Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto la Cruz and Lautoka Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto la Cruz and Lautoka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $716 in Puerto la Cruz versus $697 in Lautoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,159 in Puerto la Cruz versus $1,222 in Lautoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,603 in Puerto la Cruz versus $1,746 in Lautoka.

Living in Puerto la Cruz is roughly 3% more expensive than Lautoka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Puerto la Cruz 47% lower, Lautoka 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 VES 4,095

$5.02 FJD 11.01

46.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 VES 30.7K

$45.40 FJD 99.6

21.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 VES 3,402

$6.61 FJD 14.50

-7.56%

Cappuccino

$1.02 VES 569

$3.21 FJD 7.04

-68.22%

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

$0.69 VES 384

$1.31 FJD 2.88

-47.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 VES 292

$0.67 FJD 1.46

-22.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 VES 547

$2.41 FJD 5.29

-59.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 VES 815

$3.49 FJD 7.66

-58.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 VES 1,052

$1.33 FJD 2.92

42.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 VES 1,510

$0.53 FJD 1.17

411.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 VES 819

$0.82 FJD 1.79

79.27%

Eggs

$2.79 VES 1,554

$3.22 FJD 7.05

-13.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 VES 5,535

$9.26 FJD 20.31

7.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 VES 4,079

$7.15 FJD 15.68

2.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.36 VES 4,104

$7.50 FJD 16.46

-1.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 VES 2,885

$2.53 FJD 5.55

104.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 VES 1,013

$2.51 FJD 5.50

-27.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 VES 1,273

$2.83 FJD 6.21

-19.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 VES 1,103

$3.09 FJD 6.78

-35.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 VES 1,424

$0.96 FJD 2.10

166.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 VES 1,205

$0.95 FJD 2.08

127.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 VES 729

$0.92 FJD 2.02

42.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 VES 1,041

$0.80 FJD 1.76

133.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.89 VES 2,170

$9.42 FJD 20.66

-58.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 VES 4,368

$5.55 FJD 12.16

41.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 VES 815

$2.24 FJD 4.90

-34.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 VES 1,091

$2.61 FJD 5.73

-24.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 VES 133

$0.70 FJD 1.53

-65.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.66 FJD 82.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 VES 1,694

$0.64 FJD 1.40

375.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.77 VES 1,544

$0.44 FJD 0.97

529.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 VES 2,797

$2.73 FJD 5.98

83.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 VES 271

$1.34 FJD 2.94

-63.43%

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

$25.3K VES 14.1M

$19.3K FJD 42.3K

31.30%

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

$39.3K VES 21.9M

$22.4K FJD 49.2K

75.24%

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

$20.59 VES 11.5K

$46.45 FJD 102

-55.67%

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

$10.07 VES 5,613

$12.98 FJD 28.46

-22.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.12 VES 14.0K

$23.91 FJD 52.4

5.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 VES 3,264

$3.48 FJD 7.62

68.39%

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

$60.2 VES 33.5K

$230 FJD 503

-73.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,418 VES 3.0M

$14.0K FJD 30.6K

-61.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.11 VES 25.1K

$17.68 FJD 38.78

155.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.43 VES 20.9K

$17.50 FJD 38.37

113.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.15 VES 24.6K

$66.1 FJD 145

-33.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.16 VES 22.4K

$60.3 FJD 132

-33.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 VES 100.2K

$354 FJD 777

-49.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 VES 103.8K

$133 FJD 292

39.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 VES 246.7K

$856 FJD 1,877

-48.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 VES 110.4K

$393 FJD 863

-49.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$522 VES 290.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$302 VES 168.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 VES 123.2K

$712 FJD 1,562

-68.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.33

204.71%

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

Last update for Puerto la Cruz: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lautoka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $180 in Puerto la Cruz and $354 in Lautoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lautoka pays 222% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $55.0 in Puerto la Cruz vs $45.00 in Lautoka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $221 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

Puerto la Cruz vs Lautoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto la Cruz and Lautoka differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($716 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 222% 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: $180 in Puerto la Cruz versus $354 in Lautoka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $60.2 in Puerto la Cruz versus $230 in Lautoka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Lautoka – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $55.0 in Puerto la Cruz. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

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 3% less than in Puerto la Cruz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.