Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Vanuatu instead of Kenya, you would:

Health

live 5.5 years longer

In Kenya, the average life expectancy is 70 years (68 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2022. In Vanuatu, that number is 75 years (73 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2022.

be 3.5 times more likely to be obese

In Kenya, 7.1% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Vanuatu, that number is 25.2% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 10.2% less likely to be unemployed

In Kenya, 5.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Vanuatu, that number is 5.1% as of 2023.

be 56.0% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Kenya, 36.1% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Vanuatu, however, that number is 15.9% as of 2020.

make 47.4% less money

Kenya has a GDP per capita of $5,700 as of 2023, while in Vanuatu, the GDP per capita is $3,000 as of 2023.

Life

be 82.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In Kenya, approximately 530.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Vanuatu, 94.0 women do as of 2020.

be 48.5% less likely to die during infancy

In Kenya, approximately 27.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Vanuatu, on the other hand, 14.3 children do as of 2022.

have 18.8% fewer children

In Kenya, there are approximately 25.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Vanuatu, there are 20.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 2.3 times more likely to have internet access

In Kenya, approximately 29.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Vanuatu, about 66.0% do as of 2021.

be 29.6% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Kenya, approximately 71% of people have improved drinking water access (91% in urban areas, and 63% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Vanuatu, that number is 92% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 90% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 52.1% less on education

Kenya spends 4.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Vanuatu spends 2.3% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

Geography

see 4.7 times more coastline

Kenya has a total of 536 km of coastline. In Vanuatu, that number is 2,528 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Vanuatu: At a glance

Vanuatu is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 12,189 sq km. Multiple waves of colonizers, each speaking a distinct language, migrated to the New Hebrides in the millennia preceding European exploration in the 18th century. This settlement pattern accounts for the complex linguistic diversity found on the archipelago to this day. The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which administered the islands until independence in 1980, when the new name of Vanuatu was adopted.
Read more

How big is Vanuatu compared to Kenya? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Vanuatu.or Kenya It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.