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: $2,191 in Gizo versus $1,756 in Honiara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,131 in Gizo versus $2,880 in Honiara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,070 in Gizo versus $4,004 in Honiara.

Living in Gizo is roughly 25% more expensive than in Honiara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gizo 59% above, Honiara 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.15 SBD 25.22

$6.89 SBD 55.2

-54.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 SBD 459

$61.3 SBD 491

-6.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.67 SBD 126

$12.35 SBD 99.0

26.88%

Cappuccino

$2.79 SBD 22.35

$3.48 SBD 27.89

-19.83%

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

$1.29 SBD 10.30

$1.59 SBD 12.76

-18.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 SBD 10.18

$1.07 SBD 8.59

18.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 SBD 19.88

$2.44 SBD 19.54

1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 SBD 20.32

$5.57 SBD 44.65

-54.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.17 SBD 25.36

$2.58 SBD 20.67

22.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 SBD 11.28

$1.49 SBD 11.91

-5.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 SBD 11.64

$1.64 SBD 13.17

-11.59%

Eggs

$7.14 SBD 57.2

$5.49 SBD 43.97

30.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 SBD 70.5

$6.69 SBD 53.6

31.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.08 SBD 48.73

$8.84 SBD 70.8

-31.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.87 SBD 71.1

$15.22 SBD 122

-41.72%

Apples (1kg)

$7.05 SBD 56.5

$6.17 SBD 49.41

14.26%

Banana (1kg)

$6.22 SBD 49.81

$2.71 SBD 21.72

129.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.27 SBD 50.2

$8.38 SBD 67.2

-25.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.05 SBD 24.44

$3.67 SBD 29.39

-16.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 SBD 25.16

$1.94 SBD 15.55

61.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 SBD 20.54

$3.40 SBD 27.27

-24.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 SBD 20.19

$1.48 SBD 11.84

70.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 SBD 11.29

$1.09 SBD 8.72

29.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 SBD 35.95

$4.23 SBD 33.91

6.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.44 SBD 99.6

$10.71 SBD 85.8

16.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 SBD 14.68

$1.73 SBD 13.85

5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 SBD 18.18

$3.54 SBD 28.37

-35.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 SBD 3.09

$0.39 SBD 3.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.47 SBD 252

$25.16 SBD 202

25.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 SBD 10.23

$1.23 SBD 9.87

4.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.52 SBD 20.19

$1.23 SBD 9.85

104.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.42 SBD 99.5

$12.28 SBD 98.3

1.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 SBD 14.34

$1.36 SBD 10.92

31.62%

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

$20.7K SBD 166.0K

$18.8K SBD 150.7K

10.14%

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

$21.6K SBD 173.1K

$34.4K SBD 275.3K

-37.14%

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

$751 SBD 6,017

$440 SBD 3,528

70.57%

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

$13.80 SBD 111

$27.19 SBD 218

-49.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$126 SBD 1,009

$89.5 SBD 717

40.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.01 SBD 152

$38.24 SBD 306

-50.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 SBD 50.8

$9.07 SBD 72.7

-30.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 SBD 35.89

$4.35 SBD 34.88

2.99%

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

$124 SBD 990

$98.2 SBD 787

25.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,274 SBD 10.2K

$2,836 SBD 22.7K

-55.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.95 SBD 208

$27.05 SBD 217

-4.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$92.7 SBD 743

$94.4 SBD 756

-1.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 SBD 817

$96.4 SBD 772

5.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 SBD 735

$105 SBD 844

-12.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 SBD 4,862

$899 SBD 7,203

-32.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 SBD 4,669

$441 SBD 3,530

32.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 SBD 4,982

$1,896 SBD 15.2K

-67.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 SBD 9,989

$1,411 SBD 11.3K

-11.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$89.1K SBD 713.5K

$88.9K SBD 712.4K

0.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$62.1K SBD 497.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$390 SBD 3,121

$717 SBD 5,742

-45.65%

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: September 8, 2026

Last update for Honiara: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Gizo and $899 in Honiara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Honiara pays 84% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $57.0 in Gizo vs $61.0 in Honiara. Groceries flip the comparison at $357 vs $347, with Honiara cheaper for home cooking.

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 25% 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 84% 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: $607 in Gizo versus $899 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 $61.0 versus $57.0 in Gizo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,756 in Honiara versus $2,191 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 25% less than in Gizo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.