Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Vila and Gothenburg

For one person, living is cheaper in Gothenburg: $2,026 a month against $3,148 in Port Vila, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Port Vila
🇻🇺 Vanuatu
$3,148
/mo nomad
Gothenburg
🇸🇪 Sweden
$2,026
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Port Vila and in Gothenburg

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,148 in Port Vila versus $2,026 in Gothenburg.

  • Port Vila $3,148
  • Gothenburg $2,026

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,290 in Port Vila versus $3,062 in Gothenburg.

  • Port Vila $4,290
  • Gothenburg $3,062

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Port Vila versus $4,099 in Gothenburg.

  • Port Vila $5,432
  • Gothenburg $4,099

Living in Port Vila is roughly 55% more expensive than in Gothenburg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Vila 133% above, Gothenburg 50% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Port Vila
Gothenburg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.57 VUV 1,474
$13.13 SEK 130
-4.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.9 VUV 6,558
$83.8 SEK 830
-33.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.47 VUV 1,697
$12.47 SEK 124
16.04%
Cappuccino
$3.99 VUV 468
$5.03 SEK 49.80
-20.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 VUV 270
$2.84 SEK 28.14
-19.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 VUV 276
$2.37 SEK 23.44
-0.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.14 VUV 603
$6.84 SEK 67.8
-24.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.16 VUV 839
$7.51 SEK 74.4
-4.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Port Vila
Gothenburg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.73 VUV 320
$1.68 SEK 16.68
62.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.97 VUV 231
$2.69 SEK 26.63
-26.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.63 VUV 426
$3.09 SEK 30.60
17.48%
Eggs
$6.30 VUV 739
$3.81 SEK 37.74
65.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.57 VUV 2,061
$11.45 SEK 113
53.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.60 VUV 1,947
$11.32 SEK 112
46.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.68 VUV 1,604
$16.54 SEK 164
-17.29%
Apples (1kg)
$7.13 VUV 837
$3.07 SEK 30.42
132.25%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 VUV 252
$2.41 SEK 23.88
-10.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.86 VUV 453
$3.01 SEK 29.83
28.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$9.44 VUV 1,107
$4.25 SEK 42.09
122.12%
Potato (1kg)
$9.13 VUV 1,071
$1.74 SEK 17.24
424.71%
Onion (1kg)
$3.47 VUV 407
$1.62 SEK 16.06
114.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.58 VUV 303
$1.96 SEK 19.47
31.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 VUV 140
$1.65 SEK 16.30
-27.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.06 VUV 1,063
$8.38 SEK 83.0
8.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.51 VUV 1,467
$14.69 SEK 146
-14.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.45 VUV 287
$2.03 SEK 20.14
20.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 VUV 316
$2.24 SEK 22.24
20.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Port Vila
Gothenburg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.29 VUV 151
$3.63 SEK 35.97
-64.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$68.6 VUV 8,052
$86.4 SEK 857
-20.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.57 VUV 302
$5.92 SEK 58.7
-56.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.88 VUV 103
$1.72 SEK 17.01
-48.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.19 VUV 609
$58.6 SEK 581
-91.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.76 VUV 206
$1.74 SEK 17.29
1.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K VUV 2.7M
$33.5K SEK 331.8K
-31.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.9K VUV 4.5M
$33.4K SEK 331.3K
13.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Vila
Gothenburg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$636 VUV 74.6K
$102 SEK 1,011
522.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.30 VUV 2,615
$19.73 SEK 196
13.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$362 VUV 42.4K
$33.00 SEK 327
995.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Port Vila
Gothenburg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.7 VUV 7,936
$35.48 SEK 352
90.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.93 VUV 1,986
$24.00 SEK 238
-29.46%
Cinema Ticket
-
$18.32 SEK 182
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Port Vila
Gothenburg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$631 VUV 74.0K
$217 SEK 2,147
191.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,973 VUV 818.0K
$4,293 SEK 42.5K
62.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Port Vila
Gothenburg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.45 VUV 4,862
$87.5 SEK 867
-52.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$67.0 VUV 7,856
$33.46 SEK 332
100.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.0 VUV 10.1K
$87.0 SEK 862
-1.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 VUV 12.0K
$131 SEK 1,298
-21.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Port Vila
Gothenburg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,549 VUV 181.7K
$1,026 SEK 10.2K
51.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,120 VUV 131.3K
$903 SEK 8,951
23.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,413 VUV 400.3K
$1,791 SEK 17.7K
90.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,886 VUV 221.3K
$1,409 SEK 14.0K
33.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,917 VUV 694.1K
$6,190 SEK 61.3K
-4.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,162 VUV 253.6K
$3,427 SEK 34.0K
-36.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Port Vila
Gothenburg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$678 VUV 79.5K
$3,492 SEK 34.6K
-80.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.18
3.06
101.96%

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

Last update for Port Vila: October 10, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Port Vila
$1.1K
Gothenburg
$903 19.3% $216
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Vila
$1K
Gothenburg
$155 84.8% $865
Groceries & Markets
Port Vila
$476
Gothenburg
$355 25.5% $121
Eating Out
Port Vila
$250
Gothenburg
$273 9% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Port Vila
$134
Gothenburg
$153 14.2% $19
Getting Around
Port Vila
$81
Gothenburg
$115 43% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Port Vila
$68 *
Gothenburg
$72 6.6% $4.5

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,549 in Port Vila and $1,026 in Gothenburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 415% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $56.0 in Port Vila vs $84.0 in Gothenburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $476 vs $355, with Gothenburg cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇻🇺 Port Vila
🇸🇪 Gothenburg
🕒 Local time
16:31 4:31 PM
07:31 7:31 AM
9 h behind Port Vila
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
44,039 Capital
607,882
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to VUV – Vanuatu Vatu Converter

Vanuatu Vatu exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 117 VUV (1,000 VUV = 8.53 USD). 1 EUR = 132 VUV (1,000 VUV = 7.58 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Port Vila Gothenburg 15,160 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Port Vila
  • Gothenburg

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
Port Vila vs Gothenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Port Vila or Gothenburg?
Gothenburg wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Port Vila. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gothenburg the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Port Vila or in Gothenburg?
On paper, salaries run 415% lower in Gothenburg. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Port Vila compared to Gothenburg?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,549 in Port Vila versus $1,026 in Gothenburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Port Vila and in Gothenburg?
Childcare runs $631 in Port Vila versus $217 in Gothenburg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Port Vila or in Gothenburg?
Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Port Vila. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Port Vila or in Gothenburg?
At $2,026 in Gothenburg versus $3,148 in Port Vila, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gothenburg but tight or insufficient in Port Vila. The gap between the two cities makes Gothenburg the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Port Vila or Gothenburg?
Both work as nomad bases, but Gothenburg delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,026 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gothenburg hard to pass up.
How safe is Port Vila compared to Gothenburg?
Safety-wise, Port Vila and Gothenburg are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Gothenburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Port Vila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Port Vila vs other spots: cost of living compared

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