Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Port Vila

For one person, living is cheaper in Gothenburg: $2,044 a month against $3,155 in Port Vila, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gothenburg
🇸🇪 Sweden
$2,044
/mo nomad
Port Vila
🇻🇺 Vanuatu
$3,155
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,044 in Gothenburg versus $3,155 in Port Vila.

  • Gothenburg $2,044
  • Port Vila $3,155

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,078 in Gothenburg versus $4,285 in Port Vila.

  • Gothenburg $3,078
  • Port Vila $4,285

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,113 in Gothenburg versus $5,415 in Port Vila.

  • Gothenburg $4,113
  • Port Vila $5,415

Living in Gothenburg costs roughly 35% less than in Port Vila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gothenburg 51% above, Port Vila 133% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gothenburg
Port Vila
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.77 SEK 136
$12.59 VUV 1,477
9.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.4 SEK 866
$55.5 VUV 6,514
57.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.41 SEK 123
$14.18 VUV 1,663
-12.48%
Cappuccino
$4.87 SEK 48.30
$4.02 VUV 472
21.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 SEK 28.62
$2.31 VUV 271
25.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 SEK 23.76
$2.39 VUV 280
0.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.03 SEK 69.6
$5.16 VUV 605
36.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.69 SEK 76.2
$7.09 VUV 832
8.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gothenburg
Port Vila
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 SEK 16.58
$2.78 VUV 326
-39.93%
White Bread (500g)
$2.70 SEK 26.73
$1.98 VUV 233
36.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.16 SEK 31.32
$3.78 VUV 443
-16.40%
Eggs
$3.86 SEK 38.28
$6.33 VUV 742
-39.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.53 SEK 114
$17.38 VUV 2,039
-33.66%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.57 SEK 115
$16.63 VUV 1,950
-30.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.35 SEK 162
$13.93 VUV 1,633
17.37%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 SEK 29.92
$7.25 VUV 850
-58.34%
Banana (1kg)
$2.41 SEK 23.90
$2.09 VUV 245
15.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.00 SEK 29.77
$4.02 VUV 471
-25.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.45 SEK 44.10
$9.06 VUV 1,062
-50.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 SEK 17.51
$9.07 VUV 1,064
-80.49%
Onion (1kg)
$1.70 SEK 16.80
$3.38 VUV 397
-49.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.04 SEK 20.22
$2.51 VUV 295
-18.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 SEK 16.05
$1.21 VUV 142
33.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.32 SEK 82.4
$9.51 VUV 1,115
-12.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.06 SEK 149
$12.66 VUV 1,485
18.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 SEK 20.21
$2.41 VUV 283
-15.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 SEK 22.24
$2.70 VUV 317
-16.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Gothenburg
Port Vila
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.84 SEK 38.05
$1.31 VUV 153
193.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$87.5 SEK 867
$66.3 VUV 7,776
32.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.33 SEK 62.7
$2.46 VUV 289
157.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.65 SEK 16.38
$0.80 VUV 94.3
106.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$59.6 SEK 591
$5.01 VUV 587
1090.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.74 SEK 17.28
$1.83 VUV 214
-4.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K SEK 336.0K
$23.6K VUV 2.8M
43.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.0K SEK 337.3K
$37.5K VUV 4.4M
-9.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gothenburg
Port Vila
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$106 SEK 1,046
$624 VUV 73.2K
-83.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.51 SEK 193
$22.41 VUV 2,629
-12.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.69 SEK 334
$370 VUV 43.4K
-90.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gothenburg
Port Vila
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.23 SEK 349
$68.5 VUV 8,030
-48.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.38 SEK 242
$16.57 VUV 1,944
47.13%
Cinema Ticket
$17.18 SEK 170
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gothenburg
Port Vila
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$221 SEK 2,186
$623 VUV 73.1K
-64.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,412 SEK 43.7K
$6,774 VUV 794.5K
-34.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gothenburg
Port Vila
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.2 SEK 883
$40.67 VUV 4,770
119.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.97 SEK 327
$68.6 VUV 8,045
-51.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.3 SEK 874
$85.4 VUV 10.0K
3.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 SEK 1,301
$103 VUV 12.1K
27.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gothenburg
Port Vila
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,046 SEK 10.4K
$1,587 VUV 186.2K
-34.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$908 SEK 8,998
$1,131 VUV 132.7K
-19.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,809 SEK 17.9K
$3,435 VUV 402.9K
-47.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,383 SEK 13.7K
$1,877 VUV 220.2K
-26.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,137 SEK 60.8K
$5,965 VUV 699.7K
2.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,523 SEK 34.9K
$2,216 VUV 259.9K
58.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gothenburg
Port Vila
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,594 SEK 35.6K
$682 VUV 80.0K
426.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.06
6.18
-50.49%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: October 18, 2026

Last update for Port Vila: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gothenburg
$908
Port Vila
$1.1K 24.6% $223
Groceries & Markets
Gothenburg
$358
Port Vila
$477 33% $118
Eating Out
Gothenburg
$278
Port Vila
$250 9.8% $27
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gothenburg
$159
Port Vila
$1K 540% $858
Clothing & Footwear
Gothenburg
$154
Port Vila
$134 12.9% $20
Getting Around
Gothenburg
$117
Port Vila
$78 33.6% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Gothenburg
$70
Port Vila
$68 * 1.6% $1.1

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,046 in Gothenburg and $1,587 in Port Vila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 427% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $87.0 in Gothenburg vs $56.0 in Port Vila. Groceries flip the comparison at $358 vs $477, with Gothenburg cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Gothenburg
🇻🇺 Port Vila
🕒 Local time
12:50 12:50 PM
21:50 9:50 PM
9 h ahead of Gothenburg
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
607,882
44,039 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

VUV, USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

Vanuatu Vatu exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 117 VUV (1,000 VUV = 8.53 USD). 1 EUR = 132 VUV (1,000 VUV = 7.58 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gothenburg Port Vila 15,160 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gothenburg
  • 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
Gothenburg vs Port Vila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gothenburg or Port Vila?
Gothenburg wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Port Vila. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gothenburg the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Gothenburg or in Port Vila?
Average pay runs 427% higher in Gothenburg, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Gothenburg compared to Port Vila?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,046 in Gothenburg versus $1,587 in Port Vila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Gothenburg and in Port Vila?
Childcare runs $221 in Gothenburg versus $623 in Port Vila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Gothenburg or in Port Vila?
Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Port Vila. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Gothenburg or in Port Vila?
At $2,044 in Gothenburg versus $3,155 in Port Vila, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gothenburg but tight or insufficient in Port Vila. The gap between the two cities makes Gothenburg the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gothenburg or Port Vila?
Both work as nomad bases, but Gothenburg delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,044 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gothenburg hard to pass up.
How safe is Gothenburg compared to Port Vila?
Safety-wise, Gothenburg and Port Vila are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Gothenburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Port Vila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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