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: $338 in Lautoka versus $756 in Puerto la Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $735 in Lautoka versus $1,318 in Puerto la Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,132 in Lautoka versus $1,880 in Puerto la Cruz.

Living in Lautoka costs roughly 55% less than in Puerto la Cruz, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lautoka 75% lower, Puerto la Cruz 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.61 FJD 12.14

$9.81 VES 7,816

-42.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.2 FJD 169

$60.2 VES 47.9K

30.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 FJD 17.73

$7.40 VES 5,895

10.68%

Cappuccino

$2.51 FJD 5.43

$3.40 VES 2,710

-26.18%

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

$2.22 FJD 4.82

$0.67 VES 530

231.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 FJD 3.36

$0.45 VES 361

244.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 FJD 5.29

$1.23 VES 983

99.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 FJD 7.08

$1.48 VES 1,181

120.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 FJD 3.77

$2.01 VES 1,604

-13.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 FJD 1.62

$1.17 VES 935

-35.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 FJD 2.00

$1.21 VES 964

-23.97%

Eggs

$3.53 FJD 7.65

$2.39 VES 1,901

47.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 FJD 13.15

$6.97 VES 5,553

-12.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.56 FJD 16.36

$9.17 VES 7,299

-17.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 FJD 16.89

$10.87 VES 8,658

-28.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 FJD 10.07

$7.18 VES 5,718

-35.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 VES 1,063

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 FJD 3.04

$0.48 VES 381

191.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 VES 1,786

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 FJD 1.88

$2.17 VES 1,724

-59.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 FJD 1.90

$2.24 VES 1,785

-60.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 FJD 1.95

$1.57 VES 1,250

-42.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 FJD 0.97

$1.62 VES 1,290

-72.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.27 FJD 24.39

$4.09 VES 3,259

175.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.51 FJD 11.92

$8.16 VES 6,495

-32.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 FJD 5.77

$0.98 VES 782

171.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 FJD 7.99

$1.53 VES 1,220

141.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 VES 289

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.58 VES 24.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 VES 2,374

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.77 VES 2,203

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.12 VES 8,058

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 FJD 2.86

$0.51 VES 410

158.82%

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

$25.4K VES 20.2M

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

$38.3K VES 30.5M

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

$23.90 VES 19.0K

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

$13.81 FJD 29.90

$10.10 VES 8,044

36.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.33 VES 21.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.90 VES 23.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.61 VES 19.6K

Cinema Ticket

$5.15 VES 4,101

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

$59.3 VES 47.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,979 VES 2.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.28 VES 37.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.46 VES 27.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.35 VES 36.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.89 VES 37.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 FJD 1,004

$152 VES 121.0K

205.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.8 VES 75.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$920 FJD 1,991

$311 VES 247.9K

195.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 VES 158.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$516 VES 411.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$303 VES 241.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$702 FJD 1,519

$224 VES 178.2K

213.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Lautoka: August 29, 2026

Last update for Puerto la Cruz: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $464 in Lautoka and $152 in Puerto la Cruz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lautoka pays 213% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $78.0 in Lautoka vs $60.0 in Puerto la Cruz. Groceries flip the comparison at $196 vs $264, 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 Puerto la Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lautoka and Puerto la Cruz differ by about 124% in total monthly costs ($338 vs $756 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 213% 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: $464 in Lautoka versus $152 in Puerto la Cruz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lautoka – a meal for two runs $78.0 versus $60.0 in Puerto la Cruz. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $338 per month in Lautoka versus $756 in Puerto la Cruz – a 124% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 124% less than in Puerto la Cruz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.