Cost of Living Comparison Between Lautoka and Al Hillah Cost of Living Comparison Between Lautoka and Al Hillah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $678 per month in Lautoka vs $810 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,225 per month in Lautoka vs $1,264 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,771 per month in Lautoka vs $1,718 in Al Hillah, rent included.

Lautoka is about 16% cheaper than Al Hillah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lautoka and Al Hillah are more affordable than the global median – Lautoka 49% lower, Al Hillah 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.92 FJD 11.01

$5.45 IQD 7,132

-9.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.93 FJD 101

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

44.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 FJD 15.25

$6.12 IQD 8,019

11.27%

Cappuccino

$3.16 FJD 7.07

$3.06 IQD 4,005

3.27%

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

$1.30 FJD 2.92

$0.40 IQD 518

225.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 FJD 1.46

$0.18 IQD 242

261.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 FJD 5.46

$2.93 IQD 3,833

-16.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 FJD 7.76

$2.90 IQD 3,793

19.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 FJD 2.88

$1.37 IQD 1,800

-5.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 FJD 1.10

$0.74 IQD 963

-33.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 FJD 1.79

$1.65 IQD 2,156

-51.52%

Eggs

$3.30 FJD 7.38

$1.80 IQD 2,359

83.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 FJD 20.61

$4.49 IQD 5,874

105.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.12 FJD 15.93

$4.80 IQD 6,290

48.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 FJD 16.99

$14.01 IQD 18.3K

-45.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 FJD 5.53

$1.23 IQD 1,607

100.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 FJD 5.52

$1.19 IQD 1,564

107.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 FJD 6.27

$1.04 IQD 1,368

169.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 FJD 7.15

$0.69 IQD 899

362.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 FJD 2.25

$0.66 IQD 863

53.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 FJD 2.23

$0.63 IQD 820

58.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 FJD 2.06

$0.59 IQD 778

55.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 FJD 1.80

$0.55 IQD 721

45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.21 FJD 20.61

$1.90 IQD 2,485

384.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.25 FJD 11.75

$13.82 IQD 18.1K

-62.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 FJD 4.91

$1.84 IQD 2,415

19.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 FJD 6.06

$2.17 IQD 2,840

24.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 FJD 1.55

$0.40 IQD 520

72.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 FJD 84.1

$65.4 IQD 85.6K

-42.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 FJD 1.46

$2.36 IQD 3,092

-72.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 FJD 1.01

$1.55 IQD 2,031

-70.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 FJD 6.15

$3.37 IQD 4,414

-18.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 FJD 3.02

$0.54 IQD 703

150.00%

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

$19.3K FJD 43.1K

$17.4K IQD 22.8M

10.66%

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

$21.9K FJD 49.1K

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

8.26%

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

$45.50 FJD 102

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

-40.00%

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

$13.08 FJD 29.28

$15.12 IQD 19.8K

-13.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.81 FJD 53.3

$39.00 IQD 51.1K

-38.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.41 IQD 30.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 IQD 25.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.61 FJD 8.08

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

-53.54%

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

$222 FJD 496

$95.6 IQD 125.2K

132.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K FJD 32.2K

$779 IQD 1.0M

1745.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.66 FJD 39.52

$27.22 IQD 35.6K

-35.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.09 FJD 40.50

$27.73 IQD 36.3K

-34.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 FJD 146

$61.6 IQD 80.7K

6.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.8 FJD 138

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

41.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 FJD 781

$364 IQD 476.8K

-4.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 FJD 303

$196 IQD 256.8K

-31.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 FJD 1,882

$667 IQD 874.0K

26.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 FJD 896

$313 IQD 410.0K

27.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,746 IQD 2.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 IQD 713.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$692 FJD 1,548

$517 IQD 677.5K

33.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

23.46%

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

Last update for Lautoka: July 11, 2026

Last update for Al Hillah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $349 in Lautoka versus $364 in Al Hillah. 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 34% 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 $45.00 in Lautoka versus $31.00 in Al Hillah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $189 – making Al Hillah 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

Lautoka vs Al Hillah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Al Hillah is pricier by about 19%, 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 $1,018 per month in Lautoka and $1,215 in Al Hillah. 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.

Public transport costs about 74% less in Lautoka. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Lautoka and $95.6 in Al Hillah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $678 in Lautoka and $810 in Al Hillah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Lautoka. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al Hillah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.