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 $2,182 per month in Australia vs $3,227 in Vanuatu, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,216 per month in Australia vs $3,156 in Vanuatu, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,250 per month in Australia vs $3,085 in Vanuatu, rent included.

Australia is roughly 32% cheaper than Vanuatu on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Australia and Vanuatu are pricier than the global median – Australia by 63%, Vanuatu by 141%.

Australia has a wider regional cost range ($1,579–$2,759) than Vanuatu ($2,983–$3,471), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Australia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 A$22.94

$11.00 VUV 1,270

47.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 A$111

$63.7 VUV 7,350

23.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.48 A$13.45

$9.42 VUV 1,087

0.64%

Cappuccino

$3.56 A$5.05

$5.04 VUV 582

-29.37%

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

$2.60 A$3.68

$2.22 VUV 256

17.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.14

$1.75 VUV 202

26.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.47 A$9.18

$4.45 VUV 513

45.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 A$10.20

$4.25 VUV 490

69.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 A$2.21

$2.40 VUV 277

-35.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 A$3.59

$2.73 VUV 315

-7.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 A$2.87

$3.83 VUV 442

-47.26%

Eggs

$4.47 A$6.34

$5.25 VUV 606

-14.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.86 A$12.57

$20.37 VUV 2,351

-56.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.38 A$11.89

$16.76 VUV 1,934

-50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 A$19.44

$16.78 VUV 1,937

-18.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.58

$4.79 VUV 553

-32.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.03

$2.79 VUV 322

1.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 A$4.23

$5.47 VUV 631

-45.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 A$6.21

$3.45 VUV 398

26.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.47

$5.12 VUV 591

-52.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 A$3.00

$2.86 VUV 330

-26.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.07

$2.46 VUV 283

-12.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 A$2.25

$1.33 VUV 154

18.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.61 A$43.42

$9.46 VUV 1,092

223.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 A$20.19

$14.39 VUV 1,661

-1.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.55 A$6.45

$3.16 VUV 364

43.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 A$6.96

$2.94 VUV 339

67.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.89 A$4.10

$1.73 VUV 199

67.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.5 A$138

$68.0 VUV 7,843

43.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 A$5.02

$2.05 VUV 236

72.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 A$2.48

$0.87 VUV 101

101.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.10 A$54.1

$5.12 VUV 591

644.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.64

$1.87 VUV 215

-37.97%

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

$28.8K A$40.9K

$23.2K VUV 2.7M

24.27%

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

$23.2K A$32.9K

$38.1K VUV 4.4M

-39.15%

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

$179 A$254

$544 VUV 62.8K

-67.15%

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

$26.75 A$37.94

$25.63 VUV 2,958

4.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 A$76.2

$228 VUV 26.3K

-76.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.44 A$68.7

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.88 A$23.95

$16.78 VUV 1,936

0.60%

Cinema Ticket

$13.61 A$19.31

$12.41 VUV 1,432

9.67%

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

$1,605 A$2,276

$611 VUV 70.5K

162.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K A$18.1K

$6,863 VUV 792.1K

85.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 A$101

$46.56 VUV 5,373

53.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 A$71.0

$67.5 VUV 7,788

-25.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 A$142

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 A$155

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 A$1,965

$1,845 VUV 212.9K

-24.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,076 A$1,527

$1,758 VUV 202.8K

-38.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,284 A$3,240

$3,380 VUV 390.1K

-32.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,757 A$2,492

$2,037 VUV 235.1K

-13.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,462 A$10.6K

$6,133 VUV 707.8K

21.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,617 A$7,968

$2,231 VUV 257.4K

151.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,070 A$5,773

$338 VUV 39.1K

1102.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

-9.29%

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

Last update for Australia: June 1, 2026

Last update for Vanuatu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,233 in Australia vs $941 in Vanuatu. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,548 in Canberra and $1,882 in Port Vila.

Average salary: $3,906 in Australia vs $496 in Vanuatu. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 31% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 133% more in Australia.

Public transport is 97% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 688% higher in Australia, giving Australia stronger purchasing power.

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 49% 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 49% 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.