Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Port Vila

For one person, living is cheaper in Bali: $1,224 a month against $3,157 in Port Vila, rent and utilities included – about $23,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Bali
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Bali Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Port Vila
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Port Vila Living Index

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Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,224

/mo nomad

Port Vila

🇻🇺 Vanuatu

$3,157

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bali 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 Bali and in Port Vila actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,224 per month in Bali vs $3,157 in Port Vila, rent included.

Bali $1,224
Port Vila $3,157

A couple spends around $2,064 per month in Bali vs $4,290 in Port Vila, rent included.

Bali $2,064
Port Vila $4,290

A family of three spends $2,904 per month in Bali vs $5,424 in Port Vila, rent included.

Bali $2,904
Port Vila $5,424

Bali is about 61% cheaper than Port Vila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Bali sits 9% below the global median, while Port Vila is 136% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 Rp 49.0K

$12.64 VUV 1,480

-78.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.64 Rp 529.8K

$55.9 VUV 6,540

-46.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 Rp 84.7K

$14.29 VUV 1,673

-66.83%

Cappuccino

$2.22 Rp 39.7K

$4.06 VUV 475

-45.32%

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

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

$2.32 VUV 271

-40.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 Rp 11.8K

$2.33 VUV 273

-71.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 Rp 39.4K

$4.93 VUV 577

-55.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 Rp 64.7K

$7.24 VUV 847

-50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

$2.86 VUV 335

-49.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 Rp 38.7K

$1.90 VUV 223

14.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 20.0K

$3.83 VUV 448

-70.76%

Eggs

$1.97 Rp 35.2K

$6.06 VUV 710

-67.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.41 Rp 293.2K

$17.62 VUV 2,063

-6.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 Rp 65.0K

$16.51 VUV 1,933

-78.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.53 Rp 206.2K

$13.76 VUV 1,611

-16.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 Rp 60.2K

$6.98 VUV 817

-51.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 26.0K

$2.12 VUV 249

-31.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 Rp 38.4K

$3.82 VUV 447

-43.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 34.0K

$9.36 VUV 1,096

-79.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

$8.96 VUV 1,049

-79.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.0K

$3.50 VUV 410

-36.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

$2.60 VUV 304

-63.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 Rp 8,577

$1.16 VUV 135

-58.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 Rp 38.2K

$9.16 VUV 1,073

-76.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.94 Rp 392.2K

$12.63 VUV 1,479

73.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 Rp 40.4K

$2.50 VUV 292

-9.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 Rp 49.6K

$2.73 VUV 319

1.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,661

$1.24 VUV 145

-79.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.08 Rp 144.4K

$68.8 VUV 8,054

-88.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,853

$2.48 VUV 291

-82.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,491

$0.87 VUV 102

-51.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 Rp 101.1K

$5.22 VUV 611

8.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 Rp 16.0K

$1.82 VUV 213

-50.55%

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

$24.2K Rp 433.4M

$23.6K VUV 2.8M

2.95%

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

$31.5K Rp 563.1M

$38.1K VUV 4.5M

-17.22%

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

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

$640 VUV 74.9K

-87.48%

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

$6.63 Rp 118.5K

$22.97 VUV 2,689

-71.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 Rp 327.6K

$359 VUV 42.0K

-94.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.56 Rp 814.4K

$67.7 VUV 7,931

-32.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.24 Rp 272.4K

$17.18 VUV 2,011

-11.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.71 Rp 66.4K

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

$442 Rp 7.9M

$625 VUV 73.2K

-29.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,246 Rp 93.8M

$6,995 VUV 819.0K

-25.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.18 Rp 789.6K

$41.44 VUV 4,852

6.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 Rp 610.1K

$67.4 VUV 7,894

-49.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 Rp 1.4M

$85.5 VUV 10.0K

-9.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 Rp 1.3M

$103 VUV 12.0K

-26.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 Rp 17.8M

$1,581 VUV 185.1K

-37.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 Rp 10.5M

$1,117 VUV 130.8K

-47.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,084 Rp 55.1M

$3,398 VUV 397.9K

-9.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 Rp 26.7M

$1,872 VUV 219.2K

-20.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,383 Rp 42.6M

$6,112 VUV 715.6K

-61.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,015 Rp 36.0M

$2,206 VUV 258.3K

-8.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 Rp 4.0M

$667 VUV 78.1K

-66.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.18

122.98%

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

Last update for Bali: October 4, 2026

Last update for Port Vila: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bali

$588 48%

Port Vila

$1.1K 35.5% 89.9% $529

Groceries & Markets

Bali

$274 22.4%

Port Vila

$475 15.1% 73.2% $201

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bali

$105 8.6%

Port Vila

$1K 32.5% 873% $917

Clothing & Footwear

Bali

$104 8.5%

Port Vila

$134 4.3% 28.8% $30

Eating Out

Bali

$89 7.3%

Port Vila

$250 8% 181% $161

Sport & Entertainment

Bali

$53 4.3%

Port Vila

$68 * 2.2% 27.8% $15

Getting Around

Bali

$12 1%

Port Vila

$81 2.6% 592% $69

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Bali versus $1,581 in Port Vila. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 199% higher in Port Vila, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bali versus $56.0 in Port Vila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $475 – making Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Bali

🇻🇺 Port Vila

🕒 Local time

16:15 4:15 PM

19:15 7:15 PM

3 h ahead of Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,039 Capital

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Vanuatu Vatu VUV Vt

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR

1,000 VUV = 8.54 USD

1,000 VUV = 7.62 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

VUV, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,875 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,048 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.99 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).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bali Port Vila 5,820 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Bali
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

Bali vs Port Vila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Vila costs about 158% more than Bali, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,836 per month in Bali and $4,735 in Port Vila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bali and $56.0 in Port Vila. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,224 in Bali and $3,157 in Port Vila. That's a gap of about 158%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,224, than in Port Vila at $3,157. In Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Vila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bali costs $1,224 versus $3,157 in Port Vila. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port Vila makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.