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: $2,103 in Gizo versus $2,132 in Honiara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,941 in Gizo versus $2,750 in Honiara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,779 in Gizo versus $3,369 in Honiara.

Living in Gizo costs roughly 1% less than in Honiara, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gizo 57% above, Honiara 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 SBD 24.48

$6.10 SBD 49.00

-50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 SBD 433

$51.1 SBD 410

5.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.90 SBD 120

$11.92 SBD 95.7

25.00%

Cappuccino

$2.64 SBD 21.23

$3.00 SBD 24.11

-12.00%

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

$1.17 SBD 9.42

$1.39 SBD 11.14

-15.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 SBD 9.40

$1.07 SBD 8.61

9.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 SBD 18.75

$1.82 SBD 14.60

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 SBD 19.51

$3.54 SBD 28.44

-31.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 SBD 24.50

$2.56 SBD 20.53

19.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 SBD 10.77

$1.49 SBD 11.93

-10.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 SBD 11.36

$1.54 SBD 12.34

-8.44%

Eggs

$6.68 SBD 53.6

$5.49 SBD 44.11

21.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 SBD 66.4

$3.95 SBD 31.73

109.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.08 SBD 48.84

$8.40 SBD 67.5

-27.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.51 SBD 68.3

$14.53 SBD 117

-41.43%

Apples (1kg)

$6.71 SBD 53.9

$7.63 SBD 61.2

-12.06%

Banana (1kg)

$6.05 SBD 48.58

$2.68 SBD 21.54

125.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 SBD 47.49

$7.83 SBD 62.9

-24.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 SBD 23.88

$3.34 SBD 26.83

-11.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 SBD 24.60

$1.95 SBD 15.67

56.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 SBD 19.53

$3.32 SBD 26.66

-26.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 SBD 19.40

$1.34 SBD 10.74

80.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SBD 10.77

$1.07 SBD 8.60

25.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 SBD 34.23

$3.93 SBD 31.59

8.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 SBD 100

$10.46 SBD 84.0

19.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SBD 14.30

$1.85 SBD 14.87

-3.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 SBD 17.16

$3.21 SBD 25.74

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 SBD 3.02

$0.47 SBD 3.74

-19.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 SBD 236

$23.71 SBD 190

24.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 SBD 9.76

$1.21 SBD 9.72

0.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.42 SBD 19.43

$1.17 SBD 9.36

106.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 SBD 95.3

$11.88 SBD 95.4

-0.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 SBD 13.62

$1.29 SBD 10.37

31.78%

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

$20.4K SBD 163.8K

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

$21.1K SBD 169.5K

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

$709 SBD 5,696

$709 SBD 5,692

0.07%

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

$13.05 SBD 105

$26.03 SBD 209

-49.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$120 SBD 964

$85.9 SBD 690

39.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.86 SBD 143

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.90 SBD 47.38

$5.96 SBD 47.85

-1.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 SBD 33.18

$3.35 SBD 26.89

23.28%

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

$118 SBD 950

$94.6 SBD 759

25.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,183 SBD 9,495

$2,788 SBD 22.4K

-57.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.24 SBD 195

$20.64 SBD 166

17.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$88.4 SBD 710

$90.8 SBD 729

-2.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 SBD 770

$75.6 SBD 607

26.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.9 SBD 706

$75.1 SBD 603

17.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 SBD 4,654

$547 SBD 4,393

5.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$576 SBD 4,624

$624 SBD 5,009

-7.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 SBD 4,886

$1,236 SBD 9,921

-50.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 SBD 9,461

$836 SBD 6,712

40.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$85.8K SBD 688.6K

$85.7K SBD 688.0K

0.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$62.9K SBD 505.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$391 SBD 3,138

$699 SBD 5,610

-44.07%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Honiara: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $580 in Gizo and $547 in Honiara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Honiara pays 79% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Gizo vs $51.0 in Honiara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $336 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

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

On paper, Honiara earns 79% less. 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: $580 in Gizo versus $547 in Honiara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Honiara pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Gizo – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $51.0 in Honiara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,103 in Gizo versus $2,132 in Honiara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gizo but tight or insufficient in Honiara. The gap between the two cities makes Gizo 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 Gizo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Honiara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.