Cost of Living Comparison Between Honiara and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Honiara and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,718 per month in Honiara vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,864 per month in Honiara vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,010 per month in Honiara vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Honiara costs about 81% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Honiara sits 25% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.93 SBD 55.4

$2.08 ฿69.2

233.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 SBD 498

$19.64 ฿651

217.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.50 SBD 99.8

$5.65 ฿188

121.24%

Cappuccino

$3.52 SBD 28.12

$1.81 ฿59.9

94.48%

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

$1.60 SBD 12.74

$0.71 ฿23.66

125.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 SBD 8.86

$0.32 ฿10.48

246.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 SBD 19.76

$2.24 ฿74.2

10.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 SBD 43.94

$3.63 ฿121

51.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 SBD 20.61

$1.96 ฿65.0

31.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 SBD 12.31

$1.50 ฿49.83

2.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 SBD 13.28

$1.34 ฿44.32

23.88%

Eggs

$5.59 SBD 44.63

$2.26 ฿75.1

147.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.39 SBD 51.0

$16.26 ฿539

-60.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.41 SBD 67.1

$2.95 ฿98.0

185.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 SBD 120

$9.94 ฿330

50.91%

Apples (1kg)

$6.20 SBD 49.54

$2.57 ฿85.3

141.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SBD 20.53

$1.06 ฿35.04

142.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.80 SBD 70.3

$1.61 ฿53.5

446.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 SBD 30.05

$1.52 ฿50.4

147.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 SBD 15.37

$1.27 ฿42.14

51.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.53 SBD 28.20

$1.07 ฿35.37

229.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SBD 11.40

$0.72 ฿23.89

98.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 SBD 8.21

$0.51 ฿16.87

101.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 SBD 32.74

$4.19 ฿139

-2.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 SBD 84.0

$17.87 ฿593

-41.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SBD 14.26

$1.69 ฿56.2

5.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 SBD 28.12

$2.84 ฿94.1

23.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 SBD 3.08

$0.93 ฿30.70

-58.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.79 SBD 198

$53.9 ฿1,787

-53.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 SBD 10.18

$1.23 ฿40.95

4.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 SBD 9.71

$0.58 ฿19.13

110.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.48 SBD 99.7

$2.42 ฿80.4

415.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 SBD 10.31

$1.41 ฿46.84

-8.51%

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

$18.8K SBD 150.2K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

-12.26%

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

$35.1K SBD 280.3K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

28.41%

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

$444 SBD 3,544

$63.7 ฿2,112

597.19%

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

$27.88 SBD 223

$12.85 ฿426

116.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.0 SBD 727

$20.22 ฿671

350.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.67 SBD 293

$38.74 ฿1,285

-5.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.90 SBD 71.1

$3.97 ฿132

124.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.42 SBD 35.26

$6.74 ฿223

-34.42%

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

$98.5 SBD 786

$778 ฿25.8K

-87.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,849 SBD 22.7K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-80.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.89 SBD 215

$54.3 ฿1,801

-50.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$92.2 SBD 737

$25.45 ฿844

262.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 SBD 790

$94.3 ฿3,129

4.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SBD 834

$73.4 ฿2,436

42.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 SBD 7,201

$490 ฿16.2K

84.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 SBD 3,515

$289 ฿9,596

52.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 SBD 15.0K

$894 ฿29.6K

110.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 SBD 11.2K

$517 ฿17.1K

170.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$87.4K SBD 697.6K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

4368.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$62.8K SBD 501.1K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

4149.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$716 SBD 5,714

$602 ฿20.0K

18.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.67

5.57

181.33%

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

Last update for Honiara: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $902 in Honiara versus $490 in Chiang Mai. 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 19% higher in Honiara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Honiara versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $240 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Honiara costs about 81% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,577 per month in Honiara and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $98.5 per month in Honiara and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% more in Honiara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Honiara at $1,718. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Honiara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,718 in Honiara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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