Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vanuatu and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in the United States: $2,727 a month against $3,216 in Vanuatu, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

156

Cost of Living Index in Vanuatu
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Vanuatu Living Index
132

Cost of Living Index in the United States
Learn more

United States Living Index

Jump to prices

🇻🇺 Vanuatu

$3,216

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,727

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vanuatu and in the United States

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 the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,216 per month in Vanuatu vs $2,727 in the United States, rent included.

Vanuatu $3,216
United States $2,727

A couple spends around $4,324 per month in Vanuatu vs $4,009 in the United States, rent included.

Vanuatu $4,324
United States $4,009

A family of three spends $5,432 per month in Vanuatu vs $5,291 in the United States, rent included.

Vanuatu $5,432
United States $5,291

The regional cost range is wider in the United States ($977–$5,215) than in Vanuatu ($3,155–$3,454), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Vanuatu is about 18% higher than in the United States on average.

Both Vanuatu and the United States are pricier than the global median – Vanuatu by 137%, the United States by 101%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.42 VUV 1,457

$19.73 $19.73

-37.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.9 VUV 6,553

$81.0 $81.0

-31.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.15 VUV 1,660

$11.98 $11.98

18.11%

Cappuccino

$3.97 VUV 466

$5.59 $5.59

-28.98%

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

$2.30 VUV 270

$2.78 $2.78

-17.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 VUV 274

$2.10 $2.10

10.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 VUV 590

$5.98 $5.98

-15.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 VUV 863

$7.92 $7.92

-7.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.13 VUV 367

$1.03 $1.03

203.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 VUV 293

$3.75 $3.75

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.86 VUV 452

$4.46 $4.46

-13.45%

Eggs

$6.21 VUV 728

$4.34 $4.34

43.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.29 VUV 1,911

$12.75 $12.75

27.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.00 VUV 1,876

$12.27 $12.27

30.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 VUV 1,554

$17.29 $17.29

-23.37%

Apples (1kg)

$6.57 VUV 771

$5.31 $5.31

23.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 VUV 243

$1.67 $1.67

23.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 VUV 459

$4.32 $4.32

-9.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.09 VUV 1,184

$5.03 $5.03

100.60%

Potato (1kg)

$8.96 VUV 1,052

$2.81 $2.81

218.86%

Onion (1kg)

$4.34 VUV 510

$3.05 $3.05

42.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 VUV 305

$2.22 $2.22

17.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 VUV 137

$2.35 $2.35

-50.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.57 VUV 1,122

$10.92 $10.92

-12.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 VUV 1,460

$14.87 $14.87

-16.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 VUV 344

$2.10 $2.10

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 VUV 351

$3.62 $3.62

-17.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 VUV 151

$2.46 $2.46

-47.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.7 VUV 7,943

$65.7 $65.7

3.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 VUV 295

$3.58 $3.58

-29.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 VUV 95.4

$1.90 $1.90

-57.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.00 VUV 587

$29.51 $29.51

-83.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 VUV 216

$1.02 $1.02

80.39%

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

$23.0K VUV 2.7M

$28.3K $28.3K

-18.58%

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

$37.3K VUV 4.4M

$26.0K $26.0K

43.76%

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

$624 VUV 73.2K

$221 $221

182.78%

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

$22.95 VUV 2,692

$61.3 $61.3

-62.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$360 VUV 42.2K

$73.3 $73.3

391.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.9 VUV 7,963

$44.89 $44.89

51.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 VUV 1,971

$22.65 $22.65

-25.83%

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 $15.16

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

$632 VUV 74.1K

$1,471 $1,471

-57.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,850 VUV 803.5K

$25.0K $25.0K

-72.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.81 VUV 4,787

$53.5 $53.5

-23.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.5 VUV 7,797

$43.76 $43.76

51.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 VUV 9,991

$92.0 $92.0

-7.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 VUV 12.1K

$114 $114

-9.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 VUV 183.7K

$1,654 $1,654

-5.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 VUV 140.6K

$1,332 $1,332

-10.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,359 VUV 394.0K

$2,669 $2,669

25.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 VUV 222.5K

$2,207 $2,207

-14.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,080 VUV 713.1K

$3,054 $3,054

99.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,184 VUV 256.2K

$2,522 $2,522

-13.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$345 VUV 40.4K

$4,391 $4,391

-92.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.18

6.55

-5.65%

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

Last update for Vanuatu: October 20, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Vanuatu

$1.2K 37.3%

United States

$1.3K 48.9% 11.2% $134

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vanuatu

$1K 31.3%

United States

$355 13% 64.7% $652

Groceries & Markets

Vanuatu

$482 15%

United States

$413 15.1% 14.4% $70

Eating Out

Vanuatu

$248 7.7%

United States

$326 12% 31.6% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Vanuatu

$133 4.1%

United States

$137 5% 2.7% $3.6

Getting Around

Vanuatu

$79 2.5%

United States

$89 3.3% 11.5% $9.2

Sport & Entertainment

Vanuatu

$68 * 2.1%

United States

$75 2.8% 10.8% $7.3

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

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $794 in Vanuatu vs $1,612 in the United States. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,587 in Port Vila and $2,743 in Washington, DC.

Average salary: $488 in Vanuatu vs $4,548 in the United States. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 103% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 168% more in the United States.

Public transport is 22% more expensive in Vanuatu.

Salaries are 832% higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇻🇺 Vanuatu

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

00:23 12:23 AM

09:23 9:23 AM

15 h behind Vanuatu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

300,019

340,110,988

💱 Currency

Vanuatu Vatu VUV Vt

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 VUV = 8.53 USD

1,000 VUV = 7.58 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to VUV – Vanuatu Vatu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇺 Vanuatu Vatu (Vt)

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).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to VUV in detail →

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Between locations

Vanuatu United States 12,440 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Vanuatu
United States

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 United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

The United States is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 18% lower on average.

Not necessarily. Overall, Vanuatu costs about 18% more, but the gap varies by category, and some expenses can be lower in Vanuatu. Compare the categories that matter most for your budget.

$4,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in the United States, but in Vanuatu it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

The United States 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.