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 $3,227 per month in Vanuatu vs $2,182 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,156 per month in Vanuatu vs $3,216 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,085 per month in Vanuatu vs $4,250 in Australia, rent included.

Vanuatu costs about 48% more than 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 63%.

Australia has a wider regional cost range ($1,579–$2,759) than Vanuatu ($2,983–$3,471), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Australia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.00 VUV 1,270

$16.17 A$22.94

-31.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 VUV 7,350

$78.6 A$111

-18.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 VUV 1,087

$9.48 A$13.45

-0.63%

Cappuccino

$5.04 VUV 582

$3.56 A$5.05

41.57%

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

$2.22 VUV 256

$2.60 A$3.68

-14.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 VUV 202

$2.21 A$3.14

-20.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.45 VUV 513

$6.47 A$9.18

-31.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 VUV 490

$7.19 A$10.20

-40.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 VUV 277

$1.56 A$2.21

53.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 VUV 315

$2.53 A$3.59

7.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.83 VUV 442

$2.02 A$2.87

89.60%

Eggs

$5.25 VUV 606

$4.47 A$6.34

17.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.37 VUV 2,351

$8.86 A$12.57

129.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.76 VUV 1,934

$8.38 A$11.89

100.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 VUV 1,937

$13.71 A$19.44

22.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 VUV 553

$3.23 A$4.58

48.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 VUV 322

$2.84 A$4.03

-1.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.47 VUV 631

$2.98 A$4.23

83.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 VUV 398

$4.38 A$6.21

-21.23%

Potato (1kg)

$5.12 VUV 591

$2.45 A$3.47

108.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 VUV 330

$2.11 A$3.00

35.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 VUV 283

$2.16 A$3.07

13.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 VUV 154

$1.58 A$2.25

-15.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.46 VUV 1,092

$30.61 A$43.42

-69.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.39 VUV 1,661

$14.23 A$20.19

1.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.16 VUV 364

$4.55 A$6.45

-30.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 VUV 339

$4.91 A$6.96

-40.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 VUV 199

$2.89 A$4.10

-40.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.0 VUV 7,843

$97.5 A$138

-30.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 VUV 236

$3.54 A$5.02

-42.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 VUV 101

$1.75 A$2.48

-50.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 VUV 591

$38.10 A$54.1

-86.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 VUV 215

$1.16 A$1.64

61.21%

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

$23.2K VUV 2.7M

$28.8K A$40.9K

-19.53%

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

$38.1K VUV 4.4M

$23.2K A$32.9K

64.35%

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

$544 VUV 62.8K

$179 A$254

204.38%

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

$25.63 VUV 2,958

$26.75 A$37.94

-4.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$228 VUV 26.3K

$53.7 A$76.2

323.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.44 A$68.7

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.78 VUV 1,936

$16.88 A$23.95

-0.59%

Cinema Ticket

$12.41 VUV 1,432

$13.61 A$19.31

-8.82%

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

$611 VUV 70.5K

$1,605 A$2,276

-61.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,863 VUV 792.1K

$12.7K A$18.1K

-46.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.56 VUV 5,373

$71.4 A$101

-34.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.5 VUV 7,788

$50.0 A$71.0

34.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 A$142

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 A$155

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 VUV 212.9K

$1,385 A$1,965

33.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 VUV 202.8K

$1,076 A$1,527

63.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,380 VUV 390.1K

$2,284 A$3,240

47.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 VUV 235.1K

$1,757 A$2,492

15.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,133 VUV 707.8K

$7,462 A$10.6K

-17.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 VUV 257.4K

$5,617 A$7,968

-60.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$338 VUV 39.1K

$4,070 A$5,773

-91.68%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Australia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $941 in Vanuatu vs $1,233 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,882 in Port Vila and $1,548 in Canberra.

Average salary: $496 in Vanuatu vs $3,906 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 133% more in Australia.

Public transport is 97% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 688% higher in Australia, giving Australia 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

Vanuatu vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Australia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 49% 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 49% 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.