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: $2,980 in Port Vila versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,025 in Port Vila versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,070 in Port Vila versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Port Vila is roughly 105% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Vila 123% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.23 VUV 1,307

$13.07 MX$229

-14.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 VUV 7,473

$53.8 MX$943

19.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.37 VUV 1,091

$9.68 MX$170

-3.20%

Cappuccino

$5.06 VUV 590

$3.74 MX$65.6

35.29%

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

$2.18 VUV 253

$1.62 MX$28.34

34.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 VUV 197

$1.16 MX$20.37

45.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 VUV 515

$3.23 MX$56.6

36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 VUV 488

$4.74 MX$83.1

-11.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 VUV 258

$1.65 MX$28.89

34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 VUV 289

$2.75 MX$48.30

-9.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.85 VUV 448

$1.87 MX$32.87

105.88%

Eggs

$5.19 VUV 604

$2.50 MX$43.86

107.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.31 VUV 2,364

$10.20 MX$179

99.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.40 VUV 2,142

$8.25 MX$145

123.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.41 VUV 2,143

$11.82 MX$207

55.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.82 VUV 561

$3.01 MX$52.8

60.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 VUV 243

$1.81 MX$31.77

15.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.08 VUV 708

$2.00 MX$35.07

204.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 VUV 297

$2.00 MX$35.00

27.50%

Potato (1kg)

$4.24 VUV 494

$2.08 MX$36.56

103.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 VUV 243

$2.27 MX$39.85

-8.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 VUV 301

$1.46 MX$25.55

77.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 VUV 123

$1.08 MX$18.88

-2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.99 VUV 1,047

$4.35 MX$76.3

106.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 VUV 1,475

$16.99 MX$298

-25.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 VUV 348

$1.73 MX$30.40

72.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 VUV 351

$3.58 MX$62.7

-15.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 VUV 197

$0.39 MX$6.79

333.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 VUV 7,758

$18.69 MX$328

256.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 VUV 251

$1.33 MX$23.25

61.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 VUV 95.8

$0.28 MX$4.91

192.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 VUV 587

$5.25 MX$92.1

-4.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 VUV 215

$1.34 MX$23.44

38.06%

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

$23.5K VUV 2.7M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

20.98%

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

$38.0K VUV 4.4M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

59.59%

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

$542 VUV 63.1K

$40.69 MX$714

1232.24%

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

$24.94 VUV 2,903

$26.87 MX$471

-7.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$226 VUV 26.3K

$30.51 MX$535

641.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 VUV 1,923

$26.65 MX$467

-38.01%

Cinema Ticket

$12.55 VUV 1,461

$6.51 MX$114

92.78%

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

$620 VUV 72.1K

$428 MX$7,508

44.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,934 VUV 807.2K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-33.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.05 VUV 5,361

$57.3 MX$1,004

-19.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.3 VUV 7,839

$45.50 MX$798

48.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 VUV 220.5K

$1,003 MX$17.6K

88.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 VUV 164.3K

$623 MX$10.9K

126.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,379 VUV 393.4K

$2,109 MX$37.0K

60.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 VUV 240.2K

$1,218 MX$21.4K

69.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,092 VUV 709.2K

$3,885 MX$68.1K

56.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,199 VUV 256.0K

$2,033 MX$35.7K

8.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$689 VUV 80.2K

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-33.62%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,894 in Port Vila and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $64.0 in Port Vila vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $451 vs $292 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 105% in total monthly costs ($2,980 vs $1,456 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 51% lower in Mexico City. 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: $1,894 in Port Vila versus $1,003 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 257% less than in Port Vila. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $620 in Port Vila versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $2,980 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 105% less than in Port Vila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.