Cost of Living Comparison Between Lautoka and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Lautoka and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $678 in Lautoka versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,225 in Lautoka versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,771 in Lautoka versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Lautoka costs roughly 46% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lautoka 49% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.92 FJD 11.01

$4.55 ฿153

8.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.93 FJD 101

$46.18 ฿1,554

-2.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 FJD 15.25

$8.84 ฿298

-22.96%

Cappuccino

$3.16 FJD 7.07

$3.06 ฿103

3.27%

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

$1.30 FJD 2.92

$0.73 ฿24.42

78.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 FJD 1.46

$0.40 ฿13.40

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 FJD 5.46

$2.43 ฿81.8

0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 FJD 7.76

$3.78 ฿127

-8.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 FJD 2.88

$2.26 ฿76.0

-42.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 FJD 1.10

$1.81 ฿60.9

-72.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 FJD 1.79

$2.25 ฿75.8

-64.44%

Eggs

$3.30 FJD 7.38

$2.25 ฿75.6

46.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 FJD 20.61

$19.51 ฿656

-52.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.12 FJD 15.93

$3.65 ฿123

95.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 FJD 16.99

$13.05 ฿439

-41.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 FJD 5.53

$3.23 ฿109

-23.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 FJD 5.52

$1.62 ฿54.4

52.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 FJD 6.27

$2.38 ฿80.2

17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 FJD 7.15

$2.03 ฿68.2

57.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 FJD 2.25

$1.53 ฿51.6

-33.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 FJD 2.23

$1.50 ฿50.5

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 FJD 2.06

$0.98 ฿32.93

-6.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 FJD 1.80

$0.52 ฿17.40

53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.21 FJD 20.61

$4.44 ฿149

107.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.25 FJD 11.75

$18.32 ฿616

-71.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 FJD 4.91

$1.86 ฿62.7

17.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 FJD 6.06

$2.68 ฿90.2

1.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 FJD 1.55

$1.41 ฿47.49

-51.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 FJD 84.1

$11.70 ฿394

221.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 FJD 1.46

$3.11 ฿105

-79.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 FJD 1.01

$1.04 ฿35.08

-56.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 FJD 6.15

$14.11 ฿475

-80.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 FJD 3.02

$1.31 ฿44.13

3.05%

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

$19.3K FJD 43.1K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-30.70%

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

$21.9K FJD 49.1K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-33.93%

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

$45.50 FJD 102

$122 ฿4,120

-62.84%

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

$13.08 FJD 29.28

$13.59 ฿457

-3.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.81 FJD 53.3

$18.70 ฿629

27.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$3.61 FJD 8.08

$9.07 ฿305

-60.20%

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

$222 FJD 496

$706 ฿23.8K

-68.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K FJD 32.2K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-8.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.66 FJD 39.52

$58.6 ฿1,970

-69.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.09 FJD 40.50

$35.36 ฿1,190

-48.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 FJD 146

$115 ฿3,885

-43.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.8 FJD 138

$83.7 ฿2,818

-26.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 FJD 781

$626 ฿21.1K

-44.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 FJD 303

$445 ฿15.0K

-69.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 FJD 1,882

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-58.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 FJD 896

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-73.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$692 FJD 1,548

$500 ฿16.8K

38.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

31.33%

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

Last update for Lautoka: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $349 in Lautoka and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lautoka pays 38% 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 $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $289 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lautoka and Phuket differ by about 84% in total monthly costs ($678 vs $1,250 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 38% higher in Lautoka, 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: $349 in Lautoka versus $626 in Phuket. 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 $1,250 in Phuket – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lautoka runs roughly 221% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $678 in Lautoka versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lautoka but tight or insufficient in Phuket. 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 Phuket 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 84% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.