Cost of Living Comparison Between Lautoka and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lautoka and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $697 in Lautoka versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,222 in Lautoka versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,746 in Lautoka versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lautoka costs roughly 46% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lautoka 48% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.02 FJD 11.01

$11.73 MX$203

-57.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.40 FJD 99.6

$41.62 MX$720

9.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 FJD 14.50

$10.64 MX$184

-37.88%

Cappuccino

$3.21 FJD 7.04

$3.52 MX$60.9

-8.81%

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

$1.31 FJD 2.88

$1.51 MX$26.12

-13.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 FJD 1.46

$0.97 MX$16.84

-30.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 FJD 5.29

$2.95 MX$51.0

-18.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 FJD 7.66

$4.45 MX$77.0

-21.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 FJD 2.92

$1.38 MX$23.93

-3.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 FJD 1.17

$1.89 MX$32.72

-71.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 FJD 1.79

$1.64 MX$28.32

-50.00%

Eggs

$3.22 FJD 7.05

$2.51 MX$43.34

28.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 FJD 20.31

$8.34 MX$144

11.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 FJD 15.68

$8.34 MX$144

-14.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 FJD 16.46

$10.73 MX$186

-30.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 FJD 5.55

$2.60 MX$45.04

-2.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 FJD 5.50

$1.46 MX$25.20

71.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 FJD 6.21

$1.90 MX$32.87

48.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 FJD 6.78

$2.08 MX$35.91

48.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 FJD 2.10

$1.78 MX$30.71

-46.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 FJD 2.08

$2.19 MX$37.80

-56.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 FJD 2.02

$1.04 MX$17.99

-11.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 FJD 1.76

$1.08 MX$18.62

-25.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.42 FJD 20.66

$4.08 MX$70.6

130.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.55 FJD 12.16

$10.32 MX$178

-46.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 FJD 4.90

$1.71 MX$29.61

30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 FJD 5.73

$2.58 MX$44.54

1.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 FJD 1.53

$0.51 MX$8.81

37.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.66 FJD 82.6

$26.46 MX$458

42.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 FJD 1.40

$3.26 MX$56.4

-80.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 FJD 0.97

$2.49 MX$43.09

-82.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 FJD 5.98

$3.25 MX$56.2

-16.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 FJD 2.94

$1.31 MX$22.61

2.29%

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

$19.3K FJD 42.3K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-36.25%

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

$22.4K FJD 49.2K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-4.34%

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

$46.45 FJD 102

$82.9 MX$1,433

-43.95%

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

$12.98 FJD 28.46

$22.22 MX$384

-41.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.91 FJD 52.4

$29.34 MX$507

-18.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$3.48 FJD 7.62

$5.07 MX$87.6

-31.36%

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

$230 FJD 503

$201 MX$3,473

14.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K FJD 30.6K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

168.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.68 FJD 38.78

$36.92 MX$639

-52.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.50 FJD 38.37

$39.79 MX$688

-56.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 FJD 145

$78.5 MX$1,357

-15.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 FJD 132

$87.1 MX$1,506

-30.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 FJD 777

$973 MX$16.8K

-63.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 FJD 292

$468 MX$8,090

-71.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 FJD 1,877

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-47.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 FJD 863

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-67.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$712 FJD 1,562

$664 MX$11.5K

7.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-38.70%

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

Last update for Lautoka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $354 in Lautoka and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lautoka pays 7% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $221 vs $249, with Lautoka cheaper for home cooking.

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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lautoka and Playa del Carmen differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($697 vs $1,297 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lautoka pays 7% more on average, 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: $354 in Lautoka versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lautoka runs roughly 42% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $697 in Lautoka versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lautoka but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. 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 86% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.