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 $2,645 per month in United States vs $3,223 in Vanuatu, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,858 per month in United States vs $3,121 in Vanuatu, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,071 per month in United States vs $3,019 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 ($1,335–$5,185) than Vanuatu ($3,025–$3,420), so location matters more when choosing where to live in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.28 $20.28

$11.22 VUV 1,323

80.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 $73.7

$65.6 VUV 7,732

12.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$9.39 VUV 1,107

23.22%

Cappuccino

$5.34 $5.34

$5.03 VUV 592

6.16%

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

$2.50 $2.50

$2.12 VUV 250

17.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.73 VUV 204

21.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$4.58 VUV 540

30.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 $7.03

$4.14 VUV 488

69.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.37 VUV 279

-54.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.87 VUV 339

24.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.80 VUV 448

25.00%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$5.27 VUV 621

-19.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.05 $13.05

$20.27 VUV 2,389

-35.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.32 $12.32

$16.62 VUV 1,958

-25.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.03 $16.03

$16.83 VUV 1,983

-4.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$4.89 VUV 576

9.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.87 VUV 339

-40.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$5.32 VUV 626

-14.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.41 VUV 402

45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$5.09 VUV 599

-42.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.83 VUV 333

7.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.47 VUV 292

-9.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.35 VUV 159

67.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.13 $10.13

$9.42 VUV 1,110

7.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.93 $14.93

$16.47 VUV 1,941

-9.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.16 VUV 372

-38.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.91 VUV 342

20.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.71 VUV 202

49.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.8 $65.8

$67.9 VUV 7,996

-3.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.13 VUV 252

79.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.82 VUV 96.2

106.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.65 $29.65

$5.15 VUV 607

475.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.88 VUV 222

-52.13%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$23.6K VUV 2.8M

28.99%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$37.7K VUV 4.4M

-30.05%

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

$205 $205

$531 VUV 62.5K

-61.45%

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

$57.2 $57.2

$25.34 VUV 2,986

125.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$225 VUV 26.5K

-68.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.76 $45.76

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.31 $22.31

$17.06 VUV 2,010

30.77%

Cinema Ticket

$13.89 $13.89

$12.80 VUV 1,508

8.52%

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

$1,380 $1,380

$622 VUV 73.3K

121.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K $22.5K

$6,923 VUV 815.7K

224.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 $52.9

$46.46 VUV 5,474

13.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.81 $42.81

$66.8 VUV 7,868

-35.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 $88.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,742 $1,742

$1,864 VUV 219.7K

-6.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 $1,431

$1,762 VUV 207.6K

-18.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,864 $2,864

$3,343 VUV 393.9K

-14.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,422 $2,422

$2,035 VUV 239.8K

19.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,466 $3,466

$8,456 VUV 996.3K

-59.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$3,346 VUV 394.2K

-20.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,320 $4,320

$456 VUV 53.8K

846.49%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Vanuatu: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,634 in United States vs $940 in Vanuatu. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,570 in Washington, DC and $1,879 in Port Vila.

Average salary: $4,489 in United States vs $578 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 677% 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

Vanuatu is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 1% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Vanuatu, contributing to the overall 1% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Vanuatu, but in United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Vanuatu 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.