Work in progress. The Wealth Atlas is in development. Only Paraguay has been checked in full; for the other places some figures may still be inaccurate. Verify before you rely on them.
Moving to Vanuatu: tax, residence and real costs (2026)
Vanuatu: 0% on foreign income · 0% on local income. The cheapest route to residence is residence by retirement income or property: USD 130k that stays yours (deposit, investment or funds shown) plus about USD 5,000 in fees, in about 3 months. Living costs about USD 2,050 a month for one person in Port Vila, USD 2,000 in Luganville, and around USD 1,450 on a bare-minimum budget.
Key facts
Tax in one line
0% on foreign income · 0% on local income
Foreign income
not taxed
Gains · dividends
0 · 0
Wealth · inheritance tax
none · none
Cheapest residence
residence by retirement income or property
Money needed
USD 130k that stays yours (deposit, investment or funds shown) plus about USD 5,000 in fees
Time
about 3 months
Doable yourself?
Mostly; a local fixer for one step helps
Days you must spend there
-
Citizenship
by investment in ~2-4 months
Online business
0% effective, about USD 1,000 a year to run: no income tax
Living (one person a month)
Port Vila ~USD 2,050; bare minimum ~USD 1,450; family of four ~USD 4,450
Good for
-
Common set-up
CBI passport
Pros and cons
Pros
Cons
No income tax
Fast, cheap passport
Lost EU visa-free access (2024)
Remote, cyclones, weak banking
Programmes
Programme
All-in, one person
Months
Notes
Development Support Program
USD 150k
3
Fastest and cheap, but the EU removed visa-free access (2024).
Questions
How much does residence in Vanuatu cost?
Residence by retirement income or property: USD 130k that stays yours (deposit, investment or funds shown) plus about USD 5,000 in fees, about 3 months.
Does Vanuatu tax foreign income?
Not taxed. In one line: 0% on foreign income · 0% on local income.
What does it cost to live in Vanuatu?
Living costs about USD 2,050 a month for one person in Port Vila, USD 2,000 in Luganville, and around USD 1,450 on a bare-minimum budget (based on livingcost.org, 2026).
Can I run an online business from Vanuatu?
Effective tax about 0% with the cheapest legal set-up, which costs about USD 1,000 a year: no income tax.
What is the catch in Vanuatu?
Lost EU visa-free access (2024); Remote, cyclones, weak banking
What residence or citizenship programmes does Vanuatu have?
Development Support Program: about USD 150k all-in for one person, ~3 months
Compare
New Zealand: first 4 years: 0% on most foreign income · up to 39% on NZ income
Moving to Vanuatu: tax, residence and real costs (2026)