Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Vanuatu Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Vanuatu

Name: Vanuatu
Address: VU

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in China versus $3,223 in Vanuatu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $3,121 in Vanuatu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $3,019 in Vanuatu.

Living in China costs about 78% less than in Vanuatu on average.

China (47% below) and Vanuatu (141% above) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $532 to $1,187, compared to $3,025–$3,420 in Vanuatu. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 ¥18.80

$11.22 VUV 1,327

-75.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.07 ¥165

$65.6 VUV 7,760

-63.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ¥33.11

$9.39 VUV 1,111

-48.46%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ¥20.29

$5.03 VUV 595

-40.95%

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

$0.45 ¥3.05

$2.12 VUV 251

-78.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥2.00

$1.73 VUV 205

-83.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ¥6.85

$4.58 VUV 542

-78.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥14.11

$4.14 VUV 490

-50.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ¥12.46

$2.37 VUV 280

-23.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥11.07

$2.87 VUV 340

-43.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.20

$3.80 VUV 450

-76.05%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.55

$5.27 VUV 624

-70.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 ¥91.1

$20.27 VUV 2,397

-34.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 ¥22.38

$16.62 VUV 1,965

-80.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.56 ¥72.2

$16.83 VUV 1,990

-37.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 ¥12.01

$4.89 VUV 578

-64.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.91

$2.87 VUV 340

-54.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.93

$5.32 VUV 629

-72.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 ¥8.16

$3.41 VUV 404

-65.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.83

$5.09 VUV 602

-86.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.23

$2.83 VUV 334

-67.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.89

$2.47 VUV 293

-76.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.65

$1.35 VUV 159

-60.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 ¥23.97

$9.42 VUV 1,114

-62.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.85 ¥81.1

$16.47 VUV 1,948

-28.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥5.72

$3.16 VUV 374

-73.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ¥11.49

$2.91 VUV 344

-42.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.00

$1.71 VUV 202

-74.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.76 ¥142

$67.9 VUV 8,024

-69.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.28

$2.13 VUV 252

-36.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.43

$0.82 VUV 96.6

-57.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.65 ¥45.47

$5.15 VUV 609

29.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.99

$1.88 VUV 223

-37.77%

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

$19.1K ¥130.8K

$23.6K VUV 2.8M

-19.03%

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

$17.1K ¥117.2K

$37.7K VUV 4.5M

-54.51%

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

$52.0 ¥355

$531 VUV 62.8K

-90.21%

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

$9.65 ¥66.0

$25.34 VUV 2,997

-61.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.16 ¥76.3

$225 VUV 26.6K

-95.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.48 ¥277

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.75 ¥101

$17.06 VUV 2,018

-13.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.35 ¥43.45

$12.80 VUV 1,513

-50.39%

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

$410 ¥2,803

$622 VUV 73.5K

-34.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥121.8K

$6,923 VUV 818.6K

157.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.08 ¥315

$46.46 VUV 5,494

-0.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.86 ¥225

$66.8 VUV 7,896

-50.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 ¥487

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.3 ¥515

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ¥2,942

$1,864 VUV 220.5K

-76.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 ¥1,784

$1,762 VUV 208.3K

-85.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$914 ¥6,254

$3,343 VUV 395.3K

-72.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 ¥3,711

$2,035 VUV 240.6K

-73.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,177 ¥35.4K

$8,456 VUV 999.9K

-38.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,630 ¥18.0K

$3,346 VUV 395.6K

-21.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,060 ¥7,250

$456 VUV 54.0K

132.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

-42.00%

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

Last update for China: April 21, 2026

Last update for Vanuatu: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $287 in China, $940 in Vanuatu. Capital cities: $891 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,879 in Port Vila.

National salary averages: $833 in China, $578 in Vanuatu. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 228% higher in Vanuatu.

Dining out costs 57% more in Vanuatu.

Public transport is 89% more expensive in Vanuatu.

Salaries are 44% higher in China, giving China 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

China vs Vanuatu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $860 per month in China and $3,223 in Vanuatu, there's a 275% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Vanuatu beats China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Vanuatu, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. China wins on affordability; Vanuatu may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.