Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Lautoka Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Lautoka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $678 in Lautoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,225 in Lautoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,771 in Lautoka.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 115% more expensive than in Lautoka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Lautoka is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$4.92 FJD 11.01

165.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$44.93 FJD 101

19.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$6.81 FJD 15.25

42.14%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$3.16 FJD 7.07

18.35%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.30 FJD 2.92

24.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.65 FJD 1.46

78.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.44 FJD 5.46

32.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$3.47 FJD 7.76

36.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.29 FJD 2.88

27.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.49 FJD 1.10

461.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$0.80 FJD 1.79

133.75%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$3.30 FJD 7.38

-24.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$9.21 FJD 20.61

10.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$7.12 FJD 15.93

15.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$7.59 FJD 16.99

55.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.47 FJD 5.53

21.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$2.47 FJD 5.52

-26.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$2.80 FJD 6.27

-28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$3.19 FJD 7.15

-37.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.01 FJD 2.25

105.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.00 FJD 2.23

127.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.92 FJD 2.06

58.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.80 FJD 1.80

35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$9.21 FJD 20.61

-52.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$5.25 FJD 11.75

223.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$2.19 FJD 4.91

-21.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.71 FJD 6.06

32.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.69 FJD 1.55

-43.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$37.56 FJD 84.1

-50.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.65 FJD 1.46

104.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.45 FJD 1.01

-37.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$2.75 FJD 6.15

90.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.35 FJD 3.02

-0.74%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$19.3K FJD 43.1K

0.69%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$21.9K FJD 49.1K

8.59%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$45.50 FJD 102

-10.57%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$13.08 FJD 29.28

105.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$23.81 FJD 53.3

28.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$3.61 FJD 8.08

80.33%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$222 FJD 496

92.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$14.4K FJD 32.2K

-27.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$17.66 FJD 39.52

224.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$18.09 FJD 40.50

151.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$65.3 FJD 146

59.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$61.8 FJD 138

74.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$349 FJD 781

187.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$135 FJD 303

360.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$841 FJD 1,882

150.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$400 FJD 896

204.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$692 FJD 1,548

50.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

62.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lautoka: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $349 in Lautoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 50% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $45.00 in Lautoka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $220 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

Mexico City vs Lautoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Lautoka differ by about 115% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $678 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 50% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $349 in Lautoka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $678 in Lautoka – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lautoka runs roughly 101% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $678 in Lautoka versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lautoka but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 115% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.