Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lautoka Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lautoka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $697 in Lautoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,222 in Lautoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,746 in Lautoka.

Living in Medellin is roughly 45% more expensive than Lautoka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Lautoka 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.02 FJD 11.00

19.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$45.40 FJD 99.4

-27.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.61 FJD 14.48

7.26%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$3.21 FJD 7.03

-46.73%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.31 FJD 2.87

-16.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.67 FJD 1.46

16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.41 FJD 5.28

-30.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.49 FJD 7.65

-12.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.33 FJD 2.91

-18.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.53 FJD 1.17

137.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.82 FJD 1.79

68.29%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$3.22 FJD 7.04

-31.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.26 FJD 20.28

-52.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.15 FJD 15.66

-21.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$7.50 FJD 16.43

18.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.53 FJD 5.54

-7.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.51 FJD 5.49

-57.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.83 FJD 6.20

-47.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$3.09 FJD 6.77

-55.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.96 FJD 2.09

19.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.95 FJD 2.08

22.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.92 FJD 2.02

-3.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.80 FJD 1.75

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$9.42 FJD 20.63

-75.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$5.55 FJD 12.14

91.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.24 FJD 4.90

-46.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.61 FJD 5.72

-5.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.70 FJD 1.53

22.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$37.66 FJD 82.5

9.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.64 FJD 1.39

129.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.44 FJD 0.97

345.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.73 FJD 5.97

183.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.34 FJD 2.93

-29.10%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$19.3K FJD 42.3K

-6.07%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$22.4K FJD 49.1K

18.17%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$46.45 FJD 102

77.07%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$12.98 FJD 28.43

-26.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$23.91 FJD 52.4

1.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.48 FJD 7.61

12.93%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$230 FJD 503

34.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$14.0K FJD 30.6K

-57.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$17.68 FJD 38.73

231.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$17.50 FJD 38.32

84.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$66.1 FJD 145

55.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$60.3 FJD 132

79.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$354 FJD 776

34.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$133 FJD 292

184.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$856 FJD 1,874

-2.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$393 FJD 862

83.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$712 FJD 1,560

-28.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

91.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lautoka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $354 in Lautoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lautoka pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $45.00 in Lautoka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $221 per month, with Medellin 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

Medellin vs Lautoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Lautoka differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $697 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lautoka earns 39% less. 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: $476 in Medellin versus $354 in Lautoka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $697 in Lautoka – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lautoka runs roughly 10% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $697 in Lautoka versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lautoka but tight or insufficient in Medellin. 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 45% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.