Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Vila and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Vila and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,983 in Port Vila versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,058 in Port Vila versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,134 in Port Vila versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Port Vila is roughly 103% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Vila 123% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.14 VUV 1,282

$13.18 MX$228

-15.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 VUV 7,426

$53.9 MX$932

19.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 VUV 1,131

$9.42 MX$163

4.35%

Cappuccino

$5.25 VUV 604

$3.55 MX$61.4

47.89%

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

$2.15 VUV 247

$1.62 MX$27.98

32.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 VUV 200

$1.11 MX$19.27

56.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 VUV 508

$3.12 MX$54.0

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 VUV 486

$4.63 MX$80.1

-8.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 VUV 257

$1.70 MX$29.43

31.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 VUV 288

$2.72 MX$47.02

-8.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.93 VUV 452

$1.91 MX$33.07

105.76%

Eggs

$5.18 VUV 596

$2.54 MX$43.86

103.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.04 VUV 2,306

$10.03 MX$174

99.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.57 VUV 2,137

$8.09 MX$140

129.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.19 VUV 2,094

$11.62 MX$201

56.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 VUV 536

$2.97 MX$51.3

56.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 VUV 236

$1.81 MX$31.24

13.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.03 VUV 694

$2.01 MX$34.82

200.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 VUV 284

$2.03 MX$35.20

21.67%

Potato (1kg)

$4.40 VUV 506

$2.12 MX$36.75

107.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 VUV 251

$2.27 MX$39.25

-3.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 VUV 296

$1.40 MX$24.22

83.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 VUV 122

$1.13 MX$19.55

-6.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.46 VUV 1,089

$4.27 MX$73.9

121.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.44 VUV 1,432

$15.56 MX$269

-20.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 VUV 340

$1.76 MX$30.39

67.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 VUV 338

$3.60 MX$62.2

-18.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 VUV 198

$0.38 MX$6.62

352.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.0 VUV 7,826

$19.18 MX$332

254.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 VUV 246

$1.38 MX$23.79

55.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 VUV 94.9

$0.28 MX$4.78

192.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 VUV 587

$5.45 MX$94.2

-6.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 VUV 217

$1.30 MX$22.55

45.38%

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

$23.1K VUV 2.7M

$18.7K MX$323.2K

23.62%

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

$38.6K VUV 4.4M

$23.1K MX$400.1K

66.70%

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

$531 VUV 61.1K

$40.86 MX$707

1199.34%

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

$25.37 VUV 2,921

$26.81 MX$464

-5.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$227 VUV 26.2K

$29.96 MX$518

658.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.92 VUV 1,948

$26.84 MX$464

-36.96%

Cinema Ticket

$12.71 VUV 1,463

$6.30 MX$109

101.75%

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

$624 VUV 71.8K

$436 MX$7,544

43.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,796 VUV 782.2K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-34.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.92 VUV 5,286

$56.7 MX$980

-18.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 VUV 7,851

$44.38 MX$768

53.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 VUV 216.6K

$1,022 MX$17.7K

84.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,392 VUV 160.2K

$631 MX$10.9K

120.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,353 VUV 385.9K

$2,136 MX$36.9K

56.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,083 VUV 239.8K

$1,243 MX$21.5K

67.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,040 VUV 695.3K

$3,903 MX$67.5K

54.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,291 VUV 263.7K

$2,064 MX$35.7K

10.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$696 VUV 80.2K

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-37.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-38.27%

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

Last update for Port Vila: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,882 in Port Vila and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 60% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Port Vila vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $288 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Vila and Mexico City differ by about 103% in total monthly costs ($2,983 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 60% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,882 in Port Vila versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 254% less than in Port Vila. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $624 in Port Vila versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,983 in Port Vila, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Port Vila. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Port Vila and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Port Vila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.