Moving to Barbados from Vanuatu

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Vanuatu to Barbados. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

VU
0.3
BB
15.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

VU
12.5
BB
10.0

Vanuatu generally does better on safety, though Barbados leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

VU
$141
BB
$1,153
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

VU
1.6
BB
29.7

Barbados 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

VU
57.0
BB
19.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

VU
0.9t
BB
2.5t

Vanuatu generally does better on environment, though Barbados leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

VU
1.1
BB
37.6
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

VU
66.0%
BB
86.0%

Barbados performs significantly 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

VU
5.1%
BB
8.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

VU
$3,000
BB
$17,400

Vanuatu generally does better on employment & economy, though Barbados leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

VU
75.1 yrs
BB
78.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

VU
14.3
BB
9.6

Barbados performs significantly better than Vanuatu across all family life metrics.

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

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Vanuatu passport

Vanuatu passport holder visiting Barbados

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

Barbados passport holder visiting Vanuatu

Visa Free
Barbados passport holders can enter Vanuatu 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 Barbados?

With 37.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Barbados can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Vanuatu and Barbados.

Is Barbados safe for expats?

Vanuatu generally does better on safety, though Barbados leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Barbados is 15.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.3 in Vanuatu.

How is healthcare in Barbados compared to Vanuatu?

Barbados generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vanuatu leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 29.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Barbados, compared to 1.6 in Vanuatu. Barbados scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Vanuatu: 47).

What language do they speak in Barbados?

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

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At a Glance

VU BB
Population 308,043 302,674
Currency Vanuatu Vatu (VUV) Barbadian Dollar (BBD)
Languages Bislama, English, French English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +678 +1246
Time zones 1 1