Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Vanuatu

For one person, living is cheaper in India: $395 a month against $3,216 in Vanuatu, rent and utilities included – about $33,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

🇮🇳 India
$395
/mo nomad
🇻🇺 Vanuatu
$3,216
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in India and in Vanuatu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in India and in Vanuatu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $395 in India versus $3,216 in Vanuatu.

  • India $395
  • Vanuatu $3,216

Estimated couple costs with rent: $628 in India versus $4,324 in Vanuatu.

  • India $628
  • Vanuatu $4,324

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $861 in India versus $5,432 in Vanuatu.

  • India $861
  • Vanuatu $5,432

Internal cost variation is higher in India: monthly costs span $229 to $828, compared to $3,155–$3,454 in Vanuatu. City choice carries more weight in India.

Living in India costs about 88% less than in Vanuatu on average.

India (71% below) and Vanuatu (137% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
India
Vanuatu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.14 ₹203
$12.42 VUV 1,457
-82.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.57 ₹1,004
$55.9 VUV 6,553
-81.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.77 ₹358
$14.15 VUV 1,660
-73.36%
Cappuccino
$1.76 ₹167
$3.97 VUV 466
-55.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.42 ₹39.67
$2.30 VUV 270
-81.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14 ₹13.45
$2.33 VUV 274
-93.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.95 ₹186
$5.03 VUV 590
-61.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11 ₹295
$7.35 VUV 863
-57.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
India
Vanuatu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.63 ₹59.6
$3.13 VUV 367
-79.87%
White Bread (500g)
$0.46 ₹43.45
$2.50 VUV 293
-81.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.68 ₹64.3
$3.86 VUV 452
-82.38%
Eggs
$0.93 ₹88.4
$6.21 VUV 728
-85.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.83 ₹458
$16.29 VUV 1,911
-70.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.91 ₹276
$16.00 VUV 1,876
-81.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$13.25 VUV 1,554
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.00 ₹190
$6.57 VUV 771
-69.56%
Banana (1kg)
$0.63 ₹59.6
$2.07 VUV 243
-69.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.98 ₹92.8
$3.91 VUV 459
-74.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.51 ₹48.04
$10.09 VUV 1,184
-94.95%
Potato (1kg)
$0.36 ₹34.28
$8.96 VUV 1,052
-95.98%
Onion (1kg)
$0.39 ₹36.72
$4.34 VUV 510
-91.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 ₹41.31
$2.60 VUV 305
-83.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.29 ₹27.53
$1.16 VUV 137
-75.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.14 ₹488
$9.57 VUV 1,122
-46.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.33 ₹696
$12.45 VUV 1,460
-41.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 ₹157
$2.94 VUV 344
-43.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 ₹259
$2.99 VUV 351
-8.70%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$5.08 ₹483
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
India
Vanuatu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₹23.70
$1.29 VUV 151
-80.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.49 ₹806
$67.7 VUV 7,943
-87.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.03 ₹97.9
$2.51 VUV 295
-58.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.25 ₹23.69
$0.81 VUV 95.4
-69.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.61 ₹153
$5.00 VUV 587
-67.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 ₹101
$1.84 VUV 216
-41.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$11.3K ₹1.1M
$23.0K VUV 2.7M
-50.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.1K ₹1.9M
$37.3K VUV 4.4M
-46.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Vanuatu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$37.73 ₹3,583
$624 VUV 73.2K
-93.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.58 ₹340
$22.95 VUV 2,692
-84.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.89 ₹655
$360 VUV 42.2K
-98.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
India
Vanuatu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.63 ₹1,390
$67.9 VUV 7,963
-78.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.25 ₹688
$16.80 VUV 1,971
-56.85%
Cinema Ticket
$3.17 ₹301
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
India
Vanuatu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$56.5 ₹5,369
$632 VUV 74.1K
-91.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,646 ₹156.3K
$6,850 VUV 803.5K
-75.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
India
Vanuatu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.73 ₹2,158
$40.81 VUV 4,787
-44.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.04 ₹2,283
$66.5 VUV 7,797
-63.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$41.04 ₹3,898
$85.2 VUV 9,991
-51.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$30.60 ₹2,906
$103 VUV 12.1K
-70.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
India
Vanuatu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$144 ₹13.6K
$1,566 VUV 183.7K
-90.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$91.5 ₹8,691
$1,198 VUV 140.6K
-92.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$324 ₹30.8K
$3,359 VUV 394.0K
-90.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$214 ₹20.3K
$1,897 VUV 222.5K
-88.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,200 ₹114.0K
$6,080 VUV 713.1K
-80.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$619 ₹58.8K
$2,184 VUV 256.2K
-71.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
India
Vanuatu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$440 ₹41.8K
$345 VUV 40.4K
27.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.92
6.18
44.34%

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

Last update for India: October 19, 2026

Last update for Vanuatu: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
India
$102
Vanuatu
$482 373% $380
Accommodation & Living
India
$92
Vanuatu
$1.2K 1209% $1.1K
Eating Out
India
$68
Vanuatu
$248 266% $180
Clothing & Footwear
India
$53
Vanuatu
$133 150% $80
Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
$48
Vanuatu
$1K 1989% $959
Sport & Entertainment
India
$21
Vanuatu
$68 * 224% $47
Getting Around
India
$12
Vanuatu
$79 576% $68

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

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $119 in India, $794 in Vanuatu. Capital cities: $271 in Delhi vs $1,587 in Port Vila.

National salary averages: $413 in India, $488 in Vanuatu. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 567% higher in Vanuatu.

Dining out costs 180% more in Vanuatu.

Public transport is 371% more expensive in Vanuatu.

Salaries are 18% higher in Vanuatu, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

Good to know
🇮🇳 India
🇻🇺 Vanuatu
🕒 Local time
19:40 7:40 PM
01:10 1:10 AM
5 h 30 min ahead of India
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,326,093,247
300,019
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

VUV, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

Vanuatu Vatu exchange rates as of October 23, 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
  • India Vanuatu 11,040 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • India
  • Vanuatu

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
India vs Vanuatu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Vanuatu?
At $395 per month in India and $3,216 in Vanuatu, there's a 713% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in India: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $794 in Vanuatu and $119 in India. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or in Vanuatu?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Vanuatu it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to India or to Vanuatu?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Vanuatu may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

India vs other spots: cost of living compared

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