Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lautoka and Suva

For one person, living is cheaper in Lautoka: $334 a month against $941 in Suva, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Suva
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Suva Living Index

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Lautoka

🇫🇯 Fiji

$334

/mo nomad

Suva

🇫🇯 Fiji

$941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lautoka and in Suva

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lautoka and in Suva actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $334 in Lautoka versus $941 in Suva.

Lautoka $334
Suva $941

Estimated couple costs with rent: $723 in Lautoka versus $1,702 in Suva.

Lautoka $723
Suva $1,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,113 in Lautoka versus $2,463 in Suva.

Lautoka $1,113
Suva $2,463

Living in Lautoka costs roughly 65% less than in Suva, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lautoka 75% lower, Suva 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.45 FJD 12.16

$5.93 FJD 13.24

-8.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 FJD 176

$43.61 FJD 97.4

80.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.64 FJD 17.06

$7.67 FJD 17.13

-0.39%

Cappuccino

$2.54 FJD 5.67

$2.90 FJD 6.47

-12.41%

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

$2.10 FJD 4.68

$1.52 FJD 3.40

38.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 FJD 3.54

$0.74 FJD 1.65

114.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 FJD 5.38

$3.47 FJD 7.75

-30.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 FJD 7.14

$4.56 FJD 10.19

-29.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 FJD 3.69

$1.31 FJD 2.93

25.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 FJD 1.53

$0.52 FJD 1.17

32.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 FJD 1.96

$1.11 FJD 2.49

-20.72%

Eggs

$3.44 FJD 7.68

$3.22 FJD 7.19

6.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.72 FJD 12.77

$10.40 FJD 23.20

-45.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 FJD 17.30

$6.32 FJD 14.10

22.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.58 FJD 16.93

$7.68 FJD 17.15

-1.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 FJD 9.89

$2.46 FJD 5.50

80.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 FJD 5.59

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 FJD 2.93

$3.43 FJD 7.65

-61.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 FJD 7.16

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 FJD 1.89

$1.24 FJD 2.76

-31.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 FJD 1.93

$1.10 FJD 2.45

-21.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 FJD 1.95

$1.20 FJD 2.67

-27.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 FJD 0.94

$0.69 FJD 1.53

-39.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.05 FJD 24.66

$10.02 FJD 22.37

10.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 FJD 11.80

$7.22 FJD 16.11

-26.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 FJD 5.85

$2.12 FJD 4.73

23.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 FJD 7.72

$3.37 FJD 7.53

2.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 FJD 1.58

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.49 FJD 54.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 FJD 1.93

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 FJD 0.96

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 FJD 20.17

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 FJD 2.98

$1.44 FJD 3.21

-6.94%

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

$24.4K FJD 54.4K

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

$25.4K FJD 56.7K

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

$45.96 FJD 103

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

$13.23 FJD 29.54

$12.73 FJD 28.41

3.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.66 FJD 52.8

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.73 FJD 82.0

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.99 FJD 24.52

Cinema Ticket

$3.38 FJD 7.54

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

$224 FJD 499

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K FJD 29.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.66 FJD 75.1

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.60 FJD 88.4

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 FJD 156

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.5 FJD 137

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 FJD 974

$891 FJD 1,989

-51.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 FJD 720

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 FJD 1,967

$2,636 FJD 5,882

-66.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$978 FJD 2,182

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,327 FJD 2,962

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$827 FJD 1,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$688 FJD 1,535

$946 FJD 2,112

-27.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

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

Last update for Lautoka: October 25, 2026

Last update for Suva: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lautoka

–

Suva

$322 34.3%

Groceries & Markets

Lautoka

–

Suva

$229 24.4%

Eating Out

Lautoka

–

Suva

$141 15%

Clothing & Footwear

Lautoka

–

Suva

$92 9.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lautoka

–

Suva

$82 8.8%

Sport & Entertainment

Lautoka

–

Suva

$43 4.6%

Getting Around

Lautoka

–

Suva

$30 3.2%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Lautoka and $891 in Suva. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Suva pays 38% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $79 in Lautoka vs $44 in Suva. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $229, with Lautoka cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇫🇯 Lautoka

🇫🇯 Suva

🕒 Local time

13:00 1:00 PM

Same time as Lautoka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

50,000

100,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Fijian Dollar FJD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 FJD = 0.448 USD

1 FJD = 0.401 EUR

1 FJD = 0.448 USD

1 FJD = 0.401 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Lautoka Suva 120 km

From you

Lautoka
Suva

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Suva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $334 in Lautoka and $941 in Suva, so Lautoka is about 65% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Lautoka. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $436 in Lautoka versus $891 in Suva. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Suva – a meal for two runs $44 versus $79 in Lautoka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $334 per month in Lautoka versus $941 in Suva – Lautoka is about 65% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Lautoka wins on affordability, Suva on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.