Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Port Vila

For one person, living is cheaper in Taipei: $1,395 a month against $3,157 in Port Vila, rent and utilities included – about $21,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Taipei
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Taipei Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Port Vila
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Port Vila Living Index

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Taipei

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$1,395

/mo nomad

Port Vila

🇻🇺 Vanuatu

$3,157

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Taipei and in Port Vila

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Taipei and in Port Vila actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,395 per month in Taipei vs $3,157 in Port Vila, rent included.

Taipei $1,395
Port Vila $3,157

A couple spends around $2,227 per month in Taipei vs $4,290 in Port Vila, rent included.

Taipei $2,227
Port Vila $4,290

A family of three spends $3,059 per month in Taipei vs $5,424 in Port Vila, rent included.

Taipei $3,059
Port Vila $5,424

Taipei is about 56% cheaper than Port Vila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Taipei and Port Vila sit above the global median – Taipei by 4%, Port Vila by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.76 NT$152

$12.64 VUV 1,480

-62.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.18 NT$1,537

$55.9 VUV 6,540

-13.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.75 NT$183

$14.29 VUV 1,673

-59.76%

Cappuccino

$3.49 NT$112

$4.06 VUV 475

-14.04%

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

$0.88 NT$28.03

$2.32 VUV 271

-62.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 NT$20.61

$2.33 VUV 273

-72.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 NT$91.4

$4.93 VUV 577

-41.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 NT$117

$7.24 VUV 847

-49.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.09 NT$98.5

$2.86 VUV 335

8.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 NT$65.5

$1.90 VUV 223

7.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 NT$97.5

$3.83 VUV 448

-20.10%

Eggs

$2.70 NT$86.0

$6.06 VUV 710

-55.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.66 NT$627

$17.62 VUV 2,063

11.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 NT$314

$16.51 VUV 1,933

-40.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.11 NT$674

$13.76 VUV 1,611

53.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 NT$162

$6.98 VUV 817

-27.22%

Banana (1kg)

$3.39 NT$108

$2.12 VUV 249

59.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 NT$95.8

$3.82 VUV 447

-21.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 NT$146

$9.36 VUV 1,096

-51.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 NT$86.8

$8.96 VUV 1,049

-69.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 NT$72.9

$3.50 VUV 410

-34.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 NT$53.7

$2.60 VUV 304

-35.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NT$36.81

$1.16 VUV 135

-0.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 NT$129

$9.16 VUV 1,073

-55.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 NT$457

$12.63 VUV 1,479

13.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 NT$54.2

$2.50 VUV 292

-32.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 NT$73.0

$2.73 VUV 319

-16.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 NT$19.46

$1.24 VUV 145

-50.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.47 NT$1,228

$68.8 VUV 8,054

-44.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 NT$87.0

$2.48 VUV 291

10.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 NT$24.02

$0.87 VUV 102

-13.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.59 NT$306

$5.22 VUV 611

83.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.56

$1.82 VUV 213

-43.96%

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

$34.1K NT$1.1M

$23.6K VUV 2.8M

44.73%

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

$24.2K NT$771.9K

$38.1K VUV 4.5M

-36.43%

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

$86.4 NT$2,756

$640 VUV 74.9K

-86.50%

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

$17.12 NT$546

$22.97 VUV 2,689

-25.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.06 NT$864

$359 VUV 42.0K

-92.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.77 NT$1,301

$67.7 VUV 7,931

-39.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.04 NT$512

$17.18 VUV 2,011

-6.64%

Cinema Ticket

$9.63 NT$307

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

$656 NT$20.9K

$625 VUV 73.2K

4.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K NT$524.1K

$6,995 VUV 819.0K

134.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 NT$2,001

$41.44 VUV 4,852

51.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.50 NT$1,261

$67.4 VUV 7,894

-41.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 NT$2,677

$85.5 VUV 10.0K

-1.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 NT$3,392

$103 VUV 12.0K

3.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 NT$32.4K

$1,581 VUV 185.1K

-35.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 NT$15.3K

$1,117 VUV 130.8K

-57.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NT$50.0K

$3,398 VUV 397.9K

-53.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$952 NT$30.4K

$1,872 VUV 219.2K

-49.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K NT$389.2K

$6,112 VUV 715.6K

99.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,207 NT$230.0K

$2,206 VUV 258.3K

226.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,772 NT$56.5K

$667 VUV 78.1K

165.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

6.18

-61.17%

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

Last update for Taipei: October 4, 2026

Last update for Port Vila: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Taipei

$479 34.8%

Port Vila

$1.1K 35.5% 134% $639

Groceries & Markets

Taipei

$401 29.2%

Port Vila

$475 15.1% 18.3% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Taipei

$132 9.6%

Port Vila

$134 4.3% 1.6% $2.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Taipei

$131 9.5%

Port Vila

$1K 32.5% 683% $891

Eating Out

Taipei

$125 9.1%

Port Vila

$250 8% 100% $125

Sport & Entertainment

Taipei

$60 4.4%

Port Vila

$68 * 2.2% 12.8% $7.7

Getting Around

Taipei

$47 3.5%

Port Vila

$81 2.6% 70% $33

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,016 in Taipei versus $1,581 in Port Vila. 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 166% higher in Taipei, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Taipei versus $56.0 in Port Vila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $475 – making Taipei the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇼 Taipei

🇻🇺 Port Vila

🕒 Local time

19:34 7:34 PM

22:34 10:34 PM

3 h ahead of Taipei

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,635,286 Capital

44,039 Capital

💱 Currency

New Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$

Vanuatu Vatu VUV Vt

📈 Exchange rate

100 TWD = 3.13 USD

100 TWD = 2.8 EUR

1,000 VUV = 8.54 USD

1,000 VUV = 7.62 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

VUV, USD, EUR to TWD – New Taiwan Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇼 New Taiwan Dollar (NT$)

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 31.91 TWD (100 TWD = 3.13 USD). 1 EUR = 35.76 TWD (100 TWD = 2.8 EUR).

Vanuatu Vatu exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 117 VUV (1,000 VUV = 8.54 USD). 1 EUR = 131 VUV (1,000 VUV = 7.62 EUR).

USD to TWD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Taipei Port Vila 6,950 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Taipei
Port Vila

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Taipei vs Port Vila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Vila costs about 126% more than Taipei, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,092 per month in Taipei and $4,735 in Port Vila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taipei, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,395 in Taipei and $3,157 in Port Vila. That's a gap of about 126%.

Public transport costs about 79% less in Taipei. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Taipei, where all-in costs run around $1,395, than in Port Vila at $3,157. In Taipei it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Vila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taipei – 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 Taipei. 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.