Cost of Living Comparison Between Suva and Lautoka Cost of Living Comparison Between Suva and Lautoka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $989 in Suva versus $697 in Lautoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,806 in Suva versus $1,222 in Lautoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,623 in Suva versus $1,746 in Lautoka.

Living in Suva is roughly 42% more expensive than Lautoka, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Suva 26% lower, Lautoka 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 FJD 11.46

$5.02 FJD 11.01

4.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.87 FJD 96.2

$45.40 FJD 99.6

-3.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 FJD 14.90

$6.61 FJD 14.50

2.72%

Cappuccino

$3.11 FJD 6.82

$3.21 FJD 7.04

-3.12%

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

$1.49 FJD 3.26

$1.31 FJD 2.88

13.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 FJD 1.44

$0.67 FJD 1.46

-1.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 FJD 6.71

$2.41 FJD 5.29

26.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 FJD 7.92

$3.49 FJD 7.66

3.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 FJD 2.84

$1.33 FJD 2.92

-3.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 FJD 1.07

$0.53 FJD 1.17

-7.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 FJD 2.61

$0.82 FJD 1.79

45.12%

Eggs

$3.34 FJD 7.32

$3.22 FJD 7.05

3.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 FJD 20.59

$9.26 FJD 20.31

1.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 FJD 16.12

$7.15 FJD 15.68

2.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 FJD 16.44

$7.50 FJD 16.46

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 FJD 5.41

$2.53 FJD 5.55

-2.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 FJD 5.31

$2.51 FJD 5.50

-3.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 FJD 7.49

$2.83 FJD 6.21

20.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 FJD 6.93

$3.09 FJD 6.78

2.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 FJD 3.34

$0.96 FJD 2.10

59.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 FJD 2.59

$0.95 FJD 2.08

24.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 FJD 2.59

$0.92 FJD 2.02

28.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 FJD 1.63

$0.80 FJD 1.76

-7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.73 FJD 21.34

$9.42 FJD 20.66

3.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.66 FJD 16.81

$5.55 FJD 12.16

38.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 FJD 4.89

$2.24 FJD 4.90

-0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 FJD 7.57

$2.61 FJD 5.73

32.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 FJD 1.90

$0.70 FJD 1.53

24.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.82 FJD 47.85

$37.66 FJD 82.6

-42.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 FJD 1.88

$0.64 FJD 1.40

34.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 FJD 0.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 FJD 19.47

$2.73 FJD 5.98

225.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 FJD 2.94

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

$24.4K FJD 53.4K

$19.3K FJD 42.3K

26.19%

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

$24.9K FJD 54.6K

$22.4K FJD 49.2K

11.13%

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

$45.88 FJD 101

$46.45 FJD 102

-1.23%

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

$12.94 FJD 28.37

$12.98 FJD 28.46

-0.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.25 FJD 53.2

$23.91 FJD 52.4

1.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.82 FJD 65.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.95 FJD 15.24

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 FJD 9.65

$3.48 FJD 7.62

26.44%

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

$225 FJD 493

$230 FJD 503

-2.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K FJD 30.8K

$14.0K FJD 30.6K

0.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.11 FJD 57.3

$17.68 FJD 38.78

47.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.95 FJD 59.1

$17.50 FJD 38.37

54.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 FJD 153

$66.1 FJD 145

5.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.7 FJD 135

$60.3 FJD 132

2.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 FJD 1,277

$354 FJD 777

64.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 FJD 855

$133 FJD 292

192.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 FJD 4,471

$856 FJD 1,877

138.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 FJD 2,649

$393 FJD 863

207.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,369 FJD 3,003

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$852 FJD 1,868

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$988 FJD 2,168

$712 FJD 1,562

38.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

10.00%

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

Last update for Suva: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lautoka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $582 in Suva and $354 in Lautoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Suva pays 39% 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: $44.00 in Suva vs $45.00 in Lautoka. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $221, 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

Suva vs Lautoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Suva and Lautoka differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($989 vs $697 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Suva pays 39% 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: $582 in Suva versus $354 in Lautoka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $989 per month in Suva versus $697 in Lautoka – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lautoka runs roughly 73% less than in Suva. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $697 in Lautoka versus $989 in Suva, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lautoka but tight or insufficient in Suva. 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, Suva 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 42% less than in Suva. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.