Cost of Living Comparison Between Lautoka and Puerto la Cruz Cost of Living Comparison Between Lautoka and Puerto la Cruz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $678 in Lautoka versus $736 in Puerto la Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,225 in Lautoka versus $1,167 in Puerto la Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,771 in Lautoka versus $1,598 in Puerto la Cruz.

Living in Lautoka costs roughly 8% less than in Puerto la Cruz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lautoka 49% lower, Puerto la Cruz 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.92 FJD 11.01

$7.30 VES 5,335

-32.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.93 FJD 101

$54.7 VES 39.9K

-17.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 FJD 15.25

$5.98 VES 4,370

13.88%

Cappuccino

$3.16 FJD 7.07

$0.98 VES 718

222.45%

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

$1.30 FJD 2.92

$0.67 VES 486

94.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 FJD 1.46

$0.48 VES 347

35.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 FJD 5.46

$1.02 VES 748

139.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 FJD 7.76

$1.48 VES 1,081

134.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 FJD 2.88

$1.88 VES 1,371

-31.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 FJD 1.10

$2.78 VES 2,028

-82.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 FJD 1.79

$1.49 VES 1,090

-46.31%

Eggs

$3.30 FJD 7.38

$2.78 VES 2,030

18.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 FJD 20.61

$10.07 VES 7,355

-8.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.12 FJD 15.93

$7.42 VES 5,424

-4.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 FJD 16.99

$7.30 VES 5,337

3.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 FJD 5.53

$5.11 VES 3,734

-51.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 FJD 5.52

$1.87 VES 1,366

32.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 FJD 6.27

$2.21 VES 1,615

26.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 FJD 7.15

$2.06 VES 1,506

54.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 FJD 2.25

$2.69 VES 1,962

-62.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 FJD 2.23

$2.06 VES 1,507

-51.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 FJD 2.06

$1.36 VES 995

-32.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 FJD 1.80

$1.95 VES 1,421

-58.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.21 FJD 20.61

$4.05 VES 2,961

127.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.25 FJD 11.75

$7.86 VES 5,746

-33.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 FJD 4.91

$1.51 VES 1,106

45.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 FJD 6.06

$2.03 VES 1,484

33.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 FJD 1.55

$0.26 VES 191

165.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 FJD 84.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 FJD 1.46

$2.91 VES 2,127

-77.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 FJD 1.01

$2.63 VES 1,922

-82.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 FJD 6.15

$4.88 VES 3,566

-43.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 FJD 3.02

$0.51 VES 375

164.71%

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

$19.3K FJD 43.1K

$25.0K VES 18.2M

-22.80%

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

$21.9K FJD 49.1K

$40.2K VES 29.3M

-45.35%

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

$45.50 FJD 102

$19.95 VES 14.6K

128.07%

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

$13.08 FJD 29.28

$9.99 VES 7,297

30.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.81 FJD 53.3

$24.89 VES 18.2K

-4.34%

Cinema Ticket

$3.61 FJD 8.08

$6.14 VES 4,487

-41.21%

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

$222 FJD 496

$59.5 VES 43.5K

272.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K FJD 32.2K

$5,486 VES 4.0M

162.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.66 FJD 39.52

$44.87 VES 32.8K

-60.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.09 FJD 40.50

$37.37 VES 27.3K

-51.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 FJD 146

$44.74 VES 32.7K

46.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.8 FJD 138

$39.99 VES 29.2K

54.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 FJD 781

$178 VES 130.3K

95.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 FJD 303

$186 VES 136.1K

-27.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 FJD 1,882

$441 VES 322.2K

90.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 FJD 896

$199 VES 145.5K

101.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$513 VES 374.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$310 VES 226.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$692 FJD 1,548

$229 VES 167.4K

201.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.33

-67.18%

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

Last update for Lautoka: July 11, 2026

Last update for Puerto la Cruz: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $349 in Lautoka and $178 in Puerto la Cruz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lautoka pays 202% 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 $55.0 in Puerto la Cruz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $277 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 Puerto la Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lautoka and Puerto la Cruz differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($678 vs $736 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 202% 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 $178 in Puerto la Cruz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Lautoka versus $59.5 in Puerto la Cruz. 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 $55.0 in Puerto la Cruz. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Lautoka gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 8% less than in Puerto la Cruz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.