Cost of Living Comparison Between Vanuatu and India Cost of Living Comparison Between Vanuatu and India

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,269 in Vanuatu versus $365 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,269 in Vanuatu versus $579 in India.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,269 in Vanuatu versus $792 in India.

Living in Vanuatu is roughly 796% more expensive than in India on average.

Vanuatu (138% above) and India (73% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in India: monthly costs span $231 to $827, compared to $3,162$3,376 in Vanuatu. City choice carries more weight in India.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vanuatu
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.50 VUV 1,437
$2.06 ₹195
506.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.3 VUV 6,581
$10.63 ₹1,004
438.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.55 VUV 1,673
$3.70 ₹350
293.24%
Cappuccino
$4.09 VUV 471
$1.74 ₹164
135.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32 VUV 266
$0.37 ₹35.14
527.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 VUV 268
$0.17 ₹16.26
1276.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.18 VUV 596
$1.93 ₹182
168.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.00 VUV 804
$3.06 ₹289
128.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vanuatu
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.08 VUV 354
$0.62 ₹58.6
396.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.54 VUV 292
$0.49 ₹46.45
418.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.78 VUV 434
$0.63 ₹59.8
500.00%
Eggs
$5.93 VUV 681
$0.94 ₹88.5
530.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.13 VUV 1,855
$4.67 ₹441
245.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.01 VUV 1,841
$2.88 ₹272
455.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.41 VUV 1,541
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$6.77 VUV 778
$1.91 ₹180
254.45%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 VUV 236
$0.64 ₹60.6
220.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.95 VUV 454
$0.98 ₹92.8
303.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$9.86 VUV 1,134
$0.51 ₹47.90
1833.33%
Potato (1kg)
$8.96 VUV 1,030
$0.34 ₹31.92
2535.29%
Onion (1kg)
$4.34 VUV 499
$0.42 ₹39.68
933.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.51 VUV 289
$0.48 ₹45.44
422.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 VUV 135
$0.29 ₹27.27
303.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.09 VUV 1,160
$4.91 ₹464
105.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.56 VUV 1,444
$7.27 ₹687
72.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.89 VUV 332
$1.65 ₹156
75.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 VUV 349
$2.66 ₹251
14.29%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.22 ₹493
-
🚌 Getting Around
Vanuatu
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 VUV 143
$0.27 ₹25.67
359.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.3 VUV 7,733
$8.45 ₹798
695.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.56 VUV 294
$0.96 ₹90.9
166.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.86 VUV 98.5
$0.27 ₹25.74
218.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.98 VUV 572
$1.60 ₹151
211.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.84 VUV 212
$1.12 ₹106
64.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.0K VUV 2.6M
$12.7K ₹1.2M
81.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.8K VUV 4.3M
$20.4K ₹1.9M
85.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vanuatu
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$637 VUV 73.2K
$37.48 ₹3,541
1599.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.66 VUV 2,605
$3.50 ₹331
547.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$366 VUV 42.1K
$7.16 ₹676
5013.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vanuatu
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.2 VUV 7,839
$14.79 ₹1,398
361.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.79 VUV 1,930
$7.08 ₹669
137.15%
Cinema Ticket
-
$3.06 ₹289
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vanuatu
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$630 VUV 72.4K
$57.0 ₹5,381
1005.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,900 VUV 793.2K
$1,679 ₹158.6K
311.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vanuatu
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.61 VUV 4,783
$22.56 ₹2,131
84.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$66.5 VUV 7,644
$24.04 ₹2,271
176.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.3 VUV 9,573
$40.60 ₹3,836
105.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$100 VUV 11.5K
$30.39 ₹2,871
230.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vanuatu
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,604 VUV 184.4K
$145 ₹13.7K
1005.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,206 VUV 138.6K
$91.4 ₹8,630
1219.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,352 VUV 385.4K
$335 ₹31.6K
902.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,893 VUV 217.7K
$209 ₹19.8K
805.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,133 VUV 705.0K
$1,233 ₹116.5K
397.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,314 VUV 266.1K
$626 ₹59.1K
269.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vanuatu
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$343 VUV 39.4K
$443 ₹41.9K
-22.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.18
8.94
-30.87%

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

Last update for Vanuatu: September 1, 2026

Last update for India: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $778 in Vanuatu, $120 in India. Capital cities: $1,556 in Port Vila vs $272 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $497 in Vanuatu, $408 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 548% higher in Vanuatu.

Dining out costs 190% more in Vanuatu.

Public transport is 386% more expensive in Vanuatu.

Salaries are 22% higher in Vanuatu, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

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 India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Vanuatu?
At $529 per month in India and $3,269 in Vanuatu, there's a 518% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in India: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Vanuatu is consistently higher than in India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or in Vanuatu?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Vanuatu it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to India or to Vanuatu?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Vanuatu may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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