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: $1,668 in Mexico City versus $340 in Lautoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $730 in Lautoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,557 in Mexico City versus $1,120 in Lautoka.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 391% more expensive than in Lautoka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 24% above, Lautoka is 75% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.03 MX$213

$5.53 FJD 12.27

117.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 MX$934

$78.5 FJD 174

-32.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 MX$207

$7.91 FJD 17.56

47.79%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$68.4

$2.51 FJD 5.58

54.18%

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

$1.75 MX$30.94

$2.14 FJD 4.75

-18.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$24.65

$1.55 FJD 3.43

-10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MX$59.4

$2.39 FJD 5.31

40.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MX$102

$3.12 FJD 6.93

84.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$31.92

$1.65 FJD 3.67

9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$54.5

$0.70 FJD 1.56

340.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.65

$0.94 FJD 2.08

126.60%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$52.6

$3.62 FJD 8.03

-17.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 MX$221

$6.03 FJD 13.37

107.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$181

$7.64 FJD 16.96

34.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 MX$281

$8.05 FJD 17.86

97.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$59.8

$4.56 FJD 10.12

-25.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 MX$37.24

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.59

$1.32 FJD 2.93

61.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$43.61

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$36.03

$0.86 FJD 1.91

137.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.59

$0.94 FJD 2.07

113.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$28.15

$0.88 FJD 1.96

80.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.50

$0.43 FJD 0.96

209.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 MX$97.0

$11.43 FJD 25.36

-51.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 MX$310

$5.57 FJD 12.36

214.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$35.61

$2.58 FJD 5.72

-22.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.8

$3.70 FJD 8.21

28.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$36.28

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$28.09

$1.29 FJD 2.85

23.26%

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

$22.9K MX$404.6K

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

$26.4K MX$466.2K

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

$64.2 MX$1,135

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

$29.42 MX$520

$13.61 FJD 30.20

116.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MX$651

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 MX$1,038

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$469

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 MX$123

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

$463 MX$8,180

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$236.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 MX$1,333

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MX$958

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,965

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,160

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 MX$20.0K

$442 FJD 980

156.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 MX$12.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 MX$43.2K

$893 FJD 1,982

173.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 MX$23.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,910 MX$69.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$36.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.6K

$697 FJD 1,546

51.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Last update for Lautoka: September 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,133 in Mexico City and $442 in Lautoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 51% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $78.0 in Lautoka. Groceries flip the comparison at $343 vs $195, with Lautoka cheaper for home cooking.

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 391% in total monthly costs ($1,668 vs $340 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 51% 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: $1,133 in Mexico City versus $442 in Lautoka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lautoka – a meal for two runs $78.0 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,668 per month in Mexico City versus $340 in Lautoka – a 391% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $340 in Lautoka versus $1,668 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 391% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.