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

Name: Vanuatu
Address: VU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,622 per month in United States vs $3,269 in Vanuatu, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,830 per month in United States vs $3,269 in Vanuatu, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,038 per month in United States vs $3,269 in Vanuatu, rent included.

The cost of living in United States is roughly 20% lower than in Vanuatu on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both United States and Vanuatu are pricier than the global median – United States by 91%, Vanuatu by 138%.

The regional cost range is wider in United States ($983–$5,177) than in Vanuatu ($3,162–$3,376), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.78 $19.78

$12.50 VUV 1,437

58.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$57.3 VUV 6,581

42.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 $12.11

$14.55 VUV 1,673

-16.77%

Cappuccino

$5.44 $5.44

$4.09 VUV 471

33.01%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$2.32 VUV 266

15.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.34 VUV 268

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.18 VUV 596

16.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.14 $8.14

$7.00 VUV 804

16.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$3.08 VUV 354

-65.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.54 VUV 292

43.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.78 VUV 434

17.72%

Eggs

$4.35 $4.35

$5.93 VUV 681

-26.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$16.13 VUV 1,855

-21.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.46 $12.46

$16.01 VUV 1,841

-22.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.95 $16.95

$13.41 VUV 1,541

26.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$6.77 VUV 778

-21.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.05 VUV 236

-17.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$3.95 VUV 454

11.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$9.86 VUV 1,134

-49.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$8.96 VUV 1,030

-67.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$4.34 VUV 499

-27.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.51 VUV 289

-7.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.17 VUV 135

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.55 $10.55

$10.09 VUV 1,160

4.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.94 $14.94

$12.56 VUV 1,444

18.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.89 VUV 332

-26.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.04 VUV 349

21.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.24 VUV 143

91.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 $65.1

$67.3 VUV 7,733

-3.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.56 VUV 294

33.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$0.86 VUV 98.5

119.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.16 $30.16

$4.98 VUV 572

505.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.84 VUV 212

-46.74%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$23.0K VUV 2.6M

56.06%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$37.8K VUV 4.3M

-31.33%

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

$218 $218

$637 VUV 73.2K

-65.84%

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

$61.0 $61.0

$22.66 VUV 2,605

169.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.8 $74.8

$366 VUV 42.1K

-79.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.42 $44.42

$68.2 VUV 7,839

-34.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.53 $22.53

$16.79 VUV 1,930

34.19%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

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

$1,476 $1,476

$630 VUV 72.4K

134.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.9K $25.9K

$6,900 VUV 793.2K

275.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 $54.4

$41.61 VUV 4,783

30.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.59 $43.59

$66.5 VUV 7,644

-34.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 $92.9

$83.3 VUV 9,573

11.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$100 VUV 11.5K

13.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,639 $1,639

$1,604 VUV 184.4K

2.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 $1,358

$1,206 VUV 138.6K

12.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,699 $2,699

$3,352 VUV 385.4K

-19.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,199 $2,199

$1,893 VUV 217.7K

16.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,269 $3,269

$6,133 VUV 705.0K

-46.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,589 $2,589

$2,314 VUV 266.1K

11.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,357 $4,357

$343 VUV 39.4K

1171.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

6.18

0.49%

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

Last update for United States: August 30, 2026

Last update for Vanuatu: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,606 in United States vs $778 in Vanuatu. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,373 in Columbia, TN and $1,556 in Port Vila.

Average salary: $4,519 in United States vs $497 in Vanuatu. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 106% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 159% more in United States.

Public transport is 26% more expensive in Vanuatu.

Salaries are 809% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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 States vs Vanuatu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

United States is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 6% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Vanuatu, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Vanuatu consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in United States, contributing to the overall 6% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$4,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in United States, but in Vanuatu it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

United States is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.