Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Port Vila

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,704 a month against $3,157 in Port Vila, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Port Vila
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Port Vila Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Port Vila

🇻🇺 Vanuatu

$3,157

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Port Vila

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Port Vila actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $3,157 in Port Vila.

Austin, TX $2,704
Port Vila $3,157

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $4,290 in Port Vila.

Austin, TX $4,133
Port Vila $4,290

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $5,424 in Port Vila.

Austin, TX $5,562
Port Vila $5,424

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 14% less than in Port Vila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, Port Vila 136% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$12.64 VUV 1,480

59.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$55.9 VUV 6,539

52.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$14.29 VUV 1,672

-13.58%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$4.06 VUV 475

34.73%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$2.32 VUV 271

64.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.33 VUV 273

7.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$4.93 VUV 577

63.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$7.24 VUV 847

24.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.86 VUV 335

-60.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.90 VUV 223

98.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.83 VUV 448

-15.14%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$6.06 VUV 710

-31.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$17.62 VUV 2,063

-25.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$16.51 VUV 1,933

-13.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$13.76 VUV 1,611

15.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$6.98 VUV 817

-37.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.12 VUV 249

-31.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.82 VUV 447

18.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$9.36 VUV 1,096

-55.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$8.96 VUV 1,049

-70.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$3.50 VUV 410

-32.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.60 VUV 304

-32.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.16 VUV 135

86.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$9.16 VUV 1,073

7.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$12.63 VUV 1,478

16.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.50 VUV 292

11.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.73 VUV 319

27.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.24 VUV 145

20.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$68.8 VUV 8,053

-41.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.48 VUV 291

7.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.87 VUV 102

81.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$5.22 VUV 611

576.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.82 VUV 213

-45.60%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$23.6K VUV 2.8M

52.03%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$38.1K VUV 4.5M

-28.59%

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

$219 $219

$640 VUV 74.9K

-65.72%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$22.97 VUV 2,689

152.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$359 VUV 42.0K

-80.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$67.7 VUV 7,930

-14.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$17.18 VUV 2,011

-13.74%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

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

$1,509 $1,509

$625 VUV 73.2K

141.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$6,995 VUV 818.8K

206.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$41.44 VUV 4,851

24.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$67.4 VUV 7,893

-34.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$85.5 VUV 10.0K

-0.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$103 VUV 12.0K

2.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$1,581 VUV 185.1K

22.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$1,117 VUV 130.8K

13.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$3,398 VUV 397.8K

8.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$1,872 VUV 219.2K

34.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$6,112 VUV 715.5K

24.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$2,206 VUV 258.3K

45.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$667 VUV 78.1K

665.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.18

9.87%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Port Vila: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Port Vila

$1.1K 35.5% 12.2% $155

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Port Vila

$475 15.1% 17.9% $72

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Port Vila

$250 8% 28% $98

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Port Vila

$1K 32.5% 196% $676

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Port Vila

$134 4.3% 3.8% $4.9

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Port Vila

$68 * 2.2% 21.4% $18

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Port Vila

$81 2.6% 41.3% $24

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $1,581 in Port Vila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 666% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $56.0 in Port Vila. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $475, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇻🇺 Port Vila

🕒 Local time

02:32 2:32 AM

18:32 6:32 PM

16 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

44,039 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Vanuatu Vatu VUV Vt

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1,000 VUV = 8.54 USD

1,000 VUV = 7.62 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

VUV, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇻🇺 Vanuatu Vatu (Vt)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Vanuatu Vatu exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 117 VUV (1,000 VUV = 8.54 USD). 1 EUR = 131 VUV (1,000 VUV = 7.62 EUR).

VUV to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Port Vila 11,360 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Port Vila

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Austin, TX vs Port Vila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Port Vila. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 666% higher in Austin, TX, 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: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $1,581 in Port Vila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $3,157 in Port Vila – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 70% less than in Port Vila. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Austin, TX and Port Vila 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Port Vila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.