Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Vanuatu Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Vanuatu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,363 in United Kingdom versus $3,227 in Vanuatu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,474 in United Kingdom versus $3,156 in Vanuatu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,585 in United Kingdom versus $3,085 in Vanuatu.

Living in United Kingdom costs about 27% less than in Vanuatu on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: United Kingdom 76% above, Vanuatu 141% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in United Kingdom: monthly costs span $1,678 to $3,892, compared to $2,983$3,471 in Vanuatu. City choice carries more weight in United Kingdom.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
United Kingdom
Vanuatu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.41 £15.31
$11.00 VUV 1,270
85.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.0 £65.3
$63.7 VUV 7,350
36.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.13 £7.60
$9.42 VUV 1,087
7.54%
Cappuccino
$4.70 £3.52
$5.04 VUV 582
-6.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 £1.77
$2.22 VUV 256
6.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76 £1.32
$1.75 VUV 202
0.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.66 £4.99
$4.45 VUV 513
49.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.43 £4.82
$4.25 VUV 490
51.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
Vanuatu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 £1.28
$2.40 VUV 277
-29.17%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 £1.22
$2.73 VUV 315
-40.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.29 £1.72
$3.83 VUV 442
-40.21%
Eggs
$4.03 £3.02
$5.25 VUV 606
-23.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.77 £7.32
$20.37 VUV 2,351
-52.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.92 £6.69
$16.76 VUV 1,934
-46.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.31 £10.73
$16.78 VUV 1,937
-14.72%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 £2.28
$4.79 VUV 553
-36.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 £1.20
$2.79 VUV 322
-42.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.84 £2.13
$5.47 VUV 631
-48.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.53 £2.65
$3.45 VUV 398
2.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 £1.20
$5.12 VUV 591
-68.55%
Onion (1kg)
$1.57 £1.18
$2.86 VUV 330
-45.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 £0.88
$2.46 VUV 283
-52.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.56 £1.17
$1.33 VUV 154
17.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.03 £15.02
$9.46 VUV 1,092
111.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.90 £8.17
$14.39 VUV 1,661
-24.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 £2.18
$3.16 VUV 364
-8.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38 £2.53
$2.94 VUV 339
14.97%
🚌 Getting Around
United Kingdom
Vanuatu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.17 £2.37
$1.73 VUV 199
83.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.2 £71.4
$68.0 VUV 7,843
40.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 £4.09
$2.05 VUV 236
165.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.59 £1.19
$0.87 VUV 101
82.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.31 £20.48
$5.12 VUV 591
433.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 £1.49
$1.87 VUV 215
6.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.8K £28.3K
$23.2K VUV 2.7M
62.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.2K £30.1K
$38.1K VUV 4.4M
5.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
Vanuatu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$323 £242
$544 VUV 62.8K
-40.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.22 £12.91
$25.63 VUV 2,958
-32.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.23 £31.67
$228 VUV 26.3K
-81.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
Vanuatu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.03 £34.51
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.67 £11.75
$16.78 VUV 1,936
-6.62%
Cinema Ticket
$13.48 £10.11
$12.41 VUV 1,432
8.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United Kingdom
Vanuatu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,713 £1,285
$611 VUV 70.5K
180.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.8K £15.6K
$6,863 VUV 792.1K
203.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
Vanuatu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.3 £68.4
$46.56 VUV 5,373
95.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.88 £33.65
$67.5 VUV 7,788
-33.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 £76.5
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 £78.0
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
Vanuatu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,417 £1,062
$1,845 VUV 212.9K
-23.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,132 £848
$1,758 VUV 202.8K
-35.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,308 £1,730
$3,380 VUV 390.1K
-31.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,839 £1,379
$2,037 VUV 235.1K
-9.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,727 £4,294
$6,133 VUV 707.8K
-6.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,523 £3,391
$2,231 VUV 257.4K
102.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United Kingdom
Vanuatu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,333 £2,499
$338 VUV 39.1K
884.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.75
7
-17.86%

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

Last update for United Kingdom: May 30, 2026

Last update for Vanuatu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,265 in United Kingdom, $941 in Vanuatu. Capital cities: $3,019 in London vs $1,882 in Port Vila.

National salary averages: $3,219 in United Kingdom, $496 in Vanuatu. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 34% higher in United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 155% more in United Kingdom.

Public transport is 174% more expensive in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 549% higher in United Kingdom, giving United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom vs Vanuatu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between United Kingdom and Vanuatu?
At $2,785 per month in United Kingdom and $3,227 in Vanuatu, there's a 16% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
United Kingdom 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.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Vanuatu beats United Kingdom across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in United Kingdom or Vanuatu?
In United Kingdom, $2,500 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.
Should I move to United Kingdom or Vanuatu?
It depends on what you're after. United Kingdom wins on affordability; Vanuatu may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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