Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Honiara and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Honiara: $1,742 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Honiara
🇸🇧 Solomon Islands
$1,742
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,704
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Honiara and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Honiara and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,742 in Honiara versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

  • Honiara $1,742
  • Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,873 in Honiara versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

  • Honiara $2,873
  • Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,004 in Honiara versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

  • Honiara $4,004
  • Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Honiara costs roughly 36% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Honiara 30% above, Austin, TX 102% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Honiara
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.66 SBD 53.8
$20.22 $20.22
-67.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.8 SBD 507
$85.0 $85.0
-26.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.53 SBD 101
$12.35 $12.35
1.46%
Cappuccino
$3.48 SBD 28.14
$5.47 $5.47
-36.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 SBD 12.89
$3.82 $3.82
-58.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 SBD 8.49
$2.50 $2.50
-58.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.42 SBD 19.58
$8.06 $8.06
-69.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 SBD 46.04
$8.99 $8.99
-36.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Honiara
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.57 SBD 20.75
$1.13 $1.13
127.43%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 SBD 12.00
$3.78 $3.78
-60.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 SBD 13.28
$3.25 $3.25
-49.54%
Eggs
$5.48 SBD 44.27
$4.14 $4.14
32.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.61 SBD 53.4
$13.08 $13.08
-49.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.34 SBD 67.4
$14.31 $14.31
-41.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.18 SBD 123
$15.96 $15.96
-4.89%
Apples (1kg)
$6.39 SBD 51.6
$4.38 $4.38
45.89%
Banana (1kg)
$2.70 SBD 21.83
$1.45 $1.45
86.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$8.70 SBD 70.2
$4.54 $4.54
91.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.67 SBD 29.62
$4.19 $4.19
-12.41%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 SBD 16.09
$2.63 $2.63
-24.33%
Onion (1kg)
$3.47 SBD 28.01
$2.36 $2.36
47.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.40 SBD 11.30
$1.76 $1.76
-20.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 SBD 8.36
$2.16 $2.16
-52.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 SBD 34.39
$9.81 $9.81
-56.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.37 SBD 83.7
$14.72 $14.72
-29.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 SBD 13.67
$2.78 $2.78
-39.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.47 SBD 28.00
$3.48 $3.48
-0.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Honiara
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.39 SBD 3.12
$1.49 $1.49
-73.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.14 SBD 203
$40.51 $40.51
-37.94%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 SBD 10.28
$2.67 $2.67
-52.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 SBD 9.72
$1.58 $1.58
-24.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.60 SBD 102
$35.29 $35.29
-64.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 SBD 10.92
$0.99 $0.99
36.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.7K SBD 151.1K
$35.8K $35.8K
-47.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K SBD 275.7K
$27.2K $27.2K
25.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Honiara
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$429 SBD 3,464
$219 $219
95.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.02 SBD 218
$58.0 $58.0
-53.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$89.0 SBD 719
$68.4 $68.4
30.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Honiara
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.76 SBD 297
$57.9 $57.9
-36.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.94 SBD 72.2
$14.82 $14.82
-39.68%
Cinema Ticket
$4.41 SBD 35.65
$14.13 $14.13
-68.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Honiara
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$100 SBD 811
$1,509 $1,509
-93.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,898 SBD 23.4K
$21.5K $21.5K
-86.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Honiara
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.71 SBD 224
$51.7 $51.7
-46.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$93.5 SBD 755
$44.05 $44.05
112.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.9 SBD 774
$85.1 $85.1
12.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 SBD 829
$105 $105
-2.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Honiara
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$870 SBD 7,024
$1,932 $1,932
-54.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$434 SBD 3,507
$1,272 $1,272
-65.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,851 SBD 14.9K
$3,670 $3,670
-49.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,398 SBD 11.3K
$2,525 $2,525
-44.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$86.4K SBD 698.0K
$7,617 $7,617
1034.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$62.1K SBD 501.2K
$3,199 $3,199
1839.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Honiara
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$444 SBD 3,583
$5,105 $5,105
-91.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
15.67
6.79
130.78%

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

Last update for Honiara: October 3, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Honiara
$545
Austin, TX
$346 36.6% $199
Accommodation & Living
Honiara
$434
Austin, TX
$1.3K 193% $838
Groceries & Markets
Honiara
$345
Austin, TX
$403 16.9% $58
Eating Out
Honiara
$167
Austin, TX
$348 109% $181
Clothing & Footwear
Honiara
$144
Austin, TX
$129 10.5% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Honiara
$46
Austin, TX
$86 89% $41
Getting Around
Honiara
$34
Austin, TX
$57 67.8% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $870 in Honiara and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1050% 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: $63.0 in Honiara vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $403 per month, with Honiara cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇧 Honiara
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
17:29 5:29 PM
01:29 1:29 AM
16 h behind Honiara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
54,600 Capital
974,447
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to SBD – Solomon Islands Dollar Converter

Solomon Islands Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 8.08 SBD (1 SBD = 0.124 USD). 1 EUR = 9.06 SBD (1 SBD = 0.11 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Honiara Austin, TX 11,710 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Honiara
  • Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Honiara vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Honiara or Austin, TX?
Honiara wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Honiara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Honiara or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 1050% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Honiara compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $870 in Honiara versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Honiara compared to Austin, TX?
All in, you'll spend $1,742 per month in Honiara versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Honiara compared to Austin, TX?
A monthly transit pass in Honiara runs roughly 61% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Honiara or in Austin, TX?
At $1,742 in Honiara versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Honiara but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Honiara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Honiara or Austin, TX?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Honiara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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