MX$121

$6.81 FJD 15.25

1.76%

Cappuccino

$3.26 MX$57.0

$3.16 FJD 7.07

3.16%

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

$1.07 MX$18.73

$1.30 FJD 2.92

-17.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$14.17

$0.65 FJD 1.46

24.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 MX$33.02

$2.44 FJD 5.46

-22.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$3.47 FJD 7.76

-6.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.48

$1.29 FJD 2.88

3.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 MX$39.38

$0.49 FJD 1.10

359.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 MX$18.23

$0.80 FJD 1.79

30.00%

Eggs

$1.97 MX$34.45

$3.30 FJD 7.38

-40.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 MX$141

$9.21 FJD 20.61

-12.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 MX$128

$7.12 FJD 15.93

3.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.02 MX$123

$7.59 FJD 16.99

-7.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 MX$39.09

$2.47 FJD 5.53

-9.31%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 MX$15.83

$2.47 FJD 5.52

-63.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 MX$14.50

$2.80 FJD 6.27

-70.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 MX$25.76

$3.19 FJD 7.15

-53.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 MX$24.56

$1.01 FJD 2.25

38.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MX$17.55

$1.00 FJD 2.23

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MX$16.71

$0.92 FJD 2.06

4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$14.16

$0.80 FJD 1.80

1.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MX$72.9

$9.21 FJD 20.61

-54.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.08 MX$159

$5.25 FJD 11.75

72.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 MX$23.95

$2.19 FJD 4.91

-37.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$28.32

$2.71 FJD 6.06

-40.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.74

$0.69 FJD 1.55

-11.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 FJD 84.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 MX$18.13

$0.65 FJD 1.46

60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 MX$26.77

$0.45 FJD 1.01

240.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.9

$2.75 FJD 6.15

14.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.96

$1.35 FJD 3.02

-2.96%

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

$18.7K MX$327.4K

$19.3K FJD 43.1K

-2.86%

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

$18.4K MX$321.3K

$21.9K FJD 49.1K

-16.27%

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

$44.83 MX$784

$45.50 FJD 102

-1.47%

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

$16.23 MX$284

$13.08 FJD 29.28

24.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.61 MX$448

$23.81 FJD 53.3

7.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.83 MX$417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.26 MX$92.0

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 MX$75.9

$3.61 FJD 8.08

20.22%

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

$181 MX$3,169

$222 FJD 496

-18.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,633 MX$46.0K

$14.4K FJD 32.2K

-81.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.94 MX$751

$17.66 FJD 39.52

143.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.18 MX$283

$18.09 FJD 40.50

-10.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 MX$1,178

$65.3 FJD 146

3.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 MX$965

$61.8 FJD 138

-10.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MX$14.3K

$349 FJD 781

133.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 MX$11.1K

$135 FJD 303

369.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 MX$27.8K

$841 FJD 1,882

88.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 MX$24.2K

$400 FJD 896

245.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,254 MX$56.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,758 MX$30.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 MX$10.2K

$692 FJD 1,548

-15.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

60.57%

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

Last update for Ajijic: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lautoka: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $817 in Ajijic versus $349 in Lautoka. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in Lautoka, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Ajijic versus $45.00 in Lautoka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $220 – making Ajijic the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Ajijic vs Lautoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ajijic is pricier by about 75%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,784 per month in Ajijic and $1,018 in Lautoka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lautoka, 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 $1,190 in Ajijic and $678 in Lautoka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $181 per month in Ajijic and $222 in Lautoka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lautoka, where all-in costs run around $678, than in Ajijic at $1,190. In Lautoka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ajijic it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lautoka – 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 Lautoka. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ajijic makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.