Cost of Living Comparison Between Lautoka and Nadi Cost of Living Comparison Between Lautoka and Nadi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $678 in Lautoka versus $1,059 in Nadi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,225 in Lautoka versus $1,665 in Nadi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,771 in Lautoka versus $2,272 in Nadi.

Living in Lautoka costs roughly 36% less than in Nadi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lautoka 49% lower, Nadi 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.92 FJD 11.01

$4.02 FJD 9.01

22.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.93 FJD 101

$26.85 FJD 60.1

67.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 FJD 15.25

$8.21 FJD 18.37

-17.05%

Cappuccino

$3.16 FJD 7.07

$3.53 FJD 7.90

-10.48%

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

$1.30 FJD 2.92

$1.00 FJD 2.24

30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 FJD 1.46

$0.97 FJD 2.18

-32.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 FJD 5.46

$2.94 FJD 6.58

-17.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 FJD 7.76

$3.10 FJD 6.94

11.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 FJD 2.88

$1.37 FJD 3.06

-5.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 FJD 1.10

$0.81 FJD 1.81

-39.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 FJD 1.79

Eggs

$3.30 FJD 7.38

$2.20 FJD 4.93

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 FJD 20.61

$5.06 FJD 11.33

82.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.12 FJD 15.93

$12.71 FJD 28.44

-43.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 FJD 16.99

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 FJD 5.53

$2.28 FJD 5.09

8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 FJD 5.52

$2.63 FJD 5.88

-6.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 FJD 6.27

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 FJD 7.15

$3.29 FJD 7.36

-3.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 FJD 2.25

$1.80 FJD 4.02

-43.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 FJD 2.23

$1.83 FJD 4.10

-45.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 FJD 2.06

$1.16 FJD 2.59

-20.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 FJD 1.80

$1.71 FJD 3.83

-53.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.21 FJD 20.61

$7.96 FJD 17.81

15.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.25 FJD 11.75

$11.00 FJD 24.62

-52.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 FJD 4.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 FJD 6.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 FJD 1.55

$0.64 FJD 1.44

7.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 FJD 84.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 FJD 1.46

$1.13 FJD 2.54

-42.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 FJD 1.01

$0.42 FJD 0.93

7.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 FJD 6.15

$4.82 FJD 10.80

-42.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 FJD 3.02

$1.29 FJD 2.89

4.65%

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

$19.3K FJD 43.1K

$20.1K FJD 44.9K

-4.00%

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

$21.9K FJD 49.1K

$24.7K FJD 55.3K

-11.26%

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

$45.50 FJD 102

$54.7 FJD 122

-16.79%

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

$13.08 FJD 29.28

$15.67 FJD 35.07

-16.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.81 FJD 53.3

$19.65 FJD 43.97

21.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.17 FJD 85.4

Cinema Ticket

$3.61 FJD 8.08

$4.63 FJD 10.36

-22.03%

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

$222 FJD 496

$221 FJD 494

0.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K FJD 32.2K

$4,049 FJD 9,061

255.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.66 FJD 39.52

$28.93 FJD 64.7

-38.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.09 FJD 40.50

$44.89 FJD 100

-59.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 FJD 146

$57.1 FJD 128

14.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.8 FJD 138

$66.2 FJD 148

-6.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 FJD 781

$892 FJD 1,995

-60.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 FJD 303

$483 FJD 1,081

-72.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 FJD 1,882

$1,550 FJD 3,468

-45.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 FJD 896

$1,035 FJD 2,316

-61.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$682 FJD 1,526

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$512 FJD 1,145

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$692 FJD 1,548

$1,094 FJD 2,449

-36.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

13.45%

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

Last update for Lautoka: July 11, 2026

Last update for Nadi: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $349 in Lautoka and $892 in Nadi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nadi pays 58% 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 $27.00 in Nadi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $209 per month, with Nadi 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 Nadi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lautoka and Nadi differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($678 vs $1,059 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 58% lower in Nadi. 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 $892 in Nadi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Lautoka versus $221 in Nadi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Lautoka – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $27.00 in Nadi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $678 in Lautoka versus $1,059 in Nadi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lautoka but tight or insufficient in Nadi. 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.

Safety-wise, Lautoka and Nadi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lautoka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Nadi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.