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: $959 in Suva versus $339 in Lautoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,719 in Suva versus $736 in Lautoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,480 in Suva versus $1,132 in Lautoka.

Living in Suva is roughly 183% more expensive than in Lautoka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Suva 30% lower, Lautoka 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 FJD 13.32

$5.51 FJD 12.23

8.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.49 FJD 101

$79.0 FJD 175

-42.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 FJD 17.22

$8.01 FJD 17.79

-3.25%

Cappuccino

$3.00 FJD 6.68

$2.50 FJD 5.56

20.00%

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

$1.59 FJD 3.54

$2.14 FJD 4.75

-25.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 FJD 1.66

$1.60 FJD 3.56

-53.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 FJD 8.08

$2.45 FJD 5.45

48.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 FJD 9.74

$3.07 FJD 6.83

42.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 FJD 2.88

$1.68 FJD 3.74

-22.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 FJD 1.28

$0.75 FJD 1.67

-22.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 FJD 2.42

$0.94 FJD 2.09

15.96%

Eggs

$3.41 FJD 7.57

$3.50 FJD 7.78

-2.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.28 FJD 22.83

$5.99 FJD 13.30

71.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 FJD 13.99

$7.69 FJD 17.09

-18.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 FJD 17.81

$7.88 FJD 17.50

1.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 FJD 5.65

$4.53 FJD 10.07

-43.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 FJD 5.76

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 FJD 7.63

$1.31 FJD 2.92

161.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.26 FJD 7.24

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 FJD 2.74

$0.87 FJD 1.93

41.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 FJD 2.42

$0.94 FJD 2.08

15.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 FJD 2.61

$0.86 FJD 1.91

36.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 FJD 1.65

$0.43 FJD 0.95

72.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 FJD 22.20

$11.42 FJD 25.37

-12.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.62 FJD 16.94

$5.28 FJD 11.73

44.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 FJD 4.61

$2.64 FJD 5.88

-21.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 FJD 7.57

$3.55 FJD 7.88

-3.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 FJD 1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.31 FJD 49.58

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 FJD 1.94

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 FJD 1.03

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.79 FJD 19.54

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 FJD 3.04

$1.33 FJD 2.96

3.01%

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

$25.1K FJD 55.9K

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

$25.3K FJD 56.1K

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

$46.69 FJD 104

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

$12.86 FJD 28.57

$13.73 FJD 30.52

-6.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.29 FJD 54.0

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.37 FJD 80.8

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.23 FJD 24.95

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 FJD 7.56

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

$227 FJD 504

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K FJD 30.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.30 FJD 74.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 FJD 89.0

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 FJD 155

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.9 FJD 140

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 FJD 2,009

$455 FJD 1,010

98.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 FJD 740

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 FJD 5,913

$916 FJD 2,036

190.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 FJD 2,216

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,341 FJD 2,979

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$829 FJD 1,842

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$979 FJD 2,175

$689 FJD 1,530

42.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

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

Last update for Suva: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lautoka: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $904 in Suva and $455 in Lautoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Suva pays 42% 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: $45.00 in Suva vs $79.0 in Lautoka. Groceries flip the comparison at $233 vs $194, 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 183% in total monthly costs ($959 vs $339 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 42% higher in Suva, 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: $904 in Suva versus $455 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 $79.0 versus $45.00 in Suva. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $959 per month in Suva versus $339 in Lautoka – a 183% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $339 in Lautoka versus $959 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 183% less than in Suva. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.