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 $697 per month in Lautoka vs $819 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,222 per month in Lautoka vs $1,263 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,746 per month in Lautoka vs $1,708 in Al Hillah, rent included.

Lautoka is about 15% cheaper than Al Hillah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lautoka and Al Hillah are more affordable than the global median – Lautoka 48% lower, Al Hillah 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.02 FJD 11.01

$5.28 IQD 6,917

-4.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.40 FJD 99.6

$30.53 IQD 40.0K

48.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 FJD 14.50

$6.00 IQD 7,851

10.17%

Cappuccino

$3.21 FJD 7.04

$3.11 IQD 4,073

3.22%

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

$1.31 FJD 2.88

$0.40 IQD 518

227.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 FJD 1.46

$0.20 IQD 265

235.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 FJD 5.29

$2.97 IQD 3,896

-18.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 FJD 7.66

$2.83 IQD 3,706

23.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 FJD 2.92

$1.31 IQD 1,713

1.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 FJD 1.17

$0.74 IQD 967

-28.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 FJD 1.79

$1.64 IQD 2,151

-50.00%

Eggs

$3.22 FJD 7.05

$1.74 IQD 2,280

85.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 FJD 20.31

$4.38 IQD 5,733

111.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 FJD 15.68

$5.06 IQD 6,623

41.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 FJD 16.46

$13.96 IQD 18.3K

-46.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 FJD 5.55

$1.28 IQD 1,673

97.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 FJD 5.50

$1.16 IQD 1,516

116.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 FJD 6.21

$1.06 IQD 1,385

166.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 FJD 6.78

$0.70 IQD 920

341.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 FJD 2.10

$0.66 IQD 862

45.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 FJD 2.08

$0.68 IQD 890

39.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 FJD 2.02

$0.55 IQD 720

67.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 FJD 1.76

$0.55 IQD 722

45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.42 FJD 20.66

$1.95 IQD 2,552

383.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.55 FJD 12.16

$13.56 IQD 17.8K

-59.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 FJD 4.90

$1.76 IQD 2,300

27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 FJD 5.73

$2.19 IQD 2,863

19.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 FJD 1.53

$0.40 IQD 522

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.66 FJD 82.6

$63.8 IQD 83.6K

-41.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 FJD 1.40

$2.26 IQD 2,957

-71.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 FJD 0.97

$1.54 IQD 2,016

-71.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 FJD 5.98

$3.33 IQD 4,358

-18.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 FJD 2.94

$0.53 IQD 689

152.83%

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

$19.3K FJD 42.3K

$17.0K IQD 22.2M

13.65%

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

$22.4K FJD 49.2K

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

11.69%

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

$46.45 FJD 102

$76.0 IQD 99.6K

-38.91%

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

$12.98 FJD 28.46

$15.24 IQD 20.0K

-14.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.91 FJD 52.4

$37.99 IQD 49.8K

-37.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.35 IQD 30.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.37 IQD 25.4K

Cinema Ticket

$3.48 FJD 7.62

$7.55 IQD 9,883

-53.91%

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

$230 FJD 503

$96.5 IQD 126.4K

137.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K FJD 30.6K

$754 IQD 986.7K

1754.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.68 FJD 38.78

$27.29 IQD 35.7K

-35.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.50 FJD 38.37

$27.83 IQD 36.4K

-37.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 FJD 145

$61.2 IQD 80.1K

7.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 FJD 132

$43.90 IQD 57.5K

37.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 FJD 777

$378 IQD 494.8K

-6.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 FJD 292

$191 IQD 249.6K

-30.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 FJD 1,877

$662 IQD 867.5K

29.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 FJD 863

$322 IQD 422.1K

22.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,702 IQD 2.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$562 IQD 736.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$712 FJD 1,562

$515 IQD 674.7K

38.24%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Hillah: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $354 in Lautoka versus $378 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 38% 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: $221 vs $188 – 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 17%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,045 per month in Lautoka and $1,228 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 69% less in Lautoka. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $230 per month in Lautoka and $96.5 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 $697 in Lautoka and $819 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.