Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lautoka and Al Hillah

For one person, living is cheaper in Lautoka: $333 a month against $658 in Al Hillah, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lautoka
🇫🇯 Fiji
$333
/mo nomad
Al Hillah
🇮🇶 Iraq
$658
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lautoka and in Al Hillah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lautoka and in Al Hillah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $333 per month in Lautoka vs $658 in Al Hillah, rent included.

  • Lautoka $333
  • Al Hillah $658

A couple spends around $722 per month in Lautoka vs $1,007 in Al Hillah, rent included.

  • Lautoka $722
  • Al Hillah $1,007

A family of three spends $1,112 per month in Lautoka vs $1,356 in Al Hillah, rent included.

  • Lautoka $1,112
  • Al Hillah $1,356

Lautoka is about 49% cheaper than Al Hillah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Lautoka and Al Hillah are more affordable than the global median – Lautoka 75% lower, Al Hillah 51% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lautoka
Al Hillah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.19 FJD 11.61
$4.24 IQD 6,402
22.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.2 FJD 177
$26.23 IQD 39.6K
201.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.80 FJD 17.47
$5.54 IQD 8,369
40.79%
Cappuccino
$2.56 FJD 5.72
$2.73 IQD 4,123
-6.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 FJD 4.74
$0.31 IQD 476
583.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 FJD 3.38
$0.16 IQD 247
843.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.43 FJD 5.44
$2.59 IQD 3,916
-6.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 FJD 6.84
$3.27 IQD 4,937
-6.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lautoka
Al Hillah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 FJD 3.72
$0.88 IQD 1,336
88.64%
White Bread (500g)
$0.73 FJD 1.64
$0.68 IQD 1,034
7.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.87 FJD 1.95
$1.36 IQD 2,050
-36.03%
Eggs
$3.44 FJD 7.70
$1.55 IQD 2,338
121.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.80 FJD 12.98
$3.38 IQD 5,114
71.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.62 FJD 17.06
$4.21 IQD 6,356
81.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.58 FJD 16.98
$12.53 IQD 18.9K
-39.51%
Apples (1kg)
$4.42 FJD 9.90
$0.96 IQD 1,457
360.42%
Banana (1kg)
-
$0.89 IQD 1,349
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.30 FJD 2.91
$0.90 IQD 1,361
44.44%
Tomato (1kg)
-
$0.68 IQD 1,027
-
Potato (1kg)
$0.93 FJD 2.09
$0.59 IQD 895
57.63%
Onion (1kg)
$0.86 FJD 1.93
$0.56 IQD 846
53.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.87 FJD 1.96
$0.48 IQD 720
81.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46 FJD 1.03
$0.51 IQD 770
-9.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.93 FJD 24.46
$1.63 IQD 2,462
570.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.46 FJD 12.22
$11.51 IQD 17.4K
-52.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.57 FJD 5.74
$1.98 IQD 2,984
29.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.49 FJD 7.82
$1.96 IQD 2,968
78.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Lautoka
Al Hillah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.35 IQD 522
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$20.17 IQD 30.5K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.01 IQD 3,038
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.33 IQD 2,015
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.01 IQD 4,544
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 FJD 2.99
$0.46 IQD 694
189.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$14.7K IQD 22.1M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$16.6K IQD 25.0M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lautoka
Al Hillah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$66.6 IQD 100.7K
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.14 FJD 29.43
$13.22 IQD 20.0K
-0.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$33.28 IQD 50.3K
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lautoka
Al Hillah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$19.72 IQD 29.8K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.70 IQD 25.2K
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$6.43 IQD 9,709
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lautoka
Al Hillah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$81.6 IQD 123.3K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$664 IQD 1.0M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lautoka
Al Hillah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$19.27 IQD 29.1K
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$21.61 IQD 32.7K
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$57.8 IQD 87.3K
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$41.29 IQD 62.4K
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lautoka
Al Hillah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$450 FJD 1,007
$240 IQD 363.3K
86.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$154 IQD 232.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$872 FJD 1,952
$437 IQD 660.1K
99.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$249 IQD 376.2K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,470 IQD 2.2M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$479 IQD 724.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lautoka
Al Hillah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$688 FJD 1,541
$436 IQD 658.2K
58.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
3.33
-

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

Last update for Lautoka: October 10, 2026

Last update for Al Hillah: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Lautoka
$191 *
Al Hillah
$161 15.7% $30
Eating Out
Lautoka
$128
Al Hillah
$105 18.5% $24
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lautoka
$13 *
Al Hillah
$113 761% $100
Getting Around
Lautoka
- *
Al Hillah
$30
Sport & Entertainment
Lautoka
- *
Al Hillah
$33
Clothing & Footwear
Lautoka
- *
Al Hillah
$63
Accommodation & Living
Lautoka
- *
Al Hillah
$154

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $450 in Lautoka versus $240 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 58% 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 $79.0 in Lautoka versus $26.00 in Al Hillah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $161 – making Al Hillah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇯 Lautoka
🇮🇶 Al Hillah
🕒 Local time
15:58 3:58 PM
06:58 6:58 AM
9 h behind Lautoka
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
50,000
1,729,666
💱 Currency
Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د
Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to FJD – Fijian Dollar Converter

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 2.24 FJD (1 FJD = 0.447 USD). 1 EUR = 2.52 FJD (1 FJD = 0.397 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lautoka Al Hillah 15,050 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lautoka
  • Al Hillah

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Al Hillah cheaper than Lautoka?
Yes – Al Hillah is pricier by about 98%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $499 per month in Lautoka and $987 in Al Hillah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
How do food prices compare in Lautoka and in Al Hillah?
Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Al Hillah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is eating out cheaper in Lautoka or in Al Hillah?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Lautoka and $26.00 in Al Hillah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,200 enough for either Lautoka or Al Hillah?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $333 in Lautoka and $658 in Al Hillah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Lautoka or Al Hillah more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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