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: $697 in Lautoka versus $1,062 in Nadi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,222 in Lautoka versus $1,686 in Nadi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,746 in Lautoka versus $2,309 in Nadi.

Living in Lautoka costs roughly 34% less than in Nadi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lautoka 48% lower, Nadi 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.02 FJD 11.01

$4.03 FJD 8.85

24.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.40 FJD 99.6

$26.59 FJD 58.3

70.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 FJD 14.50

$8.16 FJD 17.89

-19.00%

Cappuccino

$3.21 FJD 7.04

$3.44 FJD 7.54

-6.69%

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

$1.31 FJD 2.88

$0.93 FJD 2.05

40.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 FJD 1.46

$1.02 FJD 2.24

-34.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 FJD 5.29

$2.97 FJD 6.52

-18.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 FJD 7.66

$3.19 FJD 6.99

9.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 FJD 2.92

$1.35 FJD 2.96

-1.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 FJD 1.17

$0.86 FJD 1.89

-38.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 FJD 1.79

Eggs

$3.22 FJD 7.05

$2.20 FJD 4.82

46.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 FJD 20.31

$5.16 FJD 11.32

79.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 FJD 15.68

$13.08 FJD 28.69

-45.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 FJD 16.46

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 FJD 5.55

$2.20 FJD 4.82

15.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 FJD 5.50

$2.73 FJD 5.99

-8.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 FJD 6.21

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 FJD 6.78

$3.42 FJD 7.51

-9.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 FJD 2.10

$1.82 FJD 3.99

-47.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 FJD 2.08

$1.74 FJD 3.81

-45.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 FJD 2.02

$1.20 FJD 2.63

-23.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 FJD 1.76

$1.63 FJD 3.58

-50.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.42 FJD 20.66

$7.85 FJD 17.20

20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.55 FJD 12.16

$11.27 FJD 24.72

-50.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 FJD 4.90

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 FJD 5.73

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 FJD 1.53

$0.65 FJD 1.42

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.66 FJD 82.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 FJD 1.40

$1.08 FJD 2.36

-40.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 FJD 0.97

$0.41 FJD 0.90

7.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 FJD 5.98

$4.83 FJD 10.59

-43.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 FJD 2.94

$1.29 FJD 2.84

3.88%

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

$19.3K FJD 42.3K

$20.0K FJD 43.8K

-3.37%

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

$22.4K FJD 49.2K

$24.3K FJD 53.2K

-7.64%

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

$46.45 FJD 102

$55.8 FJD 122

-16.80%

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

$12.98 FJD 28.46

$15.50 FJD 33.98

-16.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.91 FJD 52.4

$20.18 FJD 44.26

18.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.24 FJD 83.9

Cinema Ticket

$3.48 FJD 7.62

$4.66 FJD 10.22

-25.32%

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

$230 FJD 503

$219 FJD 480

4.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K FJD 30.6K

$3,935 FJD 8,628

255.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.68 FJD 38.78

$29.12 FJD 63.9

-39.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.50 FJD 38.37

$45.08 FJD 98.9

-61.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 FJD 145

$58.2 FJD 128

13.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 FJD 132

$66.1 FJD 145

-8.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 FJD 777

$880 FJD 1,929

-59.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 FJD 292

$480 FJD 1,053

-72.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 FJD 1,877

$1,551 FJD 3,402

-44.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 FJD 863

$1,038 FJD 2,276

-62.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$712 FJD 1,561

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$540 FJD 1,184

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$712 FJD 1,562

$1,115 FJD 2,446

-36.15%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nadi: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $354 in Lautoka and $880 in Nadi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nadi 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 $27.00 in Nadi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $212 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 52% in total monthly costs ($697 vs $1,062 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Nadi 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 $880 in Nadi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $230 in Lautoka versus $219 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 $697 in Lautoka versus $1,062 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 52% less than in Nadi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.