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: $1,929 in Rabat versus $338 in Lautoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Rabat versus $735 in Lautoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,727 in Rabat versus $1,132 in Lautoka.

Living in Rabat is roughly 471% more expensive than in Lautoka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rabat is 40% above, Lautoka is 75% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.32 €14.89

$5.61 FJD 12.30

208.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 €44.40

$78.2 FJD 172

-33.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.82

$8.19 FJD 17.97

39.44%

Cappuccino

$2.38 €2.05

$2.51 FJD 5.50

-5.18%

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

$2.55 €2.19

$2.22 FJD 4.88

14.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.55 FJD 3.40

13.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 €3.03

$2.45 FJD 5.36

43.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.95

$3.27 FJD 7.17

5.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.74 FJD 3.82

-32.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 €1.21

$0.75 FJD 1.64

88.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$0.92 FJD 2.03

156.52%

Eggs

$3.77 €3.24

$3.53 FJD 7.75

6.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 €7.38

$6.07 FJD 13.32

41.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.33 €7.16

$7.56 FJD 16.58

10.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 €11.07

$7.80 FJD 17.11

65.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 €3.67

$4.65 FJD 10.21

-8.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 €1.95

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 €3.30

$1.40 FJD 3.08

174.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 €2.05

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

$0.87 FJD 1.90

29.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.88 FJD 1.92

29.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 €1.01

$0.90 FJD 1.97

31.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.02

$0.45 FJD 0.98

164.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.97 €5.99

$11.27 FJD 24.71

-38.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 €7.15

$5.51 FJD 12.08

51.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 €1.50

$2.66 FJD 5.84

-34.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 €2.15

$3.69 FJD 8.10

-32.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 €2.44

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 €4.95

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 €2.03

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.36 €23.52

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.32

$1.32 FJD 2.90

16.67%

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

$40.0K €34.4K

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

$40.5K €34.8K

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

$107 €92.0

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

$12.92 €11.10

$13.81 FJD 30.29

-6.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.09 €37.90

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.3 €55.3

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.96 €19.74

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 €8.84

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

$387 €333

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K €9,967

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 €78.9

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.62 €25.46

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 €65.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 €68.7

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 €1,147

$464 FJD 1,018

187.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 €955

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,715 €1,474

$920 FJD 2,017

86.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 €1,492

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,341 €3,732

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,244 €2,789

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,372 €1,180

$702 FJD 1,539

95.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

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

Last update for Rabat: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lautoka: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,334 in Rabat and $464 in Lautoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rabat pays 96% 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: $52.0 in Rabat vs $78.0 in Lautoka. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $196, 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

Rabat vs Lautoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rabat and Lautoka differ by about 471% in total monthly costs ($1,929 vs $338 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 96% 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: $1,334 in Rabat versus $464 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 $52.0 in Rabat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,929 per month in Rabat versus $338 in Lautoka – a 471% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $338 in Lautoka versus $1,929 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 471% less than in Rabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.