Port Vila vs Uluwatu (Bali)
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Uluwatu (Bali) edges it, 58 to 57, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Port Vila is stronger on safety; Uluwatu (Bali) on healthcare, quality of life. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Vanuatu's harbour-side capital: duty-free, cyclone-prone and small
Full Port Vila profile →Plan a trip to Port Vila →Clifftop surf village on Bali's southern tip
Full Uluwatu (Bali) profile →Plan a trip to Uluwatu (Bali) →Where they differ
- Safety. Port Vila leads on safety, 89 to 67, against Uluwatu (Bali). Homicides per 100,000: 0.33 vs 0.41.
- Healthcare. Uluwatu (Bali) leads on healthcare, 65 to 48, against Port Vila. Health coverage index: 52 vs 67.
- Quality of life. Uluwatu (Bali) leads on quality of life, 49 to 34, against Port Vila.
Where they are close. Within five points on getting there & around, visa ease.
Pick Port Vila if you want
- the safer country figures
Pick Uluwatu (Bali) if you want
- stronger healthcare
- a dedicated digital-nomad visa
Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Port Vila | Uluwatu (Bali) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | no data | 74 |
| Safety | 89 ✓ | 67 |
| Healthcare | 48 | 65 ✓ |
| Internet | no data | 56 |
| Visa ease | 52 | 54 ✓ |
| Getting there & around | 7 | 9 ✓ |
| Climate | 67 ✓ | 58 |
| Air quality | 100 ✓ | 92 |
| Quality of life | 34 | 49 ✓ |
Cost
| Metric | Port Vila | Uluwatu (Bali) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | no data | $1,000 |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Port Vila | Uluwatu (Bali) |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 0.33 ✓ | 0.41 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 82.3 ✓ | 52.7 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 52 | 67 ✓ |
| Life expectancy | 67.2 yrs | 72.7 yrs ✓ |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Port Vila | Uluwatu (Bali) |
|---|---|---|
| Download | no data | 17 Mbps |
| Upload | no data | 8.8 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | Port Vila | Uluwatu (Bali) |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | none listed | Remote worker visa (E33G) ✓ |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | $5,000/mo |
| Entry, US passport | 120 days ✓ | visa on arrival |
| Entry, EU passport | 120 days ✓ | visa on arrival |
| Entry, UK passport | 120 days ✓ | visa on arrival |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Port Vila | Uluwatu (Bali) |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 13 | 65 ✓ |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 ✓ | 1 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 1 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Port Vila | Uluwatu (Bali) |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 8 ✓ | 7 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 4.1 µg/m³ ✓ | 8.5 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Port Vila or Uluwatu (Bali)?
- We lack a monthly cost figure for one of the two cities.
- Is Port Vila or Uluwatu (Bali) safer?
- Port Vila scores higher on safety (89 vs 67), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Port Vila or Uluwatu (Bali)?
- M-Lab has no reliable measurement for one of the two cities.
More comparisons
- Port Vila vs Nadi
- Port Vila vs Kuta (Lombok)
- Uluwatu (Bali) vs Nusa Penida
- Uluwatu (Bali) vs Kuta (Lombok)
- 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); 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.