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 $2,186 per month in Australia vs $3,224 in Vanuatu, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,219 per month in Australia vs $3,154 in Vanuatu, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,252 per month in Australia vs $3,083 in Vanuatu, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is roughly 32% 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 64%, Vanuatu by 141%.

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,580–$2,807) than in Vanuatu ($3,042–$3,406), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.37 A$23.41

$11.39 VUV 1,325

43.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.7 A$111

$64.3 VUV 7,490

20.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 A$13.72

$9.58 VUV 1,115

0.10%

Cappuccino

$3.45 A$4.93

$5.10 VUV 594

-32.35%

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

$2.63 A$3.76

$2.13 VUV 248

23.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 A$3.06

$1.71 VUV 199

25.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.34 A$9.07

$4.51 VUV 525

40.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 A$10.05

$4.11 VUV 478

71.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 A$2.18

$2.45 VUV 285

-37.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 A$3.58

$2.73 VUV 318

-8.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 A$2.95

$3.73 VUV 435

-44.77%

Eggs

$4.22 A$6.03

$5.14 VUV 598

-17.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 A$12.81

$20.00 VUV 2,329

-55.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 A$11.94

$16.59 VUV 1,932

-49.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 A$19.64

$16.76 VUV 1,951

-18.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.49

$4.71 VUV 549

-33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.90

$2.78 VUV 323

-1.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 A$4.20

$5.50 VUV 641

-46.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 A$6.34

$3.33 VUV 388

33.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.67

$5.17 VUV 602

-50.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 A$3.04

$2.82 VUV 328

-24.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 A$3.12

$2.51 VUV 292

-13.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 A$2.24

$1.32 VUV 154

18.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.82 A$44.08

$9.56 VUV 1,113

222.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 A$20.26

$14.82 VUV 1,725

-4.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.60 A$6.57

$3.28 VUV 382

40.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 A$6.97

$2.93 VUV 341

66.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.99 A$4.27

$1.71 VUV 199

74.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.7 A$138

$68.1 VUV 7,929

41.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 A$5.04

$2.15 VUV 250

64.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 A$2.59

$0.81 VUV 94.9

123.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.32 A$53.4

$4.99 VUV 581

647.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.66

$1.94 VUV 226

-40.21%

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

$29.4K A$42.1K

$23.0K VUV 2.7M

27.78%

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

$22.6K A$32.3K

$38.5K VUV 4.5M

-41.45%

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

$176 A$251

$545 VUV 63.5K

-67.76%

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

$26.75 A$38.25

$25.05 VUV 2,916

6.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.9 A$77.0

$232 VUV 27.0K

-76.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.11 A$67.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.57 A$23.70

$17.11 VUV 1,992

-3.16%

Cinema Ticket

$13.42 A$19.20

$12.77 VUV 1,486

5.09%

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

$1,572 A$2,248

$626 VUV 72.8K

151.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K A$18.2K

$6,974 VUV 811.8K

82.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 A$101

$46.39 VUV 5,400

52.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 A$71.5

$68.0 VUV 7,910

-26.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$145

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 A$159

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 A$1,963

$1,896 VUV 220.7K

-27.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 A$1,540

$1,808 VUV 210.4K

-40.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,353 A$3,366

$3,414 VUV 397.4K

-31.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,747 A$2,499

$2,096 VUV 244.0K

-16.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,882 A$11.3K

$6,075 VUV 707.2K

29.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,906 A$8,447

$2,207 VUV 256.9K

167.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,960 A$5,663

$336 VUV 39.1K

1077.91%

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Vanuatu: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,230 in Australia vs $942 in Vanuatu. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,556 in Canberra and $1,885 in Port Vila.

Average salary: $3,824 in Australia vs $490 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 141% more in Australia.

Public transport is 103% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 680% 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 47% 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 47% 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.