Moving to Vanuatu from Sri Lanka

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Sri Lanka to Vanuatu — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Sri Lanka to Vanuatu, and you’d need to navigate life in Bislama, English and French. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Sri Lanka and Vanuatu stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

per 100,000 people per year

LK
3.4
VU
0.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LK
11.5
VU
12.5

Sri Lanka generally does better on safety, though Vanuatu leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

LK
$507
VU
$141
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

LK
11.9
VU
1.6

Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vanuatu leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

LK
37.0
VU
57.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LK
1.1t
VU
0.9t

Sri Lanka generally does better on environment, though Vanuatu leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

LK
10.1
VU
1.1
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

LK
67.0%
VU
66.0%

Sri Lanka performs better than Vanuatu across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

LK
6.4%
VU
5.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LK
$13,000
VU
$3,000

Sri Lanka generally does better on employment & economy, though Vanuatu leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

LK
77.5 yrs
VU
75.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LK
8.2
VU
14.3

Sri Lanka generally does better on family life, though Vanuatu leads in education spending.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Colombo Rain: 99.4 in/yr (2524 mm)
87° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Port Vila Rain: 87.5 in/yr (2222 mm)
83° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Colombo Port Vila
Jan–Mar 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) 86°/74°F (30°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/77°F (31°/25°C) 82°/70°F (28°/21°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) 79°/67°F (26°/19°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) 84°/71°F (29°/22°C)
View all months
Month Colombo Port Vila
Jan 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.4°C)
Feb 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C) 86°/74°F (30.2°/23.6°C)
Mar 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C) 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.4°C)
Apr 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C) 84°/72°F (28.9°/22.5°C)
May 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C) 82°/70°F (27.7°/21.3°C)
Jun 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C) 80°/69°F (26.7°/20.5°C)
Jul 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C) 79°/67°F (25.9°/19.5°C)
Aug 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C) 79°/67°F (26.1°/19.3°C)
Sep 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C) 80°/67°F (26.7°/19.6°C)
Oct 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C) 82°/69°F (27.8°/20.6°C)
Nov 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) 84°/71°F (28.9°/21.7°C)
Dec 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C) 85°/72°F (29.7°/22.4°C)

Data: National Meteorological Centre National Meteorological Centre, Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sri Lanka and Vanuatu. To live, work, or study long-term in Vanuatu, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Vanuatu's immigration authority.

Sri Lanka passport

Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Vanuatu

Visa Free
Sri Lanka passport holders can enter Vanuatu without a visa.
Vanuatu passport

Vanuatu passport holder visiting Sri Lanka

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Vanuatu passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Sri Lanka.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Vanuatu?

With 1.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Vanuatu can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Sri Lanka and Vanuatu.

Is Vanuatu safe for expats?

Sri Lanka generally does better on safety, though Vanuatu leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Vanuatu is 0.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.4 in Sri Lanka.

How is healthcare in Vanuatu compared to Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vanuatu leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Vanuatu, compared to 11.9 in Sri Lanka. Vanuatu scores 47 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sri Lanka: 67).

What's the weather like in Vanuatu compared to Sri Lanka?

The average high temperature in Port Vila is 83°F, compared to 87°F in Colombo. Port Vila receives around 87.5 in of rainfall per year, while Colombo gets 99.4 in.

What language do they speak in Vanuatu?

The official languages in Vanuatu are Bislama, English and French. In Sri Lanka, the official languages are Sinhala and Tamil.

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At a Glance

LK VU
Population 23,187,516 308,043
Currency Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) Vanuatu Vatu (VUV)
Languages Sinhala, Tamil Bislama, English, French
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +94 +678
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119