Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Port Vila Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Port Vila

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $3,162 in Port Vila, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $4,309 in Port Vila, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $5,456 in Port Vila, rent included.

Medellin is about 46% cheaper than Port Vila, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Port Vila sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Port Vila by 130%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$12.55 VUV 1,446

-36.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$57.5 VUV 6,626

-16.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$14.58 VUV 1,681

-32.99%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$4.14 VUV 477

-29.71%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$2.27 VUV 261

-14.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$2.45 VUV 282

-37.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$4.97 VUV 573

-37.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$7.03 VUV 810

-18.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$2.74 VUV 316

-50.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$1.89 VUV 217

26.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$3.66 VUV 422

-53.55%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$6.35 VUV 731

-54.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$17.86 VUV 2,058

-44.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$16.17 VUV 1,864

-33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$13.93 VUV 1,605

5.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$6.96 VUV 802

-41.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$2.14 VUV 246

-26.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$3.95 VUV 456

-46.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$9.34 VUV 1,076

-76.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$8.81 VUV 1,015

-76.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$3.50 VUV 403

-57.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$2.48 VUV 285

-52.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$1.21 VUV 140

-4.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$9.19 VUV 1,059

-57.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$12.65 VUV 1,458

14.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$2.43 VUV 279

-34.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$2.75 VUV 316

2.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$1.26 VUV 145

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$68.3 VUV 7,872

13.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$2.56 VUV 294

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.80 VUV 92.1

161.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$5.19 VUV 598

66.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.74 VUV 201

-25.29%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$23.1K VUV 2.7M

19.72%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$38.5K VUV 4.4M

-7.79%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$635 VUV 73.1K

-72.25%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$22.76 VUV 2,623

-41.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$366 VUV 42.2K

-91.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$67.6 VUV 7,787

-33.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$16.59 VUV 1,912

2.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$630 VUV 72.6K

25.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$6,806 VUV 784.3K

32.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$42.39 VUV 4,886

101.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$68.3 VUV 7,876

-14.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$82.8 VUV 9,544

64.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$103 VUV 11.9K

-0.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$1,556 VUV 179.3K

-31.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$1,147 VUV 132.2K

-40.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$3,423 VUV 394.5K

-41.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$1,899 VUV 218.8K

-38.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$6,073 VUV 699.8K

-32.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$2,260 VUV 260.4K

-24.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$700 VUV 80.7K

-4.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.18

77.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Port Vila: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $1,556 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 5% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $57.0 in Port Vila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $473 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Port Vila is pricier by about 84%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $4,742 in Port Vila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $57.0 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 $1,716 in Medellin and $3,162 in Port Vila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Port Vila at $3,162. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Vila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Medellin. 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.