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: $697 in Lautoka versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,222 in Lautoka versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,746 in Lautoka versus $3,274 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 48% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.02 FJD 11.01

$13.18 MX$228

-61.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.40 FJD 99.6

$53.9 MX$932

-15.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 FJD 14.50

$9.42 MX$163

-29.83%

Cappuccino

$3.21 FJD 7.04

$3.55 MX$61.4

-9.58%

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

$1.31 FJD 2.88

$1.62 MX$27.98

-19.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 FJD 1.46

$1.11 MX$19.27

-39.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 FJD 5.29

$3.12 MX$54.0

-22.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 FJD 7.66

$4.63 MX$80.1

-24.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 FJD 2.92

$1.70 MX$29.43

-21.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 FJD 1.17

$2.72 MX$47.02

-80.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 FJD 1.79

$1.91 MX$33.07

-57.07%

Eggs

$3.22 FJD 7.05

$2.54 MX$43.86

26.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 FJD 20.31

$10.03 MX$174

-7.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 FJD 15.68

$8.09 MX$140

-11.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 FJD 16.46

$11.62 MX$201

-35.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 FJD 5.55

$2.97 MX$51.3

-14.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 FJD 5.50

$1.81 MX$31.24

38.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 FJD 6.21

$2.01 MX$34.82

40.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 FJD 6.78

$2.03 MX$35.20

52.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 FJD 2.10

$2.12 MX$36.75

-54.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 FJD 2.08

$2.27 MX$39.25

-58.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 FJD 2.02

$1.40 MX$24.22

-34.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 FJD 1.76

$1.13 MX$19.55

-29.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.42 FJD 20.66

$4.27 MX$73.9

120.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.55 FJD 12.16

$15.56 MX$269

-64.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 FJD 4.90

$1.76 MX$30.39

27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 FJD 5.73

$3.60 MX$62.2

-27.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 FJD 1.53

$0.38 MX$6.62

84.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.66 FJD 82.6

$19.18 MX$332

96.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 FJD 1.40

$1.38 MX$23.79

-53.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 FJD 0.97

$0.28 MX$4.78

57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 FJD 5.98

$5.45 MX$94.2

-49.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 FJD 2.94

$1.30 MX$22.55

3.08%

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

$19.3K FJD 42.3K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

3.30%

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

$22.4K FJD 49.2K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-3.10%

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

$46.45 FJD 102

$40.86 MX$707

13.68%

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

$12.98 FJD 28.46

$26.81 MX$464

-51.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.91 FJD 52.4

$29.96 MX$518

-20.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$3.48 FJD 7.62

$6.30 MX$109

-44.76%

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

$230 FJD 503

$436 MX$7,544

-47.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K FJD 30.6K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

34.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.68 FJD 38.78

$56.7 MX$980

-68.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.50 FJD 38.37

$44.38 MX$768

-60.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 FJD 145

$103 MX$1,780

-35.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 FJD 132

$106 MX$1,825

-42.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 FJD 777

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-65.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 FJD 292

$631 MX$10.9K

-78.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 FJD 1,877

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-59.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 FJD 863

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-68.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$712 FJD 1,562

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-36.12%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $354 in Lautoka and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 57% 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 $221 vs $288 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 111% in total monthly costs ($697 vs $1,467 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 57% less. 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: $354 in Lautoka versus $1,022 in Mexico City. 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 $1,467 in Mexico City – a 111% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lautoka runs roughly 96% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $697 in Lautoka versus $1,467 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 111% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.