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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $678 in Lautoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,225 in Lautoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,771 in Lautoka.

Living in Medellin is roughly 52% more expensive than in Lautoka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Lautoka 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.92 FJD 11.01

25.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$44.93 FJD 101

-27.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.81 FJD 15.25

7.78%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.16 FJD 7.07

-45.57%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.30 FJD 2.92

-19.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.65 FJD 1.46

18.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.44 FJD 5.46

-30.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.47 FJD 7.76

-8.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.29 FJD 2.88

-18.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.49 FJD 1.10

165.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.80 FJD 1.79

75.00%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.30 FJD 7.38

-34.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.21 FJD 20.61

-52.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.12 FJD 15.93

-17.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.59 FJD 16.99

13.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.47 FJD 5.53

-7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.47 FJD 5.52

-55.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.80 FJD 6.27

-45.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.19 FJD 7.15

-57.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.01 FJD 2.25

11.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.00 FJD 2.23

13.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.92 FJD 2.06

-7.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.80 FJD 1.80

13.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$9.21 FJD 20.61

-74.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.25 FJD 11.75

135.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.19 FJD 4.91

-45.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.71 FJD 6.06

-8.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.69 FJD 1.55

21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$37.56 FJD 84.1

8.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.65 FJD 1.46

118.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.45 FJD 1.01

326.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.75 FJD 6.15

178.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.35 FJD 3.02

-26.67%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$19.3K FJD 43.1K

-6.47%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$21.9K FJD 49.1K

21.33%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$45.50 FJD 102

77.60%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.08 FJD 29.28

-23.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$23.81 FJD 53.3

1.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.61 FJD 8.08

10.25%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$222 FJD 496

37.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$14.4K FJD 32.2K

-57.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$17.66 FJD 39.52

229.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$18.09 FJD 40.50

78.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$65.3 FJD 146

54.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$61.8 FJD 138

74.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$349 FJD 781

36.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$135 FJD 303

178.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$841 FJD 1,882

0.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$400 FJD 896

82.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$692 FJD 1,548

-10.82%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lautoka: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $349 in Lautoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lautoka pays 12% 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 $193 vs $220 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 52% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $678 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 12% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $349 in Lautoka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $678 in Lautoka – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lautoka runs roughly 8% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $678 in Lautoka versus $1,031 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 52% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.