Cost of Living Comparison Between Honiara and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Honiara and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,718 per month in Honiara vs $1,721 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,864 per month in Honiara vs $2,708 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,010 per month in Honiara vs $3,695 in Budapest, rent included.

Honiara and Budapest have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Honiara and Budapest sit above the global median – Honiara by 25%, Budapest by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.93 SBD 55.4

$14.35 Ft 4,551

-51.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 SBD 498

$63.4 Ft 20.1K

-1.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.50 SBD 99.8

$11.23 Ft 3,560

11.31%

Cappuccino

$3.52 SBD 28.12

$3.40 Ft 1,078

3.53%

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

$1.60 SBD 12.74

$2.14 Ft 680

-25.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 SBD 8.86

$2.03 Ft 644

-45.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 SBD 19.76

$3.74 Ft 1,185

-33.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 SBD 43.94

$3.79 Ft 1,202

45.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 SBD 20.61

$1.23 Ft 389

109.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 SBD 12.31

$1.91 Ft 605

-19.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 SBD 13.28

$2.58 Ft 819

-35.66%

Eggs

$5.59 SBD 44.63

$4.14 Ft 1,311

35.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.39 SBD 51.0

$12.43 Ft 3,942

-48.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.41 SBD 67.1

$6.90 Ft 2,187

21.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 SBD 120

$15.36 Ft 4,869

-2.34%

Apples (1kg)

$6.20 SBD 49.54

$2.07 Ft 657

199.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SBD 20.53

$2.17 Ft 689

18.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.80 SBD 70.3

$2.49 Ft 791

253.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 SBD 30.05

$4.11 Ft 1,302

-8.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 SBD 15.37

$1.03 Ft 328

87.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.53 SBD 28.20

$1.00 Ft 316

253.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SBD 11.40

$1.59 Ft 504

-10.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 SBD 8.21

$0.68 Ft 216

51.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 SBD 32.74

$8.39 Ft 2,659

-51.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 SBD 84.0

$6.38 Ft 2,022

64.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SBD 14.26

$1.33 Ft 422

34.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 SBD 28.12

$2.25 Ft 714

56.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 SBD 3.08

$1.58 Ft 500

-75.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.79 SBD 198

$28.78 Ft 9,126

-13.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 SBD 10.18

$3.57 Ft 1,132

-64.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 SBD 9.71

$1.43 Ft 454

-14.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.48 SBD 99.7

$20.58 Ft 6,527

-39.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 SBD 10.31

$1.87 Ft 593

-31.02%

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

$18.8K SBD 150.2K

$31.8K Ft 10.1M

-40.82%

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

$35.1K SBD 280.3K

$35.9K Ft 11.4M

-2.34%

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

$444 SBD 3,544

$173 Ft 55.0K

155.92%

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

$27.88 SBD 223

$25.97 Ft 8,235

7.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.0 SBD 727

$25.25 Ft 8,006

260.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.67 SBD 293

$71.7 Ft 22.7K

-48.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.90 SBD 71.1

$19.20 Ft 6,089

-53.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.42 SBD 35.26

$9.76 Ft 3,096

-54.71%

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

$98.5 SBD 786

$577 Ft 182.9K

-82.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,849 SBD 22.7K

$17.7K Ft 5.6M

-83.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.89 SBD 215

$107 Ft 33.9K

-74.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$92.2 SBD 737

$44.23 Ft 14.0K

108.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 SBD 790

$116 Ft 36.9K

-14.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SBD 834

$120 Ft 38.2K

-13.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 SBD 7,201

$858 Ft 272.2K

5.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 SBD 3,515

$671 Ft 212.8K

-34.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 SBD 15.0K

$1,672 Ft 530.1K

12.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 SBD 11.2K

$1,295 Ft 410.8K

8.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$87.4K SBD 697.6K

$6,081 Ft 1.9M

1336.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$62.8K SBD 501.1K

$4,164 Ft 1.3M

1407.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$716 SBD 5,714

$1,709 Ft 541.8K

-58.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.67

6.68

134.58%

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

Last update for Honiara: August 30, 2026

Last update for Budapest: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $902 in Honiara versus $858 in Budapest. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 139% higher in Budapest. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Honiara versus $63.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Honiara vs $274 in Budapest – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,577 per month in Honiara and $2,581 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Honiara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Honiara and $63.0 in Budapest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Honiara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Honiara, where all-in costs run around $1,718, than in Budapest at $1,721. In Honiara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Honiara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Honiara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.