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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,983 per month in Port Vila vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,058 per month in Port Vila vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,134 per month in Port Vila vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Port Vila costs about 195% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Port Vila sits 123% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.14 VUV 1,282

$5.99 COP 21.4K

85.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 VUV 7,426

$32.86 COP 117.4K

96.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 VUV 1,131

$7.09 COP 25.3K

38.65%

Cappuccino

$5.25 VUV 604

$1.71 COP 6,115

207.02%

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

$2.15 VUV 247

$1.10 COP 3,924

95.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 VUV 200

$0.78 COP 2,781

123.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 VUV 508

$1.68 COP 5,997

163.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 VUV 486

$3.07 COP 11.0K

37.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 VUV 257

$1.09 COP 3,906

104.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 VUV 288

$1.26 COP 4,508

98.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.93 VUV 452

$1.38 COP 4,922

184.78%

Eggs

$5.18 VUV 596

$2.19 COP 7,827

136.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.04 VUV 2,306

$4.40 COP 15.7K

355.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.57 VUV 2,137

$5.63 COP 20.1K

229.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.19 VUV 2,094

$8.89 COP 31.8K

104.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 VUV 536

$2.34 COP 8,349

99.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 VUV 236

$1.06 COP 3,777

93.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.03 VUV 694

$1.50 COP 5,374

302.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 VUV 284

$1.38 COP 4,924

78.99%

Potato (1kg)

$4.40 VUV 506

$1.15 COP 4,111

282.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 VUV 251

$1.16 COP 4,155

87.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 VUV 296

$0.89 COP 3,182

188.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 VUV 122

$0.84 COP 2,997

26.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.46 VUV 1,089

$2.28 COP 8,145

314.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.44 VUV 1,432

$10.64 COP 38.0K

16.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 VUV 340

$1.20 COP 4,284

145.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 VUV 338

$2.47 COP 8,824

19.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 VUV 198

$0.86 COP 3,056

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.0 VUV 7,826

$41.40 COP 147.9K

64.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 VUV 246

$1.47 COP 5,264

45.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 VUV 94.9

$1.96 COP 7,009

-58.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 VUV 587

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-34.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 VUV 217

$0.95 COP 3,409

98.95%

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

$23.1K VUV 2.7M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

27.41%

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

$38.6K VUV 4.4M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

45.58%

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

$531 VUV 61.1K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

545.48%

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

$25.37 VUV 2,921

$9.50 COP 33.9K

167.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$227 VUV 26.2K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

838.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.92 VUV 1,948

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-10.95%

Cinema Ticket

$12.71 VUV 1,463

$3.93 COP 14.0K

223.41%

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

$624 VUV 71.8K

$309 COP 1.1M

101.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,796 VUV 782.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

13.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.92 VUV 5,286

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-21.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 VUV 7,851

$32.35 COP 115.5K

110.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 VUV 216.6K

$476 COP 1.7M

295.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,392 VUV 160.2K

$379 COP 1.4M

267.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,353 VUV 385.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

299.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,083 VUV 239.8K

$724 COP 2.6M

187.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,040 VUV 695.3K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

116.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,291 VUV 263.7K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

89.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$696 VUV 80.2K

$512 COP 1.8M

36.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-47.88%

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

Last update for Port Vila: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,882 in Port Vila versus $476 in Medellin. 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 36% 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 $65.0 in Port Vila versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $188 – 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

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

Yes – Port Vila is pricier by about 195%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,474 per month in Port Vila and $1,519 in Medellin. 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 $65.0 in Port Vila and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,983 in Port Vila and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Port Vila at $2,983. 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.