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: $1,718 in Honiara versus $2,216 in Gizo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,864 in Honiara versus $3,112 in Gizo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,010 in Honiara versus $4,008 in Gizo.

Living in Honiara costs roughly 22% less than in Gizo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Honiara 25% above, Gizo 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.93 SBD 55.4

$3.07 SBD 24.54

125.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 SBD 498

$56.9 SBD 455

9.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.50 SBD 99.8

$15.89 SBD 127

-21.33%

Cappuccino

$3.52 SBD 28.12

$2.86 SBD 22.86

23.08%

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

$1.60 SBD 12.74

$1.28 SBD 10.21

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 SBD 8.86

$1.27 SBD 10.18

-12.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 SBD 19.76

$2.45 SBD 19.59

0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 SBD 43.94

$2.45 SBD 19.56

124.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 SBD 20.61

$3.18 SBD 25.37

-18.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 SBD 12.31

$1.33 SBD 10.65

15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 SBD 13.28

$1.40 SBD 11.14

18.57%

Eggs

$5.59 SBD 44.63

$7.28 SBD 58.1

-23.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.39 SBD 51.0

$8.89 SBD 71.0

-28.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.41 SBD 67.1

$6.26 SBD 49.98

34.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 SBD 120

$8.48 SBD 67.7

76.89%

Apples (1kg)

$6.20 SBD 49.54

$6.71 SBD 53.6

-7.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SBD 20.53

$6.36 SBD 50.8

-59.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.80 SBD 70.3

$6.06 SBD 48.41

45.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 SBD 30.05

$3.16 SBD 25.24

18.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 SBD 15.37

$3.17 SBD 25.35

-39.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.53 SBD 28.20

$2.46 SBD 19.68

43.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SBD 11.40

$2.44 SBD 19.51

-41.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 SBD 8.21

$1.40 SBD 11.20

-26.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 SBD 32.74

$4.45 SBD 35.57

-7.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 SBD 84.0

$12.53 SBD 100

-16.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SBD 14.26

$1.84 SBD 14.73

-2.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 SBD 28.12

$2.27 SBD 18.15

55.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 SBD 3.08

$0.35 SBD 2.83

11.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.79 SBD 198

$31.25 SBD 250

-20.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 SBD 10.18

$1.27 SBD 10.12

0.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 SBD 9.71

$2.54 SBD 20.26

-51.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.48 SBD 99.7

$12.51 SBD 99.9

-0.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 SBD 10.31

$1.85 SBD 14.79

-30.27%

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

$18.8K SBD 150.2K

$21.0K SBD 167.5K

-10.28%

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

$35.1K SBD 280.3K

$21.8K SBD 173.7K

61.34%

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

$444 SBD 3,544

$747 SBD 5,965

-40.58%

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

$27.88 SBD 223

$13.46 SBD 107

107.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.0 SBD 727

$123 SBD 980

-25.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.67 SBD 293

$18.66 SBD 149

96.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.90 SBD 71.1

$6.10 SBD 48.70

45.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.42 SBD 35.26

$4.40 SBD 35.14

0.45%

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

$98.5 SBD 786

$123 SBD 982

-19.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,849 SBD 22.7K

$1,239 SBD 9,894

129.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.89 SBD 215

$25.62 SBD 205

4.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$92.2 SBD 737

$92.0 SBD 734

0.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 SBD 790

$99.5 SBD 794

-0.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SBD 834

$91.3 SBD 729

14.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 SBD 7,201

$600 SBD 4,794

50.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 SBD 3,515

$581 SBD 4,636

-24.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 SBD 15.0K

$622 SBD 4,963

202.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 SBD 11.2K

$1,267 SBD 10.1K

10.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$87.4K SBD 697.6K

$86.5K SBD 690.9K

0.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$62.8K SBD 501.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$716 SBD 5,714

$400 SBD 3,192

78.99%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Gizo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $902 in Honiara and $600 in Gizo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Honiara pays 79% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62.0 in Honiara vs $57.0 in Gizo. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $355, with Honiara cheaper for home cooking.

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 29% 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 79% 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: $902 in Honiara versus $600 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 $62.0 versus $57.0 in Gizo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,718 in Honiara versus $2,216 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 29% less than in Gizo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.