Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Honiara Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Honiara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,450 per month in Budapest vs $2,132 in Honiara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Budapest vs $2,750 in Honiara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,991 per month in Budapest vs $3,369 in Honiara, rent included.

Budapest is about 32% cheaper than Honiara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Budapest and Honiara sit above the global median – Budapest by 8%, Honiara by 59%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,520

$6.10 SBD 49.00

88.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 Ft 17.4K

$51.1 SBD 410

11.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 Ft 2,653

$11.92 SBD 95.7

-27.35%

Cappuccino

$2.77 Ft 848

$3.00 SBD 24.11

-7.67%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 Ft 551

$1.39 SBD 11.14

29.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 409

$1.07 SBD 8.61

24.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 Ft 862

$1.82 SBD 14.60

54.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Ft 856

$3.54 SBD 28.44

-21.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 370

$2.56 SBD 20.53

-52.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 Ft 532

$1.49 SBD 11.93

16.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 639

$1.54 SBD 12.34

35.06%

Eggs

$3.10 Ft 951

$5.49 SBD 44.11

-43.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 Ft 3,049

$3.95 SBD 31.73

151.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 Ft 1,939

$8.40 SBD 67.5

-24.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 Ft 4,085

$14.53 SBD 117

-8.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 568

$7.63 SBD 61.2

-75.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 585

$2.68 SBD 21.54

-28.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 665

$7.83 SBD 62.9

-72.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 Ft 1,124

$3.34 SBD 26.83

9.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 346

$1.95 SBD 15.67

-42.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 373

$3.32 SBD 26.66

-63.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 474

$1.34 SBD 10.74

15.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 163

$1.07 SBD 8.60

-50.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,082

$3.93 SBD 31.59

72.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 Ft 1,799

$10.46 SBD 84.0

-43.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 372

$1.85 SBD 14.87

-34.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 530

$3.21 SBD 25.74

-46.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Ft 393

$0.47 SBD 3.74

172.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 8,010

$23.71 SBD 190

10.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 999

$1.21 SBD 9.72

169.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 346

$1.17 SBD 9.36

-3.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 Ft 5,892

$11.88 SBD 95.4

61.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 536

$1.29 SBD 10.37

35.66%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$145 Ft 44.5K

$709 SBD 5,692

-79.52%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$26.21 Ft 8,032

$26.03 SBD 209

0.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.23 Ft 6,199

$85.9 SBD 690

-76.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 Ft 19.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 Ft 6,776

$5.96 SBD 47.85

270.97%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,804

$3.35 SBD 26.89

173.13%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$454 Ft 139.0K

$94.6 SBD 759

379.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

$2,788 SBD 22.4K

334.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 25.9K

$20.64 SBD 166

309.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 Ft 12.8K

$90.8 SBD 729

-53.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 Ft 29.4K

$75.6 SBD 607

26.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 32.7K

$75.1 SBD 603

42.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 Ft 220.2K

$547 SBD 4,393

31.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 Ft 169.4K

$624 SBD 5,009

-11.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 Ft 415.3K

$1,236 SBD 9,921

9.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 301.4K

$836 SBD 6,712

17.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,041 Ft 1.9M

$85.7K SBD 688.0K

-92.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

$62.9K SBD 505.3K

-92.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,834 Ft 562.0K

$699 SBD 5,610

162.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

15.67

-55.14%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Last update for Honiara: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Budapest versus $547 in Honiara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 163% higher in Budapest, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Budapest versus $51.0 in Honiara. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Budapest vs $336 in Honiara – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Budapest vs Honiara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Honiara is pricier by about 47%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,175 per month in Budapest and $3,198 in Honiara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Budapest, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $454 per month in Budapest and $94.6 in Honiara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,450, than in Honiara at $2,132. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Honiara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Budapest – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Budapest. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Honiara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.