Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vanuatu and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,190 a month against $3,281 in Vanuatu, rent and utilities included – about $25,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

157

Cost of Living Index in Vanuatu
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Vanuatu Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

🇻🇺 Vanuatu

$3,281

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,190

/mo nomad

😐 Solo nomad: Vanuatu is 116.7% more expensive than Phuket without rent, and 175.8% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Vanuatu is 90% more expensive than Phuket without rent, and 92% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.78 VUV 1,497

$4.35 ฿146

193.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 VUV 6,697

$32.45 ฿1,087

76.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.57 VUV 1,706

$8.42 ฿282

73.04%

Cappuccino

$4.03 VUV 471

$2.81 ฿94.0

43.42%

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

$2.25 VUV 264

$0.87 ฿29.29

158.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 VUV 278

$0.46 ฿15.39

417.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 VUV 578

$2.59 ฿86.6

90.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 VUV 833

$3.64 ฿122

95.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.03 VUV 355

$1.71 ฿57.2

77.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 VUV 295

$1.45 ฿48.42

73.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.80 VUV 445

$1.56 ฿52.3

143.59%

Eggs

$5.87 VUV 687

$2.10 ฿70.3

179.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.92 VUV 1,863

$19.53 ฿654

-18.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.16 VUV 1,892

$3.40 ฿114

375.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.23 VUV 1,549

$11.14 ฿373

18.76%

Apples (1kg)

$6.80 VUV 797

$2.83 ฿94.8

140.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 VUV 250

$1.62 ฿54.3

32.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 VUV 481

$2.22 ฿74.5

85.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.62 VUV 1,126

$2.15 ฿71.9

347.44%

Potato (1kg)

$8.75 VUV 1,025

$1.49 ฿49.95

487.25%

Onion (1kg)

$4.33 VUV 507

$1.33 ฿44.40

225.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 VUV 289

$1.07 ฿35.72

130.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 VUV 139

$0.51 ฿17.01

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.06 VUV 1,178

$4.38 ฿147

129.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.80 VUV 1,499

$18.77 ฿629

-31.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 VUV 342

$1.74 ฿58.3

67.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 VUV 352

$2.78 ฿92.9

7.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 VUV 146

$2.17 ฿72.6

-42.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 VUV 7,819

$22.28 ฿746

199.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 VUV 301

$3.02 ฿101

-14.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 VUV 96.7

$1.06 ฿35.43

-21.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 VUV 606

$3.71 ฿124

39.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 VUV 205

$1.43 ฿47.88

22.38%

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

$23.3K VUV 2.7M

$26.3K ฿882.1K

-11.62%

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

$37.8K VUV 4.4M

$26.2K ฿877.3K

44.16%

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

$624 VUV 73.0K

$96.7 ฿3,236

545.33%

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

$22.67 VUV 2,654

$11.41 ฿382

98.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$367 VUV 42.9K

$17.11 ฿573

2043.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 VUV 8,063

$52.8 ฿1,768

30.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.76 VUV 1,962

$11.07 ฿371

51.40%

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿256

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

$634 VUV 74.2K

$555 ฿18.6K

14.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,742 VUV 789.4K

$11.3K ฿377.7K

-40.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.55 VUV 4,747

$63.4 ฿2,123

-36.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.9 VUV 7,834

$28.61 ฿958

133.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 VUV 9,706

$96.7 ฿3,238

-14.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 VUV 11.6K

$88.6 ฿2,967

12.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 VUV 185.4K

$735 ฿24.6K

115.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 VUV 142.6K

$458 ฿15.3K

165.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,463 VUV 405.5K

$2,102 ฿70.4K

64.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,840 VUV 215.4K

$1,187 ฿39.7K

54.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,084 VUV 712.3K

$3,493 ฿116.9K

74.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,144 VUV 251.0K

$2,491 ฿83.4K

-13.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$342 VUV 40.1K

$501 ฿16.8K

-31.66%

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 Phuket: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Vanuatu

$1.2K 37.6%

Phuket

$458 38.1% 62.4% $760

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vanuatu

$1K 31.3%

Phuket

$125 10.4% 87.6% $888

Groceries & Markets

Vanuatu

$479 14.8%

Phuket

$268 22.3% 44.1% $211

Eating Out

Vanuatu

$252 7.8%

Phuket

$119 9.9% 52.6% $132

Clothing & Footwear

Vanuatu

$130 4%

Phuket

$125 10.4% 4.3% $5.5

Getting Around

Vanuatu

$78 2.4%

Phuket

$39 3.3% 50% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Vanuatu

$69 * 2.1%

Phuket

$68 5.7% 1.1% $0.8

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

Good to know

🇻🇺 Vanuatu

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

17:03 5:03 PM

13:03 1:03 PM

4 h behind Vanuatu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

300,019

79,308

💱 Currency

Vanuatu Vatu VUV Vt

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 VUV = 8.54 USD

1,000 VUV = 7.62 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to VUV – Vanuatu Vatu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇺 Vanuatu Vatu (Vt)

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).

USD to VUV in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Vanuatu Phuket 8,190 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Vanuatu
Phuket

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

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vanuatu and Phuket

THB, USD, EUR to VUV – Vanuatu Vatu Converter

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

Vanuatu

Phuket

Vanuatu

Phuket

Vanuatu vs other spots: cost of living compared

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