Cost of Living Comparison Between Honiara and Gizo Cost of Living Comparison Between Honiara and Gizo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,120 in Honiara versus $2,137 in Gizo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,756 in Honiara versus $2,957 in Gizo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,393 in Honiara versus $3,778 in Gizo.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Honiara 59% above, Gizo 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.87 SBD 47.33

$2.92 SBD 23.59

101.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.8 SBD 418

$54.4 SBD 439

-4.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 SBD 96.0

$14.88 SBD 120

-20.03%

Cappuccino

$3.10 SBD 25.01

$2.62 SBD 21.15

18.32%

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

$1.38 SBD 11.15

$1.17 SBD 9.43

17.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 SBD 8.32

$1.22 SBD 9.81

-15.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 SBD 14.86

$2.45 SBD 19.73

-24.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 SBD 29.50

$2.35 SBD 18.97

55.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 SBD 21.30

$3.18 SBD 25.64

-16.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 SBD 11.88

$1.34 SBD 10.78

9.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 SBD 12.58

$1.36 SBD 10.97

14.71%

Eggs

$5.29 SBD 42.72

$6.93 SBD 55.9

-23.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.95 SBD 31.90

$8.29 SBD 66.9

-52.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 SBD 67.3

$6.07 SBD 49.00

37.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 SBD 119

$8.32 SBD 67.1

77.76%

Apples (1kg)

$7.59 SBD 61.3

$6.48 SBD 52.3

17.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 SBD 21.17

$6.07 SBD 49.00

-56.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.53 SBD 60.8

$5.94 SBD 47.94

26.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 SBD 26.97

$2.96 SBD 23.92

12.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 SBD 16.19

$2.97 SBD 23.94

-32.32%

Onion (1kg)

$3.27 SBD 26.35

$2.44 SBD 19.65

34.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 SBD 10.77

$2.35 SBD 18.96

-43.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 SBD 8.97

$1.34 SBD 10.85

-17.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.89 SBD 31.36

$4.29 SBD 34.64

-9.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.36 SBD 83.6

$12.61 SBD 102

-17.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 SBD 14.59

$1.77 SBD 14.28

2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 SBD 25.81

$2.17 SBD 17.54

47.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 SBD 4.01

$0.37 SBD 3.02

35.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.80 SBD 192

$30.01 SBD 242

-20.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 SBD 9.92

$1.23 SBD 9.96

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 SBD 9.42

$2.32 SBD 18.70

-49.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.89 SBD 95.9

$12.06 SBD 97.3

-1.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 SBD 10.49

$1.72 SBD 13.91

-24.42%

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

$20.3K SBD 164.1K

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

$20.6K SBD 166.2K

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

$705 SBD 5,688

$706 SBD 5,696

-0.14%

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

$26.04 SBD 210

$12.99 SBD 105

100.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.2 SBD 696

$121 SBD 980

-29.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.19 SBD 147

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.16 SBD 49.67

$6.16 SBD 49.69

Cinema Ticket

$3.23 SBD 26.09

$4.20 SBD 33.90

-23.10%

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

$95.3 SBD 769

$122 SBD 981

-21.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,775 SBD 22.4K

$1,190 SBD 9,605

133.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.99 SBD 161

$24.61 SBD 199

-18.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$89.1 SBD 719

$89.6 SBD 723

-0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 SBD 619

$96.3 SBD 777

-20.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 SBD 618

$87.6 SBD 707

-12.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 SBD 4,290

$582 SBD 4,696

-8.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 SBD 5,056

$561 SBD 4,525

11.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 SBD 9,822

$603 SBD 4,863

101.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SBD 6,803

$1,196 SBD 9,650

-29.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$87.3K SBD 704.2K

$86.8K SBD 700.3K

0.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$61.9K SBD 499.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$692 SBD 5,584

$400 SBD 3,224

73.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.67

16.33

-4.04%

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

Last update for Honiara: July 13, 2026

Last update for Gizo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $532 in Honiara and $582 in Gizo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Honiara pays 73% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Honiara vs $54.0 in Gizo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $334 vs $344 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

Honiara vs Gizo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 73% higher in Honiara, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $532 in Honiara versus $582 in Gizo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Gizo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Honiara – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $54.0 in Gizo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,120 in Honiara versus $2,137 in Gizo, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Honiara but tight or insufficient in Gizo. The gap between the two cities makes Honiara 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, Honiara and Gizo 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 Honiara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Gizo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.