Living in Port-Vila, Vanuatu

Port-Vila is a smaller coastal city in Shefa, Vanuatu (under 250,000 people in the city proper). It has a warm climate, averaging 25°C over the year with about 2,401 mm of rain. We estimate a couple needs about €3,394 a month to live centrally. For foreigners, long-term residency in Vanuatu is comparatively open, with a self-funded route from about $2,115 a month in income.

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Est. cost
€3,394
a month for a couple
Climate
25°C
2,401 mm rain a year
Size
Smaller
under 250,000 people
Safety
77/100
country-level
Residency
Comparatively open
for most foreigners

Limited data for Vanuatu. Figures for safety, healthcare, cost of living and political stability in Vanuatu are country-level estimates from World Bank indicators, each named with its year. We have no tax, English, social openness or internet speed figures for Vanuatu, so the quiz scores those factors conservatively and this page leaves them out.

What stands out about Port-Vila

  • Safer than 90% of the cities we compare
  • Wet: about 2,401 mm of rain a year
  • On or near the sea

Healthcare

Vanuatu scores 52 out of 100 for healthcare, stronger than 8% of the cities we compare.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Vanuatu: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024) and current health spending per person in US dollars (SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, 2023), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Climate

Port-Vila averages 25°C across the year with about 2,401 mm of rain, which makes it warm and very wet. It is warmer than 71% of the 1225 cities we track, and it sits on the coast.

Source: Temperature from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive, daily means for 2019 to 2023; rainfall from TerraClimate (University of Idaho) 1991 to 2020 normals. Annual averages; monthly breakdowns are not in our dataset yet.

Safety and stability

Vanuatu scores 77 out of 100 on safety, safer than 90% of the cities we compare. Its estimated democracy score is 7.0 out of 10.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Vanuatu: country-level homicide rate per 100,000 people (VC.IHR.PSRC.P5, 2020) and Worldwide Governance Indicators Political Stability and Absence of Violence estimate (GOV_WGI_PV.EST, 2025), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables (higher is safer). Stability: Worldwide Governance Indicators Voice and Accountability estimate (GOV_WGI_VA.EST, 2025), calibrated to the EIU Democracy Index scale. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Residency and visas

Comparatively open. Vanuatu offers an easily renewable self-funded resident visa for anyone with sufficient passive income, plus an investor/land-owner residence route, with no nationality restrictions.

The cheapest self-funded routes we track for Vanuatu:

  • Income: about $2,115 a month (Self-Funded Resident Visa, certified VT 250,000/mo passive income (single applicant; VUV 0.008462/USD); as of June 2026)
  • Investment: about $50k (Foreign Investor residence visa via VIPA investor certificate, USD 50,000 business investment; as of June 2026)

For short visits, 119 of 198 passports can enter visa-free and 79 need a visa in advance.

Source: OurNextCity residency dataset, hand-reviewed approximations researched against published immigration rules, figures as of June 2026. Not legal advice: check the official source before you apply. Short-stay entry from the passport-index dataset (ilyankou, MIT).

Cost of living

We estimate a couple needs about €3,394 a month to live centrally in Port-Vila, 24% above the €2,729 median across the 900 cities we compare. That makes it more affordable than 28% of them.

Source: OurNextCity model from the price level of GDP relative to the United States, from GDP per person in US dollars and at purchasing power parity (NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD, 2025), calibrated to our country-level cost index (New York = 100) and scaled up for larger cities. An estimate for comparing cities, not a budget. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Questions couples ask about Port-Vila

Is Port-Vila a good place to live for couples?

It depends on what the two of you weigh most. Compared with the other cities we track, Port-Vila scores well on safety. It is weaker on affordability and healthcare. Our figures for Vanuatu are partial: no tax, English, social openness or internet speed data, and country-level World Bank estimates for the rest. Expect a warm, very wet climate (25°C average). OurNextCity has each partner answer 12 questions privately, then ranks Port-Vila and 914 other cities for both of you at once.

How much does it cost a couple to live in Port-Vila?

We estimate about €3,394 a month for a couple living centrally, 24% above the €2,729 median across the cities we compare. It is a model estimate from the World Bank price level of GDP for Vanuatu, calibrated to our country-level cost index adjusted for city size, so use it to compare cities rather than to set a budget.

Can foreigners live in Vanuatu long term?

Our assessment: comparatively open. Vanuatu offers an easily renewable self-funded resident visa for anyone with sufficient passive income, plus an investor/land-owner residence route, with no nationality restrictions. The cheapest self-funded routes we track: income, about $2,115 a month (as of 2026-06); investment, about $50k (as of 2026-06).

What is the weather like in Port-Vila?

Port-Vila averages 25°C across the year with about 2,401 mm of rain, which makes it warm and very wet. It is warmer than 71% of the cities we track.

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