Cost of Living Comparison Between Tonga and VanuatuCost of Living Comparison Between Tonga and Vanuatu
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $343 in Tonga versus $3,227 in Vanuatu.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $626 in Tonga versus $3,156 in Vanuatu.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $908 in Tonga versus $3,085 in Vanuatu.
🙂Living in Tonga costs about 89% less than in Vanuatu on average.
📊Tonga (74% below) and Vanuatu (141% above) straddle the global median.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tonga
Vanuatu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.23TOP 19.42
$11.00VUV 1,270
-25.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.0TOP 146
$63.7VUV 7,350
-2.67%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.57TOP 24.93
$9.42VUV 1,087
12.21%
Cappuccino
$2.97TOP 7.01
$5.04VUV 582
-41.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88TOP 6.79
$2.22VUV 256
29.73%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41TOP 5.68
$1.75VUV 202
37.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.30TOP 7.79
$4.45VUV 513
-25.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.12TOP 12.07
$4.25VUV 490
20.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tonga
Vanuatu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.57TOP 3.71
$2.40VUV 277
-34.58%
White Bread(500g)
$1.03TOP 2.43
$2.73VUV 315
-62.27%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.07TOP 4.88
$3.83VUV 442
-45.95%
Eggs
$5.11TOP 12.06
$5.25VUV 606
-2.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.27TOP 21.86
$20.37VUV 2,351
-54.49%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.73TOP 13.52
$16.76VUV 1,934
-65.81%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.46TOP 17.59
$16.78VUV 1,937
-55.54%
Apples(1kg)
$2.85TOP 6.73
$4.79VUV 553
-40.50%
Banana(1kg)
$2.69TOP 6.34
$2.79VUV 322
-3.58%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.89TOP 6.81
$5.47VUV 631
-47.17%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.64TOP 8.58
$3.45VUV 398
5.51%
Potato(1kg)
$3.20TOP 7.55
$5.12VUV 591
-37.50%
Onion(1kg)
$2.70TOP 6.36
$2.86VUV 330
-5.59%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.25TOP 5.32
$2.46VUV 283
-8.54%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.40TOP 3.31
$1.33VUV 154
5.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.35TOP 24.41
$9.46VUV 1,092
9.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.27TOP 40.73
$14.39VUV 1,661
20.01%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.16TOP 7.46
$3.16VUV 364
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36TOP 7.92
$2.94VUV 339
14.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Tonga
Vanuatu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.06TOP 4.87
$1.73VUV 199
19.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.28TOP 97.4
$68.0VUV 7,843
-39.26%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.13TOP 5.02
$2.05VUV 236
3.90%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$0.87VUV 101
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$41.20TOP 97.2
$5.12VUV 591
704.69%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.47TOP 3.47
$1.87VUV 215
-21.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$5,828TOP 13.7K
$23.2KVUV 2.7M
-74.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$8,185TOP 19.3K
$38.1KVUV 4.4M
-78.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tonga
Vanuatu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$186TOP 438
$544VUV 62.8K
-65.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.05TOP 52.0
$25.63VUV 2,958
-13.97%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$122TOP 288
$228VUV 26.3K
-46.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tonga
Vanuatu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$30.91TOP 72.9
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$41.91TOP 98.8
$16.78VUV 1,936
149.76%
Cinema Ticket
$41.37TOP 97.6
$12.41VUV 1,432
233.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tonga
Vanuatu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$156TOP 368
$611VUV 70.5K
-74.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$253TOP 597
$6,863VUV 792.1K
-96.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tonga
Vanuatu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.73TOP 34.74
$46.56VUV 5,373
-68.36%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.74TOP 41.84
$67.5VUV 7,788
-73.71%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$20.94TOP 49.39
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$28.59TOP 67.4
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tonga
Vanuatu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$621TOP 1,464
$1,845VUV 212.9K
-66.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$50.4TOP 119
$1,758VUV 202.8K
-97.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$838TOP 1,975
$3,380VUV 390.1K
-75.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$566TOP 1,335
$2,037VUV 235.1K
-72.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$409TOP 965
$6,133VUV 707.8K
-93.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$250TOP 588
$2,231VUV 257.4K
-88.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tonga
Vanuatu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$669TOP 1,578
$338VUV 39.1K
97.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
7
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tonga: June 1, 2026
Last update for Vanuatu: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $205 in Tonga, $941 in Vanuatu. Capital cities: $614 in Nuku'alofa vs $1,882 in Port Vila.
💰National salary averages: $674 in Tonga, $496 in Vanuatu. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 359% higher in Vanuatu.
⭐Dining out costs 57% more in Vanuatu.
⭐Public transport is 143% more expensive in Vanuatu.
⭐Salaries are 36% higher in Tonga, giving Tonga stronger purchasing power.
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
Tonga vs Vanuatu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Tonga compare to Vanuatu?
At $514 per month in Tonga and $3,227 in Vanuatu, there's a 528% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do daily expenses compare in Tonga vs Vanuatu?
Tonga is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Is rent more expensive in Tonga or Vanuatu?
Rent in Vanuatu beats Tonga across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Can you live in both Tonga and Vanuatu on $1,000 per month?
In Tonga, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Vanuatu, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Which country is better for expats: Tonga or Vanuatu?
It depends on what you're after. Tonga wins on affordability; Vanuatu may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.