Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vanuatu and Canada

For one person, living is cheaper in Canada: $2,317 a month against $3,216 in Vanuatu, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

🇻🇺 Vanuatu
$3,216
/mo nomad
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,317
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vanuatu and in Canada

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Vanuatu and in Canada actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,216 per month in Vanuatu vs $2,317 in Canada, rent included.

  • Vanuatu $3,216
  • Canada $2,317

A couple spends around $4,324 per month in Vanuatu vs $3,358 in Canada, rent included.

  • Vanuatu $4,324
  • Canada $3,358

A family of three spends $5,432 per month in Vanuatu vs $4,399 in Canada, rent included.

  • Vanuatu $5,432
  • Canada $4,399

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($884–$3,722) than in Vanuatu ($3,155–$3,454), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Vanuatu is about 39% higher than in Canada on average.

Both Vanuatu and Canada are pricier than the global median – Vanuatu by 137%, Canada by 71%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vanuatu
Canada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.42 VUV 1,457
$18.00 CA$25.44
-31.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.9 VUV 6,553
$70.6 CA$99.8
-20.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.15 VUV 1,660
$10.78 CA$15.24
31.26%
Cappuccino
$3.97 VUV 466
$3.74 CA$5.29
6.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 VUV 270
$2.03 CA$2.86
13.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 VUV 274
$1.71 CA$2.42
36.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.03 VUV 590
$5.56 CA$7.87
-9.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.35 VUV 863
$5.64 CA$7.98
30.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vanuatu
Canada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.13 VUV 367
$2.26 CA$3.19
38.50%
White Bread (500g)
$2.50 VUV 293
$2.66 CA$3.76
-6.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.86 VUV 452
$3.50 CA$4.94
10.29%
Eggs
$6.21 VUV 728
$3.64 CA$5.14
70.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.29 VUV 1,911
$10.82 CA$15.29
50.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.00 VUV 1,876
$11.82 CA$16.71
35.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.25 VUV 1,554
$15.48 CA$21.88
-14.41%
Apples (1kg)
$6.57 VUV 771
$4.14 CA$5.85
58.70%
Banana (1kg)
$2.07 VUV 243
$1.43 CA$2.02
44.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.91 VUV 459
$3.84 CA$5.43
1.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$10.09 VUV 1,184
$4.11 CA$5.81
145.50%
Potato (1kg)
$8.96 VUV 1,052
$2.60 CA$3.67
244.62%
Onion (1kg)
$4.34 VUV 510
$2.44 CA$3.45
77.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.60 VUV 305
$2.54 CA$3.60
2.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 VUV 137
$1.71 CA$2.42
-32.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.57 VUV 1,122
$14.03 CA$19.83
-31.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.45 VUV 1,460
$13.34 CA$18.85
-6.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.94 VUV 344
$2.92 CA$4.13
0.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 VUV 351
$3.18 CA$4.50
-5.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Vanuatu
Canada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.29 VUV 151
$2.42 CA$3.43
-46.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.7 VUV 7,943
$73.1 CA$103
-7.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.51 VUV 295
$3.17 CA$4.49
-20.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.81 VUV 95.4
$1.45 CA$2.05
-44.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.00 VUV 587
$26.76 CA$37.83
-81.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.84 VUV 216
$1.23 CA$1.74
49.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.0K VUV 2.7M
$27.5K CA$38.9K
-16.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.3K VUV 4.4M
$21.2K CA$29.9K
76.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vanuatu
Canada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$624 VUV 73.2K
$146 CA$207
326.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95 VUV 2,692
$42.95 CA$60.7
-46.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$360 VUV 42.2K
$58.3 CA$82.4
517.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vanuatu
Canada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.9 VUV 7,963
$40.50 CA$57.3
67.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 VUV 1,971
$19.38 CA$27.40
-13.31%
Cinema Ticket
-
$11.17 CA$15.79
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vanuatu
Canada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$632 VUV 74.1K
$771 CA$1,090
-18.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,850 VUV 803.5K
$14.5K CA$20.5K
-52.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vanuatu
Canada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.81 VUV 4,787
$53.9 CA$76.2
-24.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$66.5 VUV 7,797
$38.89 CA$55.0
70.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.2 VUV 9,991
$88.3 CA$125
-3.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 VUV 12.1K
$101 CA$143
1.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vanuatu
Canada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,566 VUV 183.7K
$1,262 CA$1,784
24.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,198 VUV 140.6K
$1,139 CA$1,610
5.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,359 VUV 394.0K
$2,060 CA$2,913
63.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,897 VUV 222.5K
$1,730 CA$2,445
9.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,080 VUV 713.1K
$4,554 CA$6,438
33.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,184 VUV 256.2K
$3,933 CA$5,560
-44.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vanuatu
Canada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$345 VUV 40.4K
$3,050 CA$4,312
-88.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.18
4.87
26.90%

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

Last update for Vanuatu: October 20, 2026

Last update for Canada: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vanuatu
$1.2K
Canada
$1.1K 4.9% $59
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vanuatu
$1K
Canada
$248 75.4% $760
Groceries & Markets
Vanuatu
$482
Canada
$372 22.9% $110
Eating Out
Vanuatu
$248
Canada
$275 11.1% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Vanuatu
$133
Canada
$127 4.5% $6
Getting Around
Vanuatu
$79
Canada
$93 17.3% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Vanuatu
$68 *
Canada
$63 7.4% $5

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $794 in Vanuatu vs $1,207 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,587 in Port Vila and $1,437 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $488 in Vanuatu vs $2,936 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 52% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 129% more in Canada.

Public transport is 79% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 502% higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Canada.

Good to know
🇻🇺 Vanuatu
🇨🇦 Canada
🕒 Local time
00:52 12:52 AM
09:52 9:52 AM
15 h behind Vanuatu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
300,019
36,991,981
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to VUV – Vanuatu Vatu Converter

Vanuatu Vatu exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 117 VUV (1,000 VUV = 8.53 USD). 1 EUR = 132 VUV (1,000 VUV = 7.58 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Vanuatu Canada 13,420 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Vanuatu
  • Canada

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Canada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Canada more expensive than Vanuatu?
Canada is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 39% lower on average.
Is everything cheaper in Canada?
Not necessarily. Overall, Vanuatu costs about 39% more, but the gap varies by category, and some expenses can be lower in Vanuatu. Compare the categories that matter most for your budget.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Canada or in Vanuatu?
$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Canada, but in Vanuatu it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Canada or to Vanuatu?
Canada 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.

Vanuatu vs other spots: cost of living compared

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