Cost of Living Comparison Between Lautoka and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Lautoka and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $678 in Lautoka versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,225 in Lautoka versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,771 in Lautoka versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Lautoka costs roughly 53% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lautoka is 49% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.92 FJD 11.01

$13.07 MX$229

-62.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.93 FJD 101

$53.8 MX$943

-16.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 FJD 15.25

$9.68 MX$170

-29.65%

Cappuccino

$3.16 FJD 7.07

$3.74 MX$65.6

-15.51%

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

$1.30 FJD 2.92

$1.62 MX$28.34

-19.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 FJD 1.46

$1.16 MX$20.37

-43.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 FJD 5.46

$3.23 MX$56.6

-24.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 FJD 7.76

$4.74 MX$83.1

-26.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 FJD 2.88

$1.65 MX$28.89

-21.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 FJD 1.10

$2.75 MX$48.30

-82.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 FJD 1.79

$1.87 MX$32.87

-57.22%

Eggs

$3.30 FJD 7.38

$2.50 MX$43.86

32.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 FJD 20.61

$10.20 MX$179

-9.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.12 FJD 15.93

$8.25 MX$145

-13.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 FJD 16.99

$11.82 MX$207

-35.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 FJD 5.53

$3.01 MX$52.8

-17.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 FJD 5.52

$1.81 MX$31.77

36.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 FJD 6.27

$2.00 MX$35.07

40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 FJD 7.15

$2.00 MX$35.00

59.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 FJD 2.25

$2.08 MX$36.56

-51.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 FJD 2.23

$2.27 MX$39.85

-55.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 FJD 2.06

$1.46 MX$25.55

-36.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 FJD 1.80

$1.08 MX$18.88

-25.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.21 FJD 20.61

$4.35 MX$76.3

111.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.25 FJD 11.75

$16.99 MX$298

-69.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 FJD 4.91

$1.73 MX$30.40

26.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 FJD 6.06

$3.58 MX$62.7

-24.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 FJD 1.55

$0.39 MX$6.79

76.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 FJD 84.1

$18.69 MX$328

100.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 FJD 1.46

$1.33 MX$23.25

-51.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 FJD 1.01

$0.28 MX$4.91

60.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 FJD 6.15

$5.25 MX$92.1

-47.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 FJD 3.02

$1.34 MX$23.44

0.75%

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

$19.3K FJD 43.1K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

-0.69%

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

$21.9K FJD 49.1K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

-7.91%

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

$45.50 FJD 102

$40.69 MX$714

11.82%

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

$13.08 FJD 29.28

$26.87 MX$471

-51.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.81 FJD 53.3

$30.51 MX$535

-21.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$3.61 FJD 8.08

$6.51 MX$114

-44.55%

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

$222 FJD 496

$428 MX$7,508

-48.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K FJD 32.2K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

36.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.66 FJD 39.52

$57.3 MX$1,004

-69.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.09 FJD 40.50

$45.50 MX$798

-60.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 FJD 146

$104 MX$1,825

-37.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.8 FJD 138

$108 MX$1,891

-42.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 FJD 781

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-65.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 FJD 303

$623 MX$10.9K

-78.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 FJD 1,882

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-60.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 FJD 896

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-67.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$692 FJD 1,548

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-33.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-38.27%

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

Last update for Lautoka: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $349 in Lautoka and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 50% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Lautoka vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $292 per month, with Lautoka 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lautoka and Mexico City differ by about 115% in total monthly costs ($678 vs $1,456 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 50% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $349 in Lautoka versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $678 per month in Lautoka versus $1,456 in Mexico City – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lautoka runs roughly 101% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $678 in Lautoka versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lautoka but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 115% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.