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 $3,162 per month in Port Vila vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,309 per month in Port Vila vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,456 per month in Port Vila vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Port Vila costs about 84% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Port Vila and Medellin sit above the global median – Port Vila by 130%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.55 VUV 1,446

$8.03 COP 25.2K

56.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 VUV 6,626

$48.26 COP 151.7K

19.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.58 VUV 1,681

$9.77 COP 30.7K

49.23%

Cappuccino

$4.14 VUV 477

$2.91 COP 9,149

42.27%

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

$2.27 VUV 261

$1.94 COP 6,110

17.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 VUV 282

$1.52 COP 4,783

61.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 VUV 573

$3.09 COP 9,721

60.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 VUV 810

$5.74 COP 18.1K

22.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.74 VUV 316

$1.36 COP 4,287

101.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 VUV 217

$2.39 COP 7,505

-20.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 VUV 422

$1.70 COP 5,346

115.29%

Eggs

$6.35 VUV 731

$2.87 COP 9,021

121.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.86 VUV 2,058

$9.94 COP 31.2K

79.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.17 VUV 1,864

$10.78 COP 33.9K

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.93 VUV 1,605

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-5.43%

Apples (1kg)

$6.96 VUV 802

$4.09 COP 12.8K

70.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 VUV 246

$1.57 COP 4,940

36.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 VUV 456

$2.13 COP 6,682

85.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.34 VUV 1,076

$2.21 COP 6,959

322.62%

Potato (1kg)

$8.81 VUV 1,015

$2.05 COP 6,435

329.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 VUV 403

$1.50 COP 4,728

133.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 VUV 285

$1.19 COP 3,740

108.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 VUV 140

$1.16 COP 3,640

4.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.19 VUV 1,059

$3.90 COP 12.2K

135.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 VUV 1,458

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-12.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 VUV 279

$1.58 COP 4,978

53.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 VUV 316

$2.83 COP 8,889

-2.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 VUV 145

$1.17 COP 3,672

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.3 VUV 7,872

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-12.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 VUV 294

$1.28 COP 4,038

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 VUV 92.1

$2.09 COP 6,576

-61.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 VUV 598

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-39.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 VUV 201

$1.30 COP 4,080

33.85%

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

$23.1K VUV 2.7M

$27.7K COP 86.9M

-16.47%

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

$38.5K VUV 4.4M

$35.5K COP 111.6M

8.45%

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

$635 VUV 73.1K

$176 COP 553.4K

260.42%

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

$22.76 VUV 2,623

$13.37 COP 42.0K

70.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$366 VUV 42.2K

$29.89 COP 94.0K

1125.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.6 VUV 7,787

$44.76 COP 140.7K

50.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.59 VUV 1,912

$17.06 COP 53.6K

-2.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

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

$630 VUV 72.6K

$793 COP 2.5M

-20.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,806 VUV 784.3K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-24.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.39 VUV 4,886

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-50.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.3 VUV 7,876

$58.5 COP 183.8K

16.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.8 VUV 9,544

$136 COP 428.4K

-39.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 VUV 11.9K

$103 COP 324.1K

0.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 VUV 179.3K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

46.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 VUV 132.2K

$680 COP 2.1M

68.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,423 VUV 394.5K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

70.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,899 VUV 218.8K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

62.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,073 VUV 699.8K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

47.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,260 VUV 260.4K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

32.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$700 VUV 80.7K

$665 COP 2.1M

5.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.18

10.94

-43.51%

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

Last update for Port Vila: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,556 in Port Vila versus $1,060 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 5% 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 $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $473 vs $303 – 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 84%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,742 per month in Port Vila and $2,574 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 $57.0 in Port Vila and $48.00 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 $3,162 in Port Vila and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Port Vila at $3,162. 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.