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: $736 in Puerto la Cruz versus $678 in Lautoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,167 in Puerto la Cruz versus $1,225 in Lautoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,598 in Puerto la Cruz versus $1,771 in Lautoka.

Living in Puerto la Cruz is roughly 8% more expensive than in Lautoka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Puerto la Cruz 45% lower, Lautoka 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.30 VES 5,368

$4.92 FJD 11.01

48.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 VES 40.2K

$44.93 FJD 101

21.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 VES 4,397

$6.81 FJD 15.25

-12.19%

Cappuccino

$0.98 VES 722

$3.16 FJD 7.07

-68.99%

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

$0.67 VES 489

$1.30 FJD 2.92

-48.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 VES 350

$0.65 FJD 1.46

-26.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 VES 752

$2.44 FJD 5.46

-58.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 VES 1,088

$3.47 FJD 7.76

-57.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 VES 1,379

$1.29 FJD 2.88

45.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 VES 2,041

$0.49 FJD 1.10

467.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 VES 1,097

$0.80 FJD 1.79

86.25%

Eggs

$2.78 VES 2,042

$3.30 FJD 7.38

-15.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 VES 7,399

$9.21 FJD 20.61

9.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.42 VES 5,457

$7.12 FJD 15.93

4.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 VES 5,369

$7.59 FJD 16.99

-3.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.11 VES 3,756

$2.47 FJD 5.53

106.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 VES 1,375

$2.47 FJD 5.52

-24.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 VES 1,625

$2.80 FJD 6.27

-21.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 VES 1,516

$3.19 FJD 7.15

-35.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 VES 1,974

$1.01 FJD 2.25

166.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 VES 1,516

$1.00 FJD 2.23

106.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 VES 1,002

$0.92 FJD 2.06

47.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 VES 1,430

$0.80 FJD 1.80

143.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 VES 2,979

$9.21 FJD 20.61

-56.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 VES 5,781

$5.25 FJD 11.75

49.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 VES 1,112

$2.19 FJD 4.91

-31.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 VES 1,493

$2.71 FJD 6.06

-25.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 VES 193

$0.69 FJD 1.55

-62.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 FJD 84.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 VES 2,140

$0.65 FJD 1.46

347.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 VES 1,934

$0.45 FJD 1.01

484.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 VES 3,588

$2.75 FJD 6.15

77.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 VES 377

$1.35 FJD 3.02

-62.22%

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

$25.0K VES 18.4M

$19.3K FJD 43.1K

29.53%

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

$40.2K VES 29.5M

$21.9K FJD 49.1K

82.99%

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

$19.95 VES 14.7K

$45.50 FJD 102

-56.15%

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

$9.99 VES 7,342

$13.08 FJD 29.28

-23.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.89 VES 18.3K

$23.81 FJD 53.3

4.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.14 VES 4,514

$3.61 FJD 8.08

70.08%

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

$59.5 VES 43.8K

$222 FJD 496

-73.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,486 VES 4.0M

$14.4K FJD 32.2K

-61.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.87 VES 33.0K

$17.66 FJD 39.52

154.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.37 VES 27.5K

$18.09 FJD 40.50

106.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.74 VES 32.9K

$65.3 FJD 146

-31.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.99 VES 29.4K

$61.8 FJD 138

-35.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 VES 131.1K

$349 FJD 781

-48.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 VES 136.9K

$135 FJD 303

37.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 VES 324.2K

$841 FJD 1,882

-47.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 VES 146.3K

$400 FJD 896

-50.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$513 VES 377.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$310 VES 228.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$229 VES 168.4K

$692 FJD 1,548

-66.88%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lautoka: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $178 in Puerto la Cruz and $349 in Lautoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lautoka pays 202% 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 $277 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

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

Puerto la Cruz and Lautoka differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($736 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 202% 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: $178 in Puerto la Cruz versus $349 in Lautoka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $59.5 in Puerto la Cruz versus $222 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 8% less than in Puerto la Cruz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.