Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Vanuatu Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Vanuatu

Name: Vanuatu
Address: VU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,538 per month in Australia vs $3,269 in Vanuatu, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,664 per month in Australia vs $3,269 in Vanuatu, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,789 per month in Australia vs $3,269 in Vanuatu, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is roughly 22% lower than in Vanuatu on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Australia and Vanuatu are pricier than the global median – Australia by 85%, Vanuatu by 138%.

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,207–$3,344) than in Vanuatu ($3,162–$3,376), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.15 A$25.17

$12.50 VUV 1,437

45.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.3 A$121

$57.3 VUV 6,581

52.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 A$15.32

$14.55 VUV 1,673

-24.12%

Cappuccino

$4.01 A$5.56

$4.09 VUV 471

-1.96%

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

$2.97 A$4.12

$2.32 VUV 266

28.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 A$3.31

$2.34 VUV 268

1.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 A$10.97

$5.18 VUV 596

52.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 A$11.04

$7.00 VUV 804

13.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 A$2.54

$3.08 VUV 354

-40.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 A$4.00

$2.54 VUV 292

13.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 A$3.32

$3.78 VUV 434

-36.77%

Eggs

$5.19 A$7.20

$5.93 VUV 681

-12.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 A$13.79

$16.13 VUV 1,855

-38.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 A$12.68

$16.01 VUV 1,841

-42.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 A$21.19

$13.41 VUV 1,541

13.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 A$5.08

$6.77 VUV 778

-45.94%

Banana (1kg)

$3.07 A$4.26

$2.05 VUV 236

49.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.49

$3.95 VUV 454

-17.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 A$6.52

$9.86 VUV 1,134

-52.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.02

$8.96 VUV 1,030

-67.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 A$3.41

$4.34 VUV 499

-43.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 A$3.46

$2.51 VUV 289

-0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 A$2.44

$1.17 VUV 135

50.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$38.84 A$53.9

$10.09 VUV 1,160

284.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 A$20.12

$12.56 VUV 1,444

15.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.92 A$6.83

$2.89 VUV 332

70.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 A$7.10

$3.04 VUV 349

68.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 A$4.10

$1.24 VUV 143

137.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.9 A$132

$67.3 VUV 7,733

41.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 A$5.07

$2.56 VUV 294

42.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.23

$0.86 VUV 98.5

87.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.79 A$56.6

$4.98 VUV 572

719.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 A$1.80

$1.84 VUV 212

-29.35%

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

$28.2K A$39.1K

$23.0K VUV 2.6M

22.43%

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

$29.5K A$41.0K

$37.8K VUV 4.3M

-21.78%

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

$204 A$282

$637 VUV 73.2K

-68.05%

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

$29.50 A$40.93

$22.66 VUV 2,605

30.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 A$81.4

$366 VUV 42.1K

-83.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 A$79.5

$68.2 VUV 7,839

-15.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.45 A$26.99

$16.79 VUV 1,930

15.84%

Cinema Ticket

$15.70 A$21.78

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

$2,139 A$2,968

$630 VUV 72.4K

239.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K A$25.6K

$6,900 VUV 793.2K

167.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.7 A$112

$41.61 VUV 4,783

93.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 A$79.7

$66.5 VUV 7,644

-13.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 A$162

$83.3 VUV 9,573

40.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 A$177

$100 VUV 11.5K

26.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,635 A$2,268

$1,604 VUV 184.4K

1.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 A$1,789

$1,206 VUV 138.6K

6.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,474 A$3,433

$3,352 VUV 385.4K

-26.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,961 A$2,720

$1,893 VUV 217.7K

3.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,452 A$11.7K

$6,133 VUV 705.0K

37.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,152 A$8,535

$2,314 VUV 266.1K

165.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,067 A$5,642

$343 VUV 39.4K

1087.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

6.18

-4.21%

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

Last update for Australia: August 31, 2026

Last update for Vanuatu: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,423 in Australia vs $778 in Vanuatu. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,824 in Canberra and $1,556 in Port Vila.

Average salary: $3,932 in Australia vs $497 in Vanuatu. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 83% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 193% more in Australia.

Public transport is 135% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 691% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

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

Australia vs Vanuatu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Australia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 44% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Vanuatu, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Vanuatu consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Australia, contributing to the overall 44% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Australia, but in Vanuatu it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Australia is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.