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 $2,980 per month in Port Vila vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,025 per month in Port Vila vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,070 per month in Port Vila vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Port Vila costs about 189% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Port Vila sits 123% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.23 VUV 1,307

$6.16 COP 20.1K

82.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 VUV 7,473

$32.60 COP 106.1K

96.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.37 VUV 1,091

$7.34 COP 23.9K

27.66%

Cappuccino

$5.06 VUV 590

$1.72 COP 5,600

194.19%

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

$2.18 VUV 253

$1.05 COP 3,420

107.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 VUV 197

$0.77 COP 2,515

119.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 VUV 515

$1.69 COP 5,488

161.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 VUV 488

$3.17 COP 10.3K

32.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 VUV 258

$1.05 COP 3,423

111.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 VUV 289

$1.30 COP 4,236

90.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.85 VUV 448

$1.40 COP 4,544

175.00%

Eggs

$5.19 VUV 604

$2.16 COP 7,047

140.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.31 VUV 2,364

$4.39 COP 14.3K

362.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.40 VUV 2,142

$5.88 COP 19.1K

212.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.41 VUV 2,143

$8.64 COP 28.1K

113.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.82 VUV 561

$2.28 COP 7,426

111.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 VUV 243

$1.11 COP 3,604

88.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.08 VUV 708

$1.53 COP 4,983

297.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 VUV 297

$1.35 COP 4,410

88.89%

Potato (1kg)

$4.24 VUV 494

$1.13 COP 3,674

275.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 VUV 243

$1.13 COP 3,692

84.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 VUV 301

$0.85 COP 2,753

204.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 VUV 123

$0.91 COP 2,975

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.99 VUV 1,047

$2.34 COP 7,630

284.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 VUV 1,475

$12.37 COP 40.3K

2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 VUV 348

$1.20 COP 3,909

149.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 VUV 351

$2.49 COP 8,104

21.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 VUV 197

$0.84 COP 2,728

101.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 VUV 7,758

$40.57 COP 132.1K

64.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 VUV 251

$1.42 COP 4,623

51.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 VUV 95.8

$1.92 COP 6,235

-57.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 VUV 587

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-34.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 VUV 215

$0.99 COP 3,223

86.87%

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

$23.5K VUV 2.7M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

30.24%

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

$38.0K VUV 4.4M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

42.84%

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

$542 VUV 63.1K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

570.82%

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

$24.94 VUV 2,903

$9.95 COP 32.4K

150.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$226 VUV 26.3K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

835.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 VUV 1,923

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-13.73%

Cinema Ticket

$12.55 VUV 1,461

$3.98 COP 13.0K

215.33%

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

$620 VUV 72.1K

$305 COP 993.5K

102.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,934 VUV 807.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

14.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.05 VUV 5,361

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-20.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.3 VUV 7,839

$32.20 COP 104.8K

109.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 VUV 220.5K

$477 COP 1.6M

297.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 VUV 164.3K

$376 COP 1.2M

275.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,379 VUV 393.4K

$845 COP 2.7M

300.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 VUV 240.2K

$730 COP 2.4M

182.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,092 VUV 709.2K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

89.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,199 VUV 256.0K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

60.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$689 VUV 80.2K

$617 COP 2.0M

11.69%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,894 in Port Vila versus $477 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 12% 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $193 – 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 189%, 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 $4,470 per month in Port Vila and $1,546 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 $64.0 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 $2,980 in Port Vila and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Port Vila at $2,980. 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.