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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,980 in Port Vila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $4,025 in Port Vila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $5,070 in Port Vila.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 58% less than in Port Vila, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Port Vila is 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$11.23 VUV 1,310

-59.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$64.2 VUV 7,487

-28.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$9.37 VUV 1,093

-5.66%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$5.06 VUV 591

-39.53%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$2.18 VUV 254

-66.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.69 VUV 197

-76.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$4.42 VUV 516

-45.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.19 VUV 489

-9.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.22 VUV 259

1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.48 VUV 289

-27.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$3.85 VUV 449

-41.56%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$5.19 VUV 605

-56.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$20.31 VUV 2,368

-3.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$18.40 VUV 2,146

-80.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$18.41 VUV 2,147

-29.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$4.82 VUV 562

-32.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.09 VUV 244

-22.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$6.08 VUV 709

-60.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.55 VUV 297

-20.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$4.24 VUV 495

-63.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.08 VUV 243

-27.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$2.59 VUV 302

-62.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.05 VUV 123

-50.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$8.99 VUV 1,049

-50.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$12.67 VUV 1,478

44.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.99 VUV 349

-37.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$3.02 VUV 352

-11.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$1.69 VUV 198

-16.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$66.6 VUV 7,773

-82.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.15 VUV 251

44.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.82 VUV 96.0

26.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$5.04 VUV 588

179.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.85 VUV 216

-29.19%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$23.5K VUV 2.7M

18.45%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$38.0K VUV 4.4M

-12.67%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$542 VUV 63.2K

-77.41%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$24.94 VUV 2,909

-45.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$226 VUV 26.4K

-91.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$16.52 VUV 1,926

2.78%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$12.55 VUV 1,464

-27.73%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$620 VUV 72.3K

14.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$6,934 VUV 808.8K

127.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$46.05 VUV 5,371

27.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$67.3 VUV 7,854

-47.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$1,894 VUV 220.9K

-66.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$1,412 VUV 164.7K

-68.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$3,379 VUV 394.2K

-39.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$2,063 VUV 240.6K

-27.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$6,092 VUV 710.6K

-42.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$2,199 VUV 256.5K

17.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$689 VUV 80.4K

-27.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-23.86%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Port Vila: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $1,894 in Port Vila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Vila pays 38% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $64.0 in Port Vila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $451 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 138% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 38% lower in Port Vila. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $1,894 in Port Vila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $620 in Port Vila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Port Vila. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,980 in Port Vila, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Port Vila. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Port Vila, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 138% less than in Port Vila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.