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: $1,883 in Rabat versus $697 in Lautoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,839 in Rabat versus $1,222 in Lautoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,796 in Rabat versus $1,746 in Lautoka.

Living in Rabat is roughly 170% more expensive than Lautoka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rabat is 41% above, Lautoka is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.07 €14.69

$5.02 FJD 11.00

240.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 €60.9

$45.40 FJD 99.4

55.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 €9.78

$6.61 FJD 14.48

71.86%

Cappuccino

$2.45 €2.11

$3.21 FJD 7.03

-23.68%

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

$2.66 €2.29

$1.31 FJD 2.87

103.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.45

$0.67 FJD 1.46

152.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 €3.02

$2.41 FJD 5.28

45.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$3.49 FJD 7.65

-2.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.33 FJD 2.91

-13.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 €1.11

$0.53 FJD 1.17

141.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$0.82 FJD 1.79

187.80%

Eggs

$3.68 €3.17

$3.22 FJD 7.04

14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 €8.80

$9.26 FJD 20.28

10.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.32 €7.17

$7.15 FJD 15.66

16.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.92 €16.29

$7.50 FJD 16.43

152.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 €3.71

$2.53 FJD 5.54

70.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.02

$2.51 FJD 5.49

-6.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 €2.82

$2.83 FJD 6.20

15.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 €1.95

$3.09 FJD 6.77

-26.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 €1.02

$0.96 FJD 2.09

23.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 €1.03

$0.95 FJD 2.08

25.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.92 FJD 2.02

28.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.02

$0.80 FJD 1.75

48.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 €5.62

$9.42 FJD 20.63

-30.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.44 €7.27

$5.55 FJD 12.14

52.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.62

$2.24 FJD 4.90

-16.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.61 FJD 5.72

-11.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 €2.42

$0.70 FJD 1.53

301.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.66 FJD 82.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.67 €4.89

$0.64 FJD 1.39

785.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.19 €3.61

$0.44 FJD 0.97

852.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.43 €42.57

$2.73 FJD 5.97

1710.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.34 FJD 2.93

13.43%

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

$38.2K €32.9K

$19.3K FJD 42.3K

97.79%

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

$37.4K €32.2K

$22.4K FJD 49.1K

66.78%

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

$94.2 €81.1

$46.45 FJD 102

102.80%

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

$12.60 €10.85

$12.98 FJD 28.43

-2.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.84 €39.47

$23.91 FJD 52.4

91.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.3 €59.7

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.35 €29.58

Cinema Ticket

$10.56 €9.09

$3.48 FJD 7.61

203.45%

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

$435 €375

$230 FJD 503

89.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,574

$14.0K FJD 30.6K

-20.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.1 €77.6

$17.68 FJD 38.73

409.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.48 €24.53

$17.50 FJD 38.32

62.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 €63.7

$66.1 FJD 145

11.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 €88.4

$60.3 FJD 132

70.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 €972

$354 FJD 776

218.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$956 €823

$133 FJD 292

617.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,011 €1,732

$856 FJD 1,874

134.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 €1,299

$393 FJD 862

283.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,371 €3,764

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,116 €2,683

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,387 €1,194

$712 FJD 1,560

94.68%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lautoka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,129 in Rabat and $354 in Lautoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rabat pays 95% 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: $71.0 in Rabat vs $45.00 in Lautoka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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

Rabat vs Lautoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rabat and Lautoka differ by about 170% in total monthly costs ($1,883 vs $697 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rabat pays 95% more on average, 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: $1,129 in Rabat versus $354 in Lautoka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $435 in Rabat 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 $71.0 in Rabat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $697 in Lautoka versus $1,883 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 170% less than in Rabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.