Average Salary in Vanuatu 2026
Currency: VUV · Updated for 2026
How much money does a person working in Vanuatu make?
Average Monthly Salary
74,400 VUV
( 892,800 VUV yearly )
~ 620 USD per month ( 7,440 USD yearly )
LOW
18,600 VUV
155 USD
AVERAGE
74,400 VUV
620 USD
HIGH
260,400 VUV
2,170 USD
A person working in Vanuatu typically earns around 74,400 VUV per month. Salaries range from 18,600 VUV (lowest average) to 260,400 VUV (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.
Distribution of Salaries in Vanuatu
Median and salary distribution monthly Vanuatu
singhyogendra.com.np
What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated.
The median (65,520 VUV) represents the middle salary value — 50% earn more and 50% earn less. The average (74,400 VUV) is the sum of all salaries divided by the number of workers, and can be skewed by extremely high or low salaries.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does a person's salary progress over time?
- 0–2 Years (Entry Level)446,400 VUV
- 2–5 Years (Junior)580,320 VUV
- 5–10 Years (Mid-Career)758,880 VUV
- 10–15 Years (Experienced)892,800 VUV
- 15+ Years (Senior)1,071,360 VUV
singhyogendra.com.np
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher the wage.
Generally speaking, employees having experience from two to five years earn on average +30% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.
Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average +31% more than those with five years or less of work experience.
As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by +18% and an additional +20% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.
“On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years experience mark.”
Salary Comparison By Education
How does the education level affect your salary?
- High School535,680 VUV
- Certificate624,960 VUV
- Associate714,240 VUV
- Bachelor's892,800 VUV
- Master's1,071,360 VUV
- PhD1,249,920 VUV
singhyogendra.com.np
High School → Certificate
+17%
Certificate → Bachelor's
+43%
Bachelor's → Master's
+20%
Master's → PhD
+17%
It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degrees levels across many jobs, below are our findings.
Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average +17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.
Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn +43% more than those who only managed to attain a certificate or diploma.
Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are +20% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.
Finally, PhD holders earn +17% more than Master's Degree holders on average.
Salary Comparison By Gender
Salary comparison by gender monthly Vanuatu
singhyogendra.com.np
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male employees in Vanuatu earn 7% more than their female counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in Vanuatu
How much are annual salary increments? How often do employees get salary raises?
8%
Average Raise
16 months
Review Frequency
6%
Annualized Increase
Employees in Vanuatu are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 8% every 16 months.
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency
The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in Vanuatu is 6%.
Bonus and Incentive Rates in Vanuatu
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
42%
Received Bonus
58%
No Bonus
42% of surveyed staff in Vanuatu reported receiving at least one form of monetary bonus.
Average Bonus Rate
7%
of annual salary
Types of Bonuses Considered:
• Individual Performance-Based Bonuses
• Company Performance Bonuses
• Goal-Based Bonuses
• Holiday / End of Year Bonuses
Top 5 Highest Paying Industries
Annual average salaries
- Legal1,205,280 VUV
- Aviation1,160,640 VUV
- Information Technology1,160,640 VUV
- Banking1,116,000 VUV
- Pharmaceuticals1,116,000 VUV
singhyogendra.com.np
Salaries for Popular Jobs
Sample job titles and their average salaries
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | 2,232,000 VUV | 186,000 VUV |
| Pilot | 1,785,600 VUV | 148,800 VUV |
| Software Developer | 1,607,040 VUV | 133,920 VUV |
| Data Scientist | 1,517,760 VUV | 126,480 VUV |
| Financial Manager | 1,428,480 VUV | 119,040 VUV |
| Database Administrator | 1,339,200 VUV | 111,600 VUV |
| Engineer | 1,249,920 VUV | 104,160 VUV |
| Marketing Manager | 1,160,640 VUV | 96,720 VUV |
| Project Manager | 1,116,000 VUV | 93,000 VUV |
| Accountant | 982,080 VUV | 81,840 VUV |
| Hotel Manager | 892,800 VUV | 74,400 VUV |
| Nurse | 803,520 VUV | 66,960 VUV |
| Graphic Designer | 758,880 VUV | 63,240 VUV |
| Chef | 669,600 VUV | 55,800 VUV |
| Teacher | 624,960 VUV | 52,080 VUV |
Salary Comparison By City
Average annual salaries by city
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Port Vila | 1,026,720 VUV |
| Luganville | 937,440 VUV |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more?
70,680 VUV
Private Sector
78,120 VUV
Public Sector
+11%
Public sector employees in Vanuatu earn 11% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Hourly Wage in Vanuatu
480 VUV
per hour
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Vanuatu is 480 VUV. This means that the average person in Vanuatu earns approximately 480 VUV for every worked hour. Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ (52 × 5 × 8)
Cost of Living in Vanuatu
Estimated monthly expenses
Rent
7,440 VUV
/month
Food
2,400 VUV
/month
Transport
840 VUV
/month
Utilities
1,200 VUV
/month
Compare Your Salary
See how your salary compares with the average in Vanuatu and explore top-paying jobs.