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 $3,162 per month in Port Vila vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,309 per month in Port Vila vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,456 per month in Port Vila vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Port Vila costs about 234% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Port Vila sits 130% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.55 VUV 1,446

$2.08 ฿68.6

503.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 VUV 6,626

$19.64 ฿646

192.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.58 VUV 1,681

$5.65 ฿186

158.05%

Cappuccino

$4.14 VUV 477

$1.81 ฿59.4

128.73%

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

$2.27 VUV 261

$0.71 ฿23.45

219.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 VUV 282

$0.32 ฿10.38

665.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 VUV 573

$2.24 ฿73.6

121.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 VUV 810

$3.63 ฿119

93.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.74 VUV 316

$1.96 ฿64.4

39.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 VUV 217

$1.50 ฿49.39

26.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 VUV 422

$1.34 ฿43.93

173.13%

Eggs

$6.35 VUV 731

$2.26 ฿74.5

180.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.86 VUV 2,058

$16.26 ฿535

9.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.17 VUV 1,864

$2.95 ฿97.1

448.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.93 VUV 1,605

$9.94 ฿327

40.14%

Apples (1kg)

$6.96 VUV 802

$2.57 ฿84.6

170.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 VUV 246

$1.06 ฿34.73

101.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 VUV 456

$1.61 ฿53.0

145.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.34 VUV 1,076

$1.52 ฿49.97

514.47%

Potato (1kg)

$8.81 VUV 1,015

$1.27 ฿41.77

593.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 VUV 403

$1.07 ฿35.06

227.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 VUV 285

$0.72 ฿23.68

244.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 VUV 140

$0.51 ฿16.72

137.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.19 VUV 1,059

$4.19 ฿138

119.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 VUV 1,458

$17.87 ฿587

-29.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 VUV 279

$1.69 ฿55.7

43.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 VUV 316

$2.84 ฿93.3

-3.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 VUV 145

$0.93 ฿30.43

35.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.3 VUV 7,872

$53.9 ฿1,771

26.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 VUV 294

$1.23 ฿40.59

108.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 VUV 92.1

$0.58 ฿18.96

37.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 VUV 598

$2.42 ฿79.7

114.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 VUV 201

$1.41 ฿46.43

23.40%

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

$23.1K VUV 2.7M

$21.4K ฿705.1K

7.73%

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

$38.5K VUV 4.4M

$27.3K ฿898.7K

40.88%

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

$635 VUV 73.1K

$63.7 ฿2,093

896.69%

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

$22.76 VUV 2,623

$12.85 ฿423

77.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$366 VUV 42.2K

$20.22 ฿665

1711.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.6 VUV 7,787

$38.74 ฿1,274

74.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.59 VUV 1,912

$3.97 ฿130

317.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

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

$630 VUV 72.6K

$778 ฿25.6K

-19.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,806 VUV 784.3K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-53.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.39 VUV 4,886

$54.3 ฿1,785

-21.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.3 VUV 7,876

$25.45 ฿837

168.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.8 VUV 9,544

$94.3 ฿3,102

-12.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 VUV 11.9K

$73.4 ฿2,415

40.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 VUV 179.3K

$490 ฿16.1K

217.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 VUV 132.2K

$289 ฿9,512

296.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,423 VUV 394.5K

$894 ฿29.4K

283.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,899 VUV 218.8K

$517 ฿17.0K

267.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,073 VUV 699.8K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

210.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,260 VUV 260.4K

$1,477 ฿48.6K

53.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$700 VUV 80.7K

$602 ฿19.8K

16.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.18

5.57

10.95%

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

Last update for Port Vila: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,556 in Port Vila versus $490 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 16% 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 $57.0 in Port Vila versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $473 vs $240 – 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 234% 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 $4,742 per month in Port Vila and $1,421 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 $630 per month in Port Vila and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 97% 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 $947, than in Port Vila at $3,162. 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 $947 versus $3,162 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.