Cost of Living Comparison Between Lautoka and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lautoka and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $697 in Lautoka versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,222 in Lautoka versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,746 in Lautoka versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Lautoka costs roughly 31% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lautoka 48% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.02 FJD 11.01

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-16.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.40 FJD 99.6

$32.86 COP 117.4K

38.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 FJD 14.50

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-6.77%

Cappuccino

$3.21 FJD 7.04

$1.71 COP 6,115

87.72%

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

$1.31 FJD 2.88

$1.10 COP 3,924

19.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 FJD 1.46

$0.78 COP 2,781

-14.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 FJD 5.29

$1.68 COP 5,997

43.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 FJD 7.66

$3.07 COP 11.0K

13.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 FJD 2.92

$1.09 COP 3,906

22.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 FJD 1.17

$1.26 COP 4,508

-57.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 FJD 1.79

$1.38 COP 4,922

-40.58%

Eggs

$3.22 FJD 7.05

$2.19 COP 7,827

47.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 FJD 20.31

$4.40 COP 15.7K

110.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 FJD 15.68

$5.63 COP 20.1K

27.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 FJD 16.46

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-15.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 FJD 5.55

$2.34 COP 8,349

8.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 FJD 5.50

$1.06 COP 3,777

136.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 FJD 6.21

$1.50 COP 5,374

88.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 FJD 6.78

$1.38 COP 4,924

123.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 FJD 2.10

$1.15 COP 4,111

-16.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 FJD 2.08

$1.16 COP 4,155

-18.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 FJD 2.02

$0.89 COP 3,182

3.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 FJD 1.76

$0.84 COP 2,997

-4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.42 FJD 20.66

$2.28 COP 8,145

313.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.55 FJD 12.16

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-47.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 FJD 4.90

$1.20 COP 4,284

86.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 FJD 5.73

$2.47 COP 8,824

5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 FJD 1.53

$0.86 COP 3,056

-18.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.66 FJD 82.6

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-9.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 FJD 1.40

$1.47 COP 5,264

-56.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 FJD 0.97

$1.96 COP 7,009

-77.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 FJD 5.98

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-64.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 FJD 2.94

$0.95 COP 3,409

41.05%

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

$19.3K FJD 42.3K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

6.46%

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

$22.4K FJD 49.2K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-15.38%

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

$46.45 FJD 102

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-43.53%

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

$12.98 FJD 28.46

$9.50 COP 33.9K

36.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.91 FJD 52.4

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-1.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.48 FJD 7.62

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-11.45%

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

$230 FJD 503

$309 COP 1.1M

-25.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K FJD 30.6K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

134.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.68 FJD 38.78

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-69.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.50 FJD 38.37

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-45.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 FJD 145

$103 COP 366.4K

-35.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 FJD 132

$108 COP 387.2K

-44.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 FJD 777

$476 COP 1.7M

-25.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 FJD 292

$379 COP 1.4M

-64.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 FJD 1,877

$838 COP 3.0M

2.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 FJD 863

$724 COP 2.6M

-45.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$712 FJD 1,562

$512 COP 1.8M

39.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-47.88%

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

Last update for Lautoka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $354 in Lautoka and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lautoka pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Lautoka vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $188 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lautoka and Medellin differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($697 vs $1,013 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lautoka pays 39% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $354 in Lautoka versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $697 per month in Lautoka versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lautoka runs roughly 10% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $697 in Lautoka versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lautoka but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Lautoka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Lautoka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.