Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Vila and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Vila and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,980 per month in Port Vila vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,025 per month in Port Vila vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,070 per month in Port Vila vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Port Vila costs about 246% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Port Vila sits 123% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.23 VUV 1,307

$1.96 ฿65.9

472.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 VUV 7,473

$18.35 ฿617

249.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.37 VUV 1,091

$7.48 ฿252

25.27%

Cappuccino

$5.06 VUV 590

$2.02 ฿67.8

150.50%

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

$2.18 VUV 253

$0.85 ฿28.52

156.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 VUV 197

$0.36 ฿11.97

369.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 VUV 515

$2.14 ฿71.9

106.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 VUV 488

$3.59 ฿121

16.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 VUV 258

$1.65 ฿55.5

34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 VUV 289

$1.57 ฿52.7

57.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.85 VUV 448

$1.19 ฿40.05

223.53%

Eggs

$5.19 VUV 604

$1.94 ฿65.1

167.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.31 VUV 2,364

$16.19 ฿545

25.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.40 VUV 2,142

$2.99 ฿101

515.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.41 VUV 2,143

$10.94 ฿368

68.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.82 VUV 561

$2.71 ฿91.2

77.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 VUV 243

$1.17 ฿39.27

78.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.08 VUV 708

$1.69 ฿56.8

259.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 VUV 297

$1.60 ฿54.0

59.37%

Potato (1kg)

$4.24 VUV 494

$1.38 ฿46.56

207.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 VUV 243

$1.20 ฿40.47

73.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 VUV 301

$0.67 ฿22.51

286.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 VUV 123

$0.56 ฿18.74

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.99 VUV 1,047

$4.64 ฿156

93.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 VUV 1,475

$17.62 ฿593

-28.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 VUV 348

$1.86 ฿62.6

60.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 VUV 351

$3.30 ฿111

-8.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 VUV 197

$0.88 ฿29.70

92.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 VUV 7,758

$19.34 ฿651

244.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 VUV 251

$1.36 ฿45.92

58.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 VUV 95.8

$1.34 ฿45.00

-38.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 VUV 587

$8.21 ฿276

-38.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 VUV 215

$1.22 ฿41.20

51.64%

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

$23.5K VUV 2.7M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

9.97%

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

$38.0K VUV 4.4M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

68.82%

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

$542 VUV 63.1K

$70.7 ฿2,378

667.07%

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

$24.94 VUV 2,903

$14.04 ฿472

77.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$226 VUV 26.3K

$17.49 ฿589

1193.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 VUV 1,923

$6.88 ฿231

140.12%

Cinema Ticket

$12.55 VUV 1,461

$5.92 ฿199

111.99%

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

$620 VUV 72.1K

$309 ฿10.4K

100.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,934 VUV 807.2K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-53.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.05 VUV 5,361

$55.8 ฿1,876

-17.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.3 VUV 7,839

$26.11 ฿879

157.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 VUV 220.5K

$432 ฿14.5K

338.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 VUV 164.3K

$239 ฿8,040

490.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,379 VUV 393.4K

$822 ฿27.7K

311.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 VUV 240.2K

$512 ฿17.2K

302.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,092 VUV 709.2K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

218.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,199 VUV 256.0K

$1,467 ฿49.4K

49.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$689 VUV 80.2K

$579 ฿19.5K

18.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.00%

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

Last update for Port Vila: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,894 in Port Vila versus $432 in Chiang Mai. 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 19% 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 $64.0 in Port Vila versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai 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

Port Vila vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Vila costs about 246% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,470 per month in Port Vila and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $620 per month in Port Vila and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 85% more in Port Vila, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Port Vila at $2,980. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Vila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,980 in Port Vila. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chiang Mai. 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.