Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Solomon Islands Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Solomon Islands

Name: Solomon Islands
Address: SB

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in China versus $2,088 in Solomon Islands.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,133 in China versus $2,837 in Solomon Islands.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,553 in China versus $3,585 in Solomon Islands.

Living in China costs about 66% less than in Solomon Islands on average.

China (47% below) and Solomon Islands (57% above) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $521 to $1,202, compared to $2,081–$2,095 in Solomon Islands. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.71 ¥18.31

$4.61 SBD 37.14

-41.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 ¥157

$53.1 SBD 428

-56.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 ¥33.78

$11.88 SBD 95.8

-57.91%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.84

$3.05 SBD 24.55

0.98%

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

$0.48 ¥3.24

$1.51 SBD 12.18

-68.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$1.18 SBD 9.48

-75.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$2.35 SBD 18.95

-57.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥14.21

$3.20 SBD 25.81

-34.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.80

$2.76 SBD 22.25

-36.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.25

$1.44 SBD 11.63

15.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.67

$1.46 SBD 11.76

-32.19%

Eggs

$1.57 ¥10.60

$5.47 SBD 44.04

-71.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 ¥88.3

$5.83 SBD 46.98

124.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 ¥22.38

$7.91 SBD 63.8

-58.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 ¥73.1

$13.90 SBD 112

-22.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.01

$8.72 SBD 70.2

-79.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.39

$2.62 SBD 21.14

-52.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.17

$7.44 SBD 60.0

-79.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.11

$3.17 SBD 25.57

-62.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.16

$2.25 SBD 18.15

-66.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.20

$3.30 SBD 26.59

-72.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$1.47 SBD 11.84

-60.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.59

$1.09 SBD 8.79

-51.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.28

$4.18 SBD 33.66

-17.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 ¥80.7

$12.24 SBD 98.7

-2.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.57

$1.81 SBD 14.61

-54.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.15

$3.05 SBD 24.55

-45.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.91

$0.37 SBD 2.99

16.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.78 ¥140

$30.45 SBD 245

-31.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 ¥9.32

$1.22 SBD 9.80

13.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.22

$1.17 SBD 9.46

-71.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 ¥45.50

$11.79 SBD 95.0

-42.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.64

$1.37 SBD 11.04

-17.52%

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

$19.6K ¥132.5K

$20.1K SBD 161.6K

-2.20%

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

$16.8K ¥113.5K

$21.3K SBD 171.6K

-21.13%

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

$50.7 ¥343

$712 SBD 5,742

-92.88%

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

$10.12 ¥68.4

$22.81 SBD 184

-55.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.42 ¥77.2

$98.6 SBD 794

-88.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.33 ¥272

$17.70 SBD 143

127.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.57 ¥98.5

$5.84 SBD 47.08

149.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 ¥43.26

$4.15 SBD 33.43

54.22%

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

$417 ¥2,817

$118 SBD 952

253.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ¥116.5K

$2,266 SBD 18.3K

660.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.55 ¥308

$24.67 SBD 199

84.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.26 ¥218

$91.1 SBD 734

-64.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥493

$96.1 SBD 775

-24.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.6 ¥497

$88.1 SBD 710

-16.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 ¥2,925

$523 SBD 4,218

-17.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 ¥1,765

$470 SBD 3,784

-44.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 ¥6,115

$1,106 SBD 8,914

-18.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 ¥3,599

$927 SBD 7,473

-42.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,965 ¥33.5K

$87.9K SBD 708.5K

-94.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,518 ¥17.0K

$62.8K SBD 506.1K

-95.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,063 ¥7,181

$465 SBD 3,747

128.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

16.33

-75.14%

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

Last update for China: June 15, 2026

Last update for Solomon Islands: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $287 in China, $563 in Solomon Islands. Capital cities: $886 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $539 in Honiara.

National salary averages: $862 in China, $549 in Solomon Islands. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 96% higher in Solomon Islands.

Dining out costs 148% more in Solomon Islands.

Public transport is 50% more expensive in Solomon Islands.

Salaries are 57% higher in China, giving China stronger purchasing power.

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

China vs Solomon Islands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $862 per month in China and $2,088 in Solomon Islands, there's a 142% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Solomon Islands beats China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Solomon Islands, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. China wins on affordability; Solomon Islands may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.