Cost of Living Comparison Between Vanuatu and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between Vanuatu and Australia

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,224 per month in Vanuatu vs $2,186 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,154 per month in Vanuatu vs $3,219 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,083 per month in Vanuatu vs $4,252 in Australia, rent included.

The cost of living in Vanuatu is about 47% higher than in Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Vanuatu and Australia are pricier than the global median – Vanuatu by 141%, Australia by 64%.

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,580–$2,807) than in Vanuatu ($3,042–$3,406), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.39 VUV 1,325

$16.37 A$23.41

-30.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.3 VUV 7,490

$77.7 A$111

-17.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.58 VUV 1,115

$9.59 A$13.72

-0.10%

Cappuccino

$5.10 VUV 594

$3.45 A$4.93

47.83%

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

$2.13 VUV 248

$2.63 A$3.76

-19.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 VUV 199

$2.14 A$3.06

-20.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 VUV 525

$6.34 A$9.07

-28.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 VUV 478

$7.03 A$10.05

-41.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 VUV 285

$1.52 A$2.18

61.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 VUV 318

$2.50 A$3.58

9.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 VUV 435

$2.06 A$2.95

81.07%

Eggs

$5.14 VUV 598

$4.22 A$6.03

21.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 VUV 2,329

$8.96 A$12.81

123.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.59 VUV 1,932

$8.35 A$11.94

98.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.76 VUV 1,951

$13.74 A$19.64

21.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 VUV 549

$3.14 A$4.49

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 VUV 323

$2.73 A$3.90

1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.50 VUV 641

$2.93 A$4.20

87.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 VUV 388

$4.43 A$6.34

-24.83%

Potato (1kg)

$5.17 VUV 602

$2.56 A$3.67

101.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 VUV 328

$2.12 A$3.04

33.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 VUV 292

$2.18 A$3.12

15.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 VUV 154

$1.57 A$2.24

-15.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.56 VUV 1,113

$30.82 A$44.08

-68.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.82 VUV 1,725

$14.17 A$20.26

4.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 VUV 382

$4.60 A$6.57

-28.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 VUV 341

$4.87 A$6.97

-39.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 VUV 199

$2.99 A$4.27

-42.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 VUV 7,929

$96.7 A$138

-29.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 VUV 250

$3.53 A$5.04

-39.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 VUV 94.9

$1.81 A$2.59

-55.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 VUV 581

$37.32 A$53.4

-86.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 VUV 226

$1.16 A$1.66

67.24%

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

$23.0K VUV 2.7M

$29.4K A$42.1K

-21.74%

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

$38.5K VUV 4.5M

$22.6K A$32.3K

70.79%

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

$545 VUV 63.5K

$176 A$251

210.21%

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

$25.05 VUV 2,916

$26.75 A$38.25

-6.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$232 VUV 27.0K

$53.9 A$77.0

331.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.11 A$67.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.11 VUV 1,992

$16.57 A$23.70

3.26%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 VUV 1,486

$13.42 A$19.20

-4.84%

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

$626 VUV 72.8K

$1,572 A$2,248

-60.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,974 VUV 811.8K

$12.7K A$18.2K

-45.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.39 VUV 5,400

$70.8 A$101

-34.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.0 VUV 7,910

$50.0 A$71.5

35.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$145

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 A$159

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,896 VUV 220.7K

$1,372 A$1,963

38.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 VUV 210.4K

$1,077 A$1,540

67.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,414 VUV 397.4K

$2,353 A$3,366

45.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 VUV 244.0K

$1,747 A$2,499

19.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,075 VUV 707.2K

$7,882 A$11.3K

-22.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,207 VUV 256.9K

$5,906 A$8,447

-62.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 VUV 39.1K

$3,960 A$5,663

-91.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

10.24%

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

Last update for Vanuatu: July 20, 2026

Last update for Australia: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $942 in Vanuatu vs $1,230 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,885 in Port Vila and $1,556 in Canberra.

Average salary: $490 in Vanuatu vs $3,824 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 31% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 141% more in Australia.

Public transport is 103% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 680% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

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

Vanuatu vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Australia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 47% 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 Australia, contributing to the overall 47% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Australia, but in Vanuatu it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Australia 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.