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 $2,132 per month in Honiara vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,750 per month in Honiara vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,369 per month in Honiara vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Honiara costs about 146% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Honiara sits 59% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.10 SBD 48.96

$1.94 ฿63.5

214.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 SBD 410

$18.64 ฿609

173.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 SBD 95.6

$7.82 ฿255

52.43%

Cappuccino

$3.00 SBD 24.09

$1.95 ฿63.8

53.85%

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

$1.39 SBD 11.13

$0.85 ฿27.77

63.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 SBD 8.61

$0.35 ฿11.58

205.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SBD 14.59

$2.13 ฿69.6

-14.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 SBD 28.42

$3.73 ฿122

-5.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.56 SBD 20.52

$1.71 ฿56.0

49.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 SBD 11.92

$1.63 ฿53.2

-8.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 SBD 12.33

$1.14 ฿37.15

35.09%

Eggs

$5.49 SBD 44.07

$1.93 ฿63.1

184.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.95 SBD 31.70

$16.21 ฿530

-75.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.40 SBD 67.4

$3.12 ฿102

169.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.53 SBD 117

$10.90 ฿356

33.30%

Apples (1kg)

$7.63 SBD 61.2

$2.75 ฿90.0

177.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 SBD 21.52

$1.21 ฿39.52

121.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.83 SBD 62.8

$1.62 ฿53.0

383.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 SBD 26.81

$1.59 ฿51.8

110.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 SBD 15.66

$1.40 ฿45.70

39.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.32 SBD 26.64

$1.17 ฿38.17

183.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 SBD 10.73

$0.66 ฿21.60

103.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 SBD 8.59

$0.53 ฿17.22

101.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 SBD 31.56

$4.69 ฿153

-16.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 SBD 83.9

$18.66 ฿609

-43.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SBD 14.86

$1.80 ฿58.8

2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 SBD 25.72

$3.23 ฿106

-0.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 SBD 3.73

$0.90 ฿29.26

-47.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.71 SBD 190

$19.21 ฿628

23.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 SBD 9.71

$1.41 ฿45.91

-14.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 SBD 9.35

$1.29 ฿42.12

-9.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.88 SBD 95.4

$7.84 ฿256

51.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 SBD 10.36

$1.27 ฿41.58

1.57%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

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

$709 SBD 5,688

$69.1 ฿2,256

926.38%

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

$26.03 SBD 209

$14.08 ฿460

84.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 SBD 689

$18.00 ฿588

377.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 SBD 47.81

$6.96 ฿227

-14.37%

Cinema Ticket

$3.35 SBD 26.86

$5.92 ฿193

-43.41%

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

$94.6 SBD 759

$299 ฿9,766

-68.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,788 SBD 22.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-81.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.64 SBD 166

$54.7 ฿1,787

-62.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$90.8 SBD 728

$26.77 ฿874

239.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 SBD 607

$85.0 ฿2,776

-11.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 SBD 602

$70.6 ฿2,306

6.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 SBD 4,390

$428 ฿14.0K

27.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 SBD 5,005

$237 ฿7,752

162.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 SBD 9,913

$801 ฿26.2K

54.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$836 SBD 6,707

$515 ฿16.8K

62.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$85.7K SBD 687.5K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

4239.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$62.9K SBD 504.9K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

4166.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$699 SBD 5,606

$617 ฿20.2K

13.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.67

213.40%

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

Last update for Honiara: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $547 in Honiara versus $428 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 13% 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 $51.0 in Honiara versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $246 – 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 146% 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 $3,198 per month in Honiara and $1,300 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 $94.6 per month in Honiara and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% 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 $866, than in Honiara at $2,132. 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 $866 versus $2,132 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.