Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabat and Lautoka Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabat and Lautoka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,900 in Rabat versus $678 in Lautoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,823 in Rabat versus $1,225 in Lautoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,747 in Rabat versus $1,771 in Lautoka.

Living in Rabat is roughly 180% more expensive than in Lautoka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rabat is 42% above, Lautoka is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 €15.40

$4.92 FJD 11.01

257.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.8

$44.93 FJD 101

54.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 €9.93

$6.81 FJD 15.25

66.67%

Cappuccino

$2.37 €2.08

$3.16 FJD 7.07

-25.00%

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

$2.65 €2.31

$1.30 FJD 2.92

103.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 €1.55

$0.65 FJD 1.46

172.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.46 €3.02

$2.44 FJD 5.46

41.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 €3.10

$3.47 FJD 7.76

2.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €1.00

$1.29 FJD 2.88

-11.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 €1.09

$0.49 FJD 1.10

155.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.97

$0.80 FJD 1.79

181.25%

Eggs

$3.76 €3.29

$3.30 FJD 7.38

13.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 €9.06

$9.21 FJD 20.61

12.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 €7.25

$7.12 FJD 15.93

16.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.38 €16.95

$7.59 FJD 16.99

155.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 €3.89

$2.47 FJD 5.53

80.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.07

$2.47 FJD 5.52

-4.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 €2.94

$2.80 FJD 6.27

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 €2.01

$3.19 FJD 7.15

-27.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 €0.99

$1.01 FJD 2.25

11.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 €1.05

$1.00 FJD 2.23

19.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 €1.04

$0.92 FJD 2.06

29.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.04

$0.80 FJD 1.80

48.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.63 €5.80

$9.21 FJD 20.61

-28.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 €7.24

$5.25 FJD 11.75

57.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 €1.64

$2.19 FJD 4.91

-14.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.98

$2.71 FJD 6.06

-16.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 €2.60

$0.69 FJD 1.55

330.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 FJD 84.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 €5.20

$0.65 FJD 1.46

813.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.25 €3.72

$0.45 FJD 1.01

844.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.49 €43.30

$2.75 FJD 6.15

1699.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.32

$1.35 FJD 3.02

11.85%

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

$38.8K €34.0K

$19.3K FJD 43.1K

101.42%

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

$38.1K €33.4K

$21.9K FJD 49.1K

73.74%

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

$92.8 €81.2

$45.50 FJD 102

103.96%

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

$12.79 €11.19

$13.08 FJD 29.28

-2.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.68 €39.09

$23.81 FJD 53.3

87.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.2 €60.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.97 €30.59

Cinema Ticket

$10.36 €9.06

$3.61 FJD 8.08

186.98%

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

$430 €376

$222 FJD 496

93.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K €9,581

$14.4K FJD 32.2K

-23.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 €79.3

$17.66 FJD 39.52

413.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.70 €25.11

$18.09 FJD 40.50

58.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.6 €65.3

$65.3 FJD 146

14.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 €87.8

$61.8 FJD 138

62.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 €1,008

$349 FJD 781

230.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$932 €815

$135 FJD 303

589.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,993 €1,744

$841 FJD 1,882

137.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,342

$400 FJD 896

283.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,061 €3,553

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,107 €2,718

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,366 €1,195

$692 FJD 1,548

97.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

-54.29%

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

Last update for Rabat: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lautoka: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,152 in Rabat and $349 in Lautoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rabat pays 97% 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: $69.0 in Rabat vs $45.00 in Lautoka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 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

Rabat vs Lautoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rabat and Lautoka differ by about 180% in total monthly costs ($1,900 vs $678 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 97% higher in Rabat, 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: $1,152 in Rabat versus $349 in Lautoka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $430 in Rabat 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 $69.0 in Rabat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $678 in Lautoka versus $1,900 in Rabat, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lautoka but tight or insufficient in Rabat. 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.

Safety-wise, Rabat and Lautoka are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lautoka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 180% less than in Rabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.