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 $2,643 per month in United States vs $3,227 in Vanuatu, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $3,156 in Vanuatu, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,070 per month in United States vs $3,085 in Vanuatu, rent included.

United States is roughly 18% cheaper than 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 97%, Vanuatu by 141%.

United States has a wider regional cost range ($1,343–$5,081) than Vanuatu ($2,983–$3,471), so location matters more when choosing where to live in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$11.00 VUV 1,270

82.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$63.7 VUV 7,350

19.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$9.42 VUV 1,087

21.23%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$5.04 VUV 582

6.94%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$2.22 VUV 256

14.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.75 VUV 202

16.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$4.45 VUV 513

37.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$4.25 VUV 490

68.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.40 VUV 277

-56.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.73 VUV 315

33.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$3.83 VUV 442

23.50%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$5.25 VUV 606

-16.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$20.37 VUV 2,351

-37.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$16.76 VUV 1,934

-25.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$16.78 VUV 1,937

-2.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$4.79 VUV 553

13.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.79 VUV 322

-40.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$5.47 VUV 631

-16.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$3.45 VUV 398

42.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$5.12 VUV 591

-42.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.86 VUV 330

9.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.46 VUV 283

-8.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.33 VUV 154

72.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$9.46 VUV 1,092

4.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$14.39 VUV 1,661

4.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$3.16 VUV 364

-39.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.94 VUV 339

24.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.73 VUV 199

43.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$68.0 VUV 7,843

-4.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.05 VUV 236

87.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.87 VUV 101

102.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$5.12 VUV 591

497.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.87 VUV 215

-48.66%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$23.2K VUV 2.7M

31.50%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$38.1K VUV 4.4M

-30.81%

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

$204 $204

$544 VUV 62.8K

-62.49%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$25.63 VUV 2,958

123.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$228 VUV 26.3K

-68.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$16.78 VUV 1,936

31.82%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$12.41 VUV 1,432

11.52%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$611 VUV 70.5K

126.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$6,863 VUV 792.1K

230.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$46.56 VUV 5,373

13.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$67.5 VUV 7,788

-36.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$1,845 VUV 212.9K

-4.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$1,758 VUV 202.8K

-16.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$3,380 VUV 390.1K

-16.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$2,037 VUV 235.1K

18.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$6,133 VUV 707.8K

-46.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,231 VUV 257.4K

18.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$338 VUV 39.1K

1193.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

-7.00%

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

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Last update for Vanuatu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,637 in United States vs $941 in Vanuatu. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,591 in Washington, DC and $1,882 in Port Vila.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $496 in Vanuatu. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 74% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 121% more in United States.

Public transport is 36% more expensive in Vanuatu.

Salaries are 807% higher in United States, giving United States 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 States vs Vanuatu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

$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.