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: $697 in Lautoka versus $716 in Puerto la Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,222 in Lautoka versus $1,159 in Puerto la Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,746 in Lautoka versus $1,603 in Puerto la Cruz.

Living in Lautoka costs roughly 3% less than in Puerto la Cruz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lautoka 48% lower, Puerto la Cruz 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.02 FJD 11.01

$7.35 VES 4,095

-31.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.40 FJD 99.6

$55.1 VES 30.7K

-17.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 FJD 14.50

$6.11 VES 3,402

8.18%

Cappuccino

$3.21 FJD 7.04

$1.02 VES 569

214.71%

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

$1.31 FJD 2.88

$0.69 VES 384

89.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 FJD 1.46

$0.52 VES 292

28.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 FJD 5.29

$0.98 VES 547

145.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 FJD 7.66

$1.46 VES 815

139.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 FJD 2.92

$1.89 VES 1,052

-29.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 FJD 1.17

$2.71 VES 1,510

-80.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 FJD 1.79

$1.47 VES 819

-44.22%

Eggs

$3.22 FJD 7.05

$2.79 VES 1,554

15.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 FJD 20.31

$9.93 VES 5,535

-6.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 FJD 15.68

$7.32 VES 4,079

-2.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 FJD 16.46

$7.36 VES 4,104

1.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 FJD 5.55

$5.18 VES 2,885

-51.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 FJD 5.50

$1.82 VES 1,013

37.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 FJD 6.21

$2.28 VES 1,273

24.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 FJD 6.78

$1.98 VES 1,103

56.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 FJD 2.10

$2.56 VES 1,424

-62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 FJD 2.08

$2.16 VES 1,205

-56.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 FJD 2.02

$1.31 VES 729

-29.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 FJD 1.76

$1.87 VES 1,041

-57.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.42 FJD 20.66

$3.89 VES 2,170

142.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.55 FJD 12.16

$7.84 VES 4,368

-29.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 FJD 4.90

$1.46 VES 815

53.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 FJD 5.73

$1.96 VES 1,091

33.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 FJD 1.53

$0.24 VES 133

191.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.66 FJD 82.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 FJD 1.40

$3.04 VES 1,694

-78.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 FJD 0.97

$2.77 VES 1,544

-84.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 FJD 5.98

$5.02 VES 2,797

-45.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 FJD 2.94

$0.49 VES 271

173.47%

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

$19.3K FJD 42.3K

$25.3K VES 14.1M

-23.84%

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

$22.4K FJD 49.2K

$39.3K VES 21.9M

-42.94%

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

$46.45 FJD 102

$20.59 VES 11.5K

125.59%

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

$12.98 FJD 28.46

$10.07 VES 5,613

28.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.91 FJD 52.4

$25.12 VES 14.0K

-4.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.48 FJD 7.62

$5.86 VES 3,264

-40.61%

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

$230 FJD 503

$60.2 VES 33.5K

281.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K FJD 30.6K

$5,418 VES 3.0M

157.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.68 FJD 38.78

$45.11 VES 25.1K

-60.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.50 FJD 38.37

$37.43 VES 20.9K

-53.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 FJD 145

$44.15 VES 24.6K

49.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 FJD 132

$40.16 VES 22.4K

50.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 FJD 777

$180 VES 100.2K

97.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 FJD 292

$186 VES 103.8K

-28.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 FJD 1,877

$443 VES 246.7K

93.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 FJD 863

$198 VES 110.4K

98.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$522 VES 290.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$302 VES 168.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$712 FJD 1,562

$221 VES 123.2K

222.10%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Puerto la Cruz: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $354 in Lautoka and $180 in Puerto la Cruz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lautoka pays 222% 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 $221 vs $274 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 3% in total monthly costs ($697 vs $716 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lautoka pays 222% 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 $180 in Puerto la Cruz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $230 in Lautoka versus $60.2 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 3% less than in Puerto la Cruz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.