Moving to Vanuatu from Thailand

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Thailand 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 Thailand 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

TH
4.8
VU
0.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TH
25.4
VU
12.5

Vanuatu performs significantly better than Thailand across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

TH
$1,067
VU
$141
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

affects wait times and access to care

TH
9.3
VU
1.6

Thailand 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

TH
29.0
VU
57.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TH
4.0t
VU
0.9t

Thailand 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

TH
17.5
VU
1.1

Thailand 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

TH
0.9%
VU
5.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TH
$21,100
VU
$3,000

Thailand performs better than Vanuatu across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

TH
77.7 yrs
VU
75.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TH
6.5
VU
14.3

Thailand performs better than Vanuatu across all family life metrics.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bangkok Rain: 59.0 in/yr (1498 mm)
91° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bangkok Port Vila
Jan–Mar 91°/74°F (33°/23°C) 86°/74°F (30°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 93°/78°F (34°/26°C) 82°/70°F (28°/21°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 79°/67°F (26°/19°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/73°F (32°/23°C) 84°/71°F (29°/22°C)
View all months
Month Bangkok Port Vila
Jan 90°/70°F (32.0°/21.0°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.4°C)
Feb 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.3°C) 86°/74°F (30.2°/23.6°C)
Mar 93°/77°F (33.7°/24.9°C) 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.4°C)
Apr 95°/79°F (34.9°/26.1°C) 84°/72°F (28.9°/22.5°C)
May 93°/78°F (34.0°/25.6°C) 82°/70°F (27.7°/21.3°C)
Jun 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.4°C) 80°/69°F (26.7°/20.5°C)
Jul 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.0°C) 79°/67°F (25.9°/19.5°C)
Aug 90°/77°F (32.5°/24.9°C) 79°/67°F (26.1°/19.3°C)
Sep 90°/76°F (32.3°/24.6°C) 80°/67°F (26.7°/19.6°C)
Oct 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.3°C) 82°/69°F (27.8°/20.6°C)
Nov 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.1°C) 84°/71°F (28.9°/21.7°C)
Dec 88°/69°F (31.3°/20.8°C) 85°/72°F (29.7°/22.4°C)

Data: Thai Meteorological Department Thai Meteorological Department, Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Thailand 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.

Thailand passport

Thailand passport holder visiting Vanuatu

Visa Free
Thailand passport holders can enter Vanuatu without a visa.
Vanuatu passport

Vanuatu passport holder visiting Thailand

Visa Free
Vanuatu passport holders can enter Thailand without a visa.

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 Thailand and Vanuatu.

Is Vanuatu safe for expats?

Vanuatu performs significantly better than Thailand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Vanuatu is 0.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.8 in Thailand.

How is healthcare in Vanuatu compared to Thailand?

Thailand 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 9.3 in Thailand. Vanuatu scores 47 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Thailand: 82).

What's the weather like in Vanuatu compared to Thailand?

The average high temperature in Port Vila is 83°F, compared to 91°F in Bangkok. Port Vila receives around 87.5 in of rainfall per year, while Bangkok gets 59.0 in.

What language do they speak in Vanuatu?

The official languages in Vanuatu are Bislama, English and French. In Thailand, the official language is Thai.

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At a Glance

TH VU
Population 69,648,117 308,043
Currency Thai Baht (THB) Vanuatu Vatu (VUV)
Languages Thai Bislama, English, French
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +66 +678
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 191