Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vanuatu and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $906 a month against $3,281 in Vanuatu, rent and utilities included – about $28,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

🇻🇺 Vanuatu
$3,281
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$906
/mo nomad
😐 Solo nomad: Vanuatu is 153.7% more expensive than Chiang Mai without rent, and 262.2% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Vanuatu is 129.8% more expensive than Chiang Mai without rent, and 190.6% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vanuatu
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.78 VUV 1,497
$2.13 ฿71.4
500.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.2 VUV 6,697
$19.40 ฿649
194.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.57 VUV 1,706
$5.47 ฿183
166.36%
Cappuccino
$4.03 VUV 471
$1.68 ฿56.4
139.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 VUV 264
$0.66 ฿22.10
240.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 VUV 278
$0.34 ฿11.52
600.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.93 VUV 578
$2.42 ฿81.0
103.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.12 VUV 833
$3.73 ฿125
90.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vanuatu
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.03 VUV 355
$2.06 ฿68.9
47.09%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 VUV 295
$1.46 ฿48.78
72.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.80 VUV 445
$1.35 ฿45.09
181.48%
Eggs
$5.87 VUV 687
$2.27 ฿76.0
158.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.92 VUV 1,863
$16.31 ฿546
-2.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.16 VUV 1,892
$2.70 ฿90.3
498.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.23 VUV 1,549
$9.20 ฿308
43.80%
Apples (1kg)
$6.80 VUV 797
$2.39 ฿80.1
184.52%
Banana (1kg)
$2.14 VUV 250
$1.04 ฿34.66
105.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.11 VUV 481
$1.60 ฿53.7
156.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$9.62 VUV 1,126
$1.44 ฿48.37
568.06%
Potato (1kg)
$8.75 VUV 1,025
$1.30 ฿43.59
573.08%
Onion (1kg)
$4.33 VUV 507
$1.11 ฿37.29
290.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.47 VUV 289
$0.70 ฿23.55
252.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 VUV 139
$0.51 ฿16.99
133.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.06 VUV 1,178
$4.13 ฿138
143.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.80 VUV 1,499
$17.78 ฿595
-28.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 VUV 342
$1.63 ฿54.7
79.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 VUV 352
$2.87 ฿96.0
4.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Vanuatu
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.25 VUV 146
$0.86 ฿28.76
45.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.8 VUV 7,819
$53.2 ฿1,780
25.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.57 VUV 301
$1.22 ฿40.81
110.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.83 VUV 96.7
$0.56 ฿18.81
48.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.17 VUV 606
$2.31 ฿77.5
123.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.75 VUV 205
$1.50 ฿50.2
16.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.3K VUV 2.7M
$20.9K ฿698.3K
11.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.8K VUV 4.4M
$26.7K ฿895.0K
41.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vanuatu
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$624 VUV 73.0K
$61.3 ฿2,051
918.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.67 VUV 2,654
$12.50 ฿419
81.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$367 VUV 42.9K
$20.36 ฿682
1701.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vanuatu
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.9 VUV 8,063
$37.94 ฿1,270
81.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.76 VUV 1,962
$3.77 ฿126
344.56%
Cinema Ticket
-
$6.60 ฿221
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vanuatu
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$634 VUV 74.2K
$774 ฿25.9K
-18.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,742 VUV 789.4K
$14.4K ฿483.2K
-53.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vanuatu
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.55 VUV 4,747
$54.8 ฿1,835
-26.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$66.9 VUV 7,834
$25.26 ฿846
164.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.9 VUV 9,706
$90.6 ฿3,032
-8.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.3 VUV 11.6K
$73.3 ฿2,453
35.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vanuatu
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,583 VUV 185.4K
$459 ฿15.4K
245.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,218 VUV 142.6K
$294 ฿9,835
314.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,463 VUV 405.5K
$919 ฿30.8K
276.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,840 VUV 215.4K
$552 ฿18.5K
233.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,084 VUV 712.3K
$1,917 ฿64.2K
217.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,144 VUV 251.0K
$1,445 ฿48.4K
48.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vanuatu
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$342 VUV 40.1K
$592 ฿19.8K
-42.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.18
5.57
10.95%

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

Last update for Vanuatu: October 4, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vanuatu
$1.2K
Chiang Mai
$294 75.9% $924
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vanuatu
$1K
Chiang Mai
$94 90.7% $919
Groceries & Markets
Vanuatu
$479
Chiang Mai
$236 50.7% $243
Eating Out
Vanuatu
$252
Chiang Mai
$77 69.3% $174
Clothing & Footwear
Vanuatu
$130
Chiang Mai
$110 15.8% $21
Getting Around
Vanuatu
$78
Chiang Mai
$61 22.8% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Vanuatu
$69 *
Chiang Mai
$51 25.8% $18

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

Good to know
🇻🇺 Vanuatu
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
17:35 5:35 PM
13:35 1:35 PM
4 h behind Vanuatu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
300,019
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to VUV – Vanuatu Vatu Converter

Vanuatu Vatu exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 117 VUV (1,000 VUV = 8.54 USD). 1 EUR = 131 VUV (1,000 VUV = 7.62 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.55 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Vanuatu Chiang Mai 8,590 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Vanuatu
  • Chiang Mai

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 other spots: cost of living compared

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