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: $3,162 in Port Vila versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,309 in Port Vila versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,456 in Port Vila versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Port Vila is roughly 92% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Vila 130% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.55 VUV 1,446

$12.11 MX$205

3.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 VUV 6,626

$52.2 MX$883

10.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.58 VUV 1,681

$10.90 MX$184

33.76%

Cappuccino

$4.14 VUV 477

$4.05 MX$68.5

2.22%

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

$2.27 VUV 261

$1.72 MX$29.00

31.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 VUV 282

$1.38 MX$23.29

77.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 VUV 573

$3.47 MX$58.6

43.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 VUV 810

$5.81 MX$98.2

21.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.74 VUV 316

$1.85 MX$31.33

48.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 VUV 217

$3.22 MX$54.5

-41.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 VUV 422

$2.09 MX$35.25

75.12%

Eggs

$6.35 VUV 731

$2.91 MX$49.18

118.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.86 VUV 2,058

$12.49 MX$211

42.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.17 VUV 1,864

$10.11 MX$171

59.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.93 VUV 1,605

$15.89 MX$269

-12.33%

Apples (1kg)

$6.96 VUV 802

$3.31 MX$56.0

110.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 VUV 246

$2.13 MX$35.95

0.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 VUV 456

$2.19 MX$37.03

80.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.34 VUV 1,076

$2.45 MX$41.37

281.22%

Potato (1kg)

$8.81 VUV 1,015

$2.19 MX$37.00

302.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 VUV 403

$1.90 MX$32.20

84.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 VUV 285

$1.62 MX$27.31

53.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 VUV 140

$1.35 MX$22.82

-10.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.19 VUV 1,059

$5.43 MX$91.7

69.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 VUV 1,458

$17.59 MX$297

-28.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 VUV 279

$2.07 MX$34.96

17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 VUV 316

$4.75 MX$80.2

-42.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 VUV 145

$0.34 MX$5.75

270.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.3 VUV 7,872

$21.58 MX$365

216.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 VUV 294

$2.04 MX$34.49

25.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 VUV 92.1

$0.58 MX$9.77

37.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 VUV 598

$5.97 MX$101

-13.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 VUV 201

$1.62 MX$27.31

7.41%

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

$23.1K VUV 2.7M

$22.8K MX$385.6K

1.28%

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

$38.5K VUV 4.4M

$26.7K MX$450.7K

44.43%

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

$635 VUV 73.1K

$65.2 MX$1,103

872.70%

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

$22.76 VUV 2,623

$29.87 MX$505

-23.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$366 VUV 42.2K

$36.55 MX$618

902.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.6 VUV 7,787

$61.0 MX$1,031

10.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.59 VUV 1,912

$26.70 MX$451

-37.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

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

$630 VUV 72.6K

$453 MX$7,664

38.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,806 VUV 784.3K

$13.4K MX$226.0K

-49.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.39 VUV 4,886

$75.0 MX$1,267

-43.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.3 VUV 7,876

$55.3 MX$935

23.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.8 VUV 9,544

$114 MX$1,920

-27.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 VUV 11.9K

$123 MX$2,073

-15.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 VUV 179.3K

$1,134 MX$19.2K

37.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 VUV 132.2K

$712 MX$12.0K

61.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,423 VUV 394.5K

$2,571 MX$43.5K

33.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,899 VUV 218.8K

$1,311 MX$22.2K

44.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,073 VUV 699.8K

$3,993 MX$67.5K

52.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,260 VUV 260.4K

$2,095 MX$35.4K

7.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$700 VUV 80.7K

$1,047 MX$17.7K

-33.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.18

11.3

-45.31%

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

Last update for Port Vila: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,556 in Port Vila and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 50% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $57.0 in Port Vila vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $473 vs $345 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 92% in total monthly costs ($3,162 vs $1,646 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 50% 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: $1,556 in Port Vila versus $1,134 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 217% less than in Port Vila. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $630 in Port Vila versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $3,162 in Port Vila, a $3,000 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 92% less than in Port Vila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.