Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Vila and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Vila and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,983 in Port Vila versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,058 in Port Vila versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,134 in Port Vila versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Port Vila is roughly 136% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port Vila is 123% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.14 VUV 1,282

$4.70 ฿153

137.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 VUV 7,426

$45.37 ฿1,482

42.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 VUV 1,131

$8.43 ฿275

16.61%

Cappuccino

$5.25 VUV 604

$2.93 ฿95.6

79.18%

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

$2.15 VUV 247

$0.69 ฿22.40

211.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 VUV 200

$0.37 ฿11.99

370.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 VUV 508

$2.41 ฿78.6

83.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 VUV 486

$3.72 ฿122

13.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 VUV 257

$2.23 ฿72.9

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 VUV 288

$1.83 ฿59.8

36.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.93 VUV 452

$2.17 ฿70.8

81.11%

Eggs

$5.18 VUV 596

$2.21 ฿72.3

134.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.04 VUV 2,306

$19.74 ฿645

1.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.57 VUV 2,137

$3.63 ฿119

411.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.19 VUV 2,094

$13.53 ฿442

34.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 VUV 536

$3.28 ฿107

42.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 VUV 236

$1.61 ฿52.6

27.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.03 VUV 694

$2.41 ฿78.6

150.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 VUV 284

$2.08 ฿68.1

18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$4.40 VUV 506

$1.53 ฿49.93

187.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 VUV 251

$1.48 ฿48.36

47.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 VUV 296

$0.99 ฿32.29

159.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 VUV 122

$0.51 ฿16.67

107.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.46 VUV 1,089

$4.41 ฿144

114.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.44 VUV 1,432

$19.38 ฿633

-35.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 VUV 340

$1.78 ฿58.1

65.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 VUV 338

$2.71 ฿88.6

8.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 VUV 198

$1.37 ฿44.79

25.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.0 VUV 7,826

$11.39 ฿372

496.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 VUV 246

$3.02 ฿98.6

-29.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 VUV 94.9

$0.99 ฿32.48

-17.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 VUV 587

$14.10 ฿461

-63.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 VUV 217

$1.36 ฿44.51

38.97%

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

$23.1K VUV 2.7M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-18.09%

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

$38.6K VUV 4.4M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

17.19%

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

$531 VUV 61.1K

$122 ฿3,975

336.24%

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

$25.37 VUV 2,921

$13.57 ฿443

86.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$227 VUV 26.2K

$18.31 ฿598

1141.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.92 VUV 1,948

$17.14 ฿560

-1.28%

Cinema Ticket

$12.71 VUV 1,463

$8.69 ฿284

46.26%

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

$624 VUV 71.8K

$693 ฿22.6K

-9.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,796 VUV 782.2K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-56.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.92 VUV 5,286

$59.5 ฿1,944

-22.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 VUV 7,851

$34.77 ฿1,136

96.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 VUV 216.6K

$613 ฿20.0K

206.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,392 VUV 160.2K

$437 ฿14.3K

218.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,353 VUV 385.9K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

60.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,083 VUV 239.8K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

38.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,040 VUV 695.3K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

61.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,291 VUV 263.7K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-12.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$696 VUV 80.2K

$508 ฿16.6K

37.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

31.33%

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

Last update for Port Vila: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,882 in Port Vila and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Vila pays 37% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $65.0 in Port Vila vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $293 per month, with Phuket 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 136% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Port Vila pays 37% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,882 in Port Vila versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $624 in Port Vila versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Port Vila. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,983 in Port Vila, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Port Vila. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Port Vila, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Port Vila and Phuket 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 136% less than in Port Vila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.