Cost of Living Comparison Between Gizo and Honiara Cost of Living Comparison Between Gizo and Honiara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,137 in Gizo versus $2,120 in Honiara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,957 in Gizo versus $2,756 in Honiara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,778 in Gizo versus $3,393 in Honiara.

Living in Gizo is roughly 1% more expensive than in Honiara, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gizo 60% above, Honiara 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.92 SBD 23.59

$5.87 SBD 47.33

-50.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.4 SBD 439

$51.8 SBD 418

5.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 SBD 120

$11.90 SBD 96.0

25.04%

Cappuccino

$2.62 SBD 21.15

$3.10 SBD 25.01

-15.48%

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

$1.17 SBD 9.43

$1.38 SBD 11.15

-15.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 SBD 9.81

$1.03 SBD 8.32

18.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 SBD 19.73

$1.84 SBD 14.86

33.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 SBD 18.97

$3.66 SBD 29.50

-35.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.18 SBD 25.64

$2.64 SBD 21.30

20.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 SBD 10.78

$1.47 SBD 11.88

-8.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 SBD 10.97

$1.56 SBD 12.58

-12.82%

Eggs

$6.93 SBD 55.9

$5.29 SBD 42.72

31.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 SBD 66.9

$3.95 SBD 31.90

109.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.07 SBD 49.00

$8.34 SBD 67.3

-27.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.32 SBD 67.1

$14.79 SBD 119

-43.75%

Apples (1kg)

$6.48 SBD 52.3

$7.59 SBD 61.3

-14.62%

Banana (1kg)

$6.07 SBD 49.00

$2.62 SBD 21.17

131.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.94 SBD 47.94

$7.53 SBD 60.8

-21.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 SBD 23.92

$3.34 SBD 26.97

-11.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 SBD 23.94

$2.01 SBD 16.19

47.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 SBD 19.65

$3.27 SBD 26.35

-25.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 SBD 18.96

$1.33 SBD 10.77

76.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SBD 10.85

$1.11 SBD 8.97

20.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 SBD 34.64

$3.89 SBD 31.36

10.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 SBD 102

$10.36 SBD 83.6

21.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SBD 14.28

$1.81 SBD 14.59

-2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SBD 17.54

$3.20 SBD 25.81

-32.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 SBD 3.02

$0.50 SBD 4.01

-26.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.01 SBD 242

$23.80 SBD 192

26.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 SBD 9.96

$1.23 SBD 9.92

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 SBD 18.70

$1.17 SBD 9.42

98.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.06 SBD 97.3

$11.89 SBD 95.9

1.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 SBD 13.91

$1.30 SBD 10.49

32.31%

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

$20.3K SBD 164.1K

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

$20.6K SBD 166.2K

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

$706 SBD 5,696

$705 SBD 5,688

0.14%

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

$12.99 SBD 105

$26.04 SBD 210

-50.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$121 SBD 980

$86.2 SBD 696

40.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.19 SBD 147

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.16 SBD 49.69

$6.16 SBD 49.67

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 SBD 33.90

$3.23 SBD 26.09

30.03%

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

$122 SBD 981

$95.3 SBD 769

27.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,190 SBD 9,605

$2,775 SBD 22.4K

-57.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.61 SBD 199

$19.99 SBD 161

23.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$89.6 SBD 723

$89.1 SBD 719

0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 SBD 777

$76.7 SBD 619

25.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 SBD 707

$76.6 SBD 618

14.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 SBD 4,696

$532 SBD 4,290

9.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 SBD 4,525

$627 SBD 5,056

-10.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$603 SBD 4,863

$1,217 SBD 9,822

-50.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 SBD 9,650

$843 SBD 6,803

41.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$86.8K SBD 700.3K

$87.3K SBD 704.2K

-0.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$61.9K SBD 499.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$400 SBD 3,224

$692 SBD 5,584

-42.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.33

15.67

4.21%

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

Last update for Gizo: July 14, 2026

Last update for Honiara: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $582 in Gizo and $532 in Honiara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Honiara pays 73% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Gizo vs $52.0 in Honiara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $334 per month, with Honiara cheaper across the board.

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

Gizo vs Honiara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Honiara wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Gizo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Honiara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 73% lower in Honiara. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $582 in Gizo versus $532 in Honiara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Gizo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Honiara – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $54.0 in Gizo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,120 in Honiara versus $2,137 in Gizo, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Honiara but tight or insufficient in Gizo. The gap between the two cities makes Honiara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Gizo and Honiara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Honiara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Gizo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.