cost
Cost of Living Index
Lao PDR60.3 / 100
Vanuatu100.2 / 0
Comparison
Side-by-side data for relocation, travel, hiring, and investment decisions. Values are shown with source-backed metric definitions so trade-offs are easy to compare.
Bars and radar use 0-100 better scores. Tooltips keep the raw source values visible.
Chart summary: Lao PDR leads Cost of Living Index with 100 out of 100; Vanuatu leads Safety Index with 100 out of 100; Lao PDR leads Median Monthly Rent with 100 out of 100; Vanuatu leads House Price to Income with 100 out of 100. A complete normalized score table follows.
| Metric | Place | Raw value | Normalized score | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | Lao PDR | 60.3 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Cost of Living Index | Vanuatu | 100.2 | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Safety Index | Lao PDR | 78.6 | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | UNData / UNSD |
| Safety Index | Vanuatu | 79.3 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | UNData / UNSD |
| Median Monthly Rent | Lao PDR | $1,629 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Median Monthly Rent | Vanuatu | $2,963 | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| House Price to Income | Lao PDR | 16.2x | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| House Price to Income | Vanuatu | 11.0x | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Average Salary | Lao PDR | $177/mo | 0 out of 100 | 2024 | World Bank Open Data |
| Average Salary | Vanuatu | $284/mo | 100 out of 100 | 2024 | World Bank Open Data |
| Unemployment Rate | Lao PDR | 1.2% | 100 out of 100 | 2025 | World Bank Open Data |
| Unemployment Rate | Vanuatu | 5.1% | 0 out of 100 | 2025 | World Bank Open Data |
| Healthcare Access Index | Lao PDR | 78.6 | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | WHO Global Health Observatory |
| Healthcare Access Index | Vanuatu | 88.7 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | WHO Global Health Observatory |
| Life Expectancy | Lao PDR | 75.1 years | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | WHO Global Health Observatory |
| Life Expectancy | Vanuatu | 77.0 years | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | WHO Global Health Observatory |
cost
safety
housing
housing
jobs
jobs
health
health
Winner
Vanuatu wins on 16 of 22 metrics compared to Lao PDR.
Winner logic counts row wins after applying each metric direction. Exact ties do not count. Methodology
Top trade-offs
Lao PDR leads cost, rent, and jobs; Vanuatu leads safety, housing, and salary.
cost
Lao PDR
60.3
Vanuatu
100.2
safety
Lao PDR
78.6
Vanuatu
79.3
housing
Lao PDR
$1,629
Vanuatu
$2,963
housing
Lao PDR
16.2x
Vanuatu
11.0x
jobs
Lao PDR
$177/mo
Vanuatu
$284/mo
jobs
Lao PDR
1.2%
Vanuatu
5.1%
health
Lao PDR
78.6
Vanuatu
88.7
health
Lao PDR
75.1 years
Vanuatu
77.0 years
environment
environment
infrastructure
demographics
Lao PDR
1.4%
Vanuatu
2.3%
education
Lao PDR
51
Vanuatu
92.1
transport
Lao PDR
41
Vanuatu
90.4
safety
Lao PDR
0.7 per 100k
Vanuatu
0.3 per 100k
safety
Lao PDR
68.0 per 100k
Vanuatu
17.6 per 100k
health
Lao PDR
39.3%
Vanuatu
17.8%
quality
Lao PDR
6.8
Vanuatu
3.4
housing
Lao PDR
$14,301/sqm
Vanuatu
$668/sqm
religion
Lao PDR
47.5%
Vanuatu
88.2%
religion
Lao PDR
12.9%
Vanuatu
33.0%
religion
Lao PDR
91.9%
Vanuatu
93.9%
Some city-level values are modeled estimates when official city-level data is unavailable.
Each metric keeps its source, year, last refreshed date, and confidence label visible. Review methodology or Data Sources.