Oranjestad vs Port Vila
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Oranjestad edges it, 66 to 57, winning 3 of the 9 factors. Oranjestad is stronger on getting there & around; Port Vila on air quality. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Dutch Caribbean capital outside the hurricane belt
Full Oranjestad profile →Plan a trip to Oranjestad →Vanuatu's harbour-side capital: duty-free, cyclone-prone and small
Full Port Vila profile →Plan a trip to Port Vila →Where they differ
- Getting there & around. Oranjestad leads on getting there & around, 20 to 7, against Port Vila. Non-stop airport destinations: 34 vs 13.
- Air quality. Port Vila leads on air quality, 100 to 87, against Oranjestad. PM2.5: 10.7 µg/m³ vs 4.1 µg/m³.
- Visa ease. Oranjestad leads on visa ease, 61 to 52, against Port Vila.
Where they are close. Within five points on safety, climate.
Pick Oranjestad if you want
- more flights and easier getting around
Pick Port Vila if you want
- stronger healthcare
- cleaner air
Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Oranjestad | Port Vila |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | no data | no data |
| Safety | 92 ✓ | 89 |
| Healthcare | no data | 48 |
| Internet | 71 | no data |
| Visa ease | 61 ✓ | 52 |
| Getting there & around | 20 ✓ | 7 |
| Climate | 67 | 67 |
| Air quality | 87 | 100 ✓ |
| Quality of life | no data | 34 |
Cost
| Metric | Oranjestad | Port Vila |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | no data | no data |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Oranjestad | Port Vila |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | no data | 0.33 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 87.8 ✓ | 82.3 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | no data | 52 |
| Life expectancy | no data | 67.2 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Oranjestad | Port Vila |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 45.5 Mbps | no data |
| Upload | 9.4 Mbps | no data |
Visa
| Metric | Oranjestad | Port Vila |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 120 days ✓ |
| Entry, EU passport | unlimited ✓ | 120 days |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 120 days ✓ |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Oranjestad | Port Vila |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 34 ✓ | 13 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 ✓ | 2 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 ✓ | 1 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Oranjestad | Port Vila |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 8 | 8 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 10.7 µg/m³ | 4.1 µg/m³ ✓ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Oranjestad or Port Vila?
- We lack a monthly cost figure for one of the two cities.
- Is Oranjestad or Port Vila safer?
- Oranjestad scores higher on safety (92 vs 89), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Oranjestad or Port Vila?
- M-Lab has no reliable measurement for one of the two cities.
More comparisons
- Oranjestad vs Ishigaki
- Oranjestad vs Taitung
- Port Vila vs Nadi
- Port Vila vs Uluwatu (Bali)
- All comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.11.2. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.