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: $2,132 in Honiara versus $2,103 in Gizo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,750 in Honiara versus $2,941 in Gizo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,369 in Honiara versus $3,779 in Gizo.

Living in Honiara is roughly 1% more expensive than Gizo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Honiara 59% above, Gizo 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.10 SBD 48.96

$3.05 SBD 24.46

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 SBD 410

$54.0 SBD 433

-5.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 SBD 95.6

$14.90 SBD 120

-20.00%

Cappuccino

$3.00 SBD 24.09

$2.64 SBD 21.22

13.64%

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

$1.39 SBD 11.13

$1.17 SBD 9.41

18.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 SBD 8.61

$1.17 SBD 9.39

-8.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SBD 14.59

$2.34 SBD 18.74

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 SBD 28.42

$2.43 SBD 19.50

45.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.56 SBD 20.52

$3.05 SBD 24.48

-16.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 SBD 11.92

$1.34 SBD 10.76

11.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 SBD 12.33

$1.41 SBD 11.35

9.22%

Eggs

$5.49 SBD 44.07

$6.68 SBD 53.6

-17.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.95 SBD 31.70

$8.27 SBD 66.3

-52.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.40 SBD 67.4

$6.08 SBD 48.80

38.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.53 SBD 117

$8.51 SBD 68.3

70.74%

Apples (1kg)

$7.63 SBD 61.2

$6.71 SBD 53.9

13.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 SBD 21.52

$6.05 SBD 48.54

-55.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.83 SBD 62.8

$5.91 SBD 47.45

32.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 SBD 26.81

$2.97 SBD 23.86

12.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 SBD 15.66

$3.06 SBD 24.58

-36.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.32 SBD 26.64

$2.43 SBD 19.51

36.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 SBD 10.73

$2.42 SBD 19.39

-44.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 SBD 8.59

$1.34 SBD 10.76

-20.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 SBD 31.56

$4.26 SBD 34.20

-7.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 SBD 83.9

$12.46 SBD 100.0

-16.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SBD 14.86

$1.78 SBD 14.29

3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 SBD 25.72

$2.14 SBD 17.15

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 SBD 3.73

$0.38 SBD 3.02

23.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.71 SBD 190

$29.43 SBD 236

-19.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 SBD 9.71

$1.22 SBD 9.75

-0.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 SBD 9.35

$2.42 SBD 19.41

-51.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.88 SBD 95.4

$11.87 SBD 95.2

0.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 SBD 10.36

$1.70 SBD 13.61

-24.12%

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

$20.4K SBD 163.6K

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

$21.1K SBD 169.4K

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

$709 SBD 5,688

$709 SBD 5,692

-0.07%

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

$26.03 SBD 209

$13.05 SBD 105

99.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 SBD 689

$120 SBD 963

-28.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.86 SBD 143

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 SBD 47.81

$5.90 SBD 47.34

1.02%

Cinema Ticket

$3.35 SBD 26.86

$4.13 SBD 33.16

-18.89%

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

$94.6 SBD 759

$118 SBD 949

-20.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,788 SBD 22.4K

$1,183 SBD 9,488

135.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.64 SBD 166

$24.24 SBD 194

-14.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$90.8 SBD 728

$88.4 SBD 709

2.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 SBD 607

$95.9 SBD 770

-21.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 SBD 602

$87.9 SBD 705

-14.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 SBD 4,390

$580 SBD 4,650

-5.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 SBD 5,005

$576 SBD 4,620

8.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 SBD 9,913

$609 SBD 4,882

103.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$836 SBD 6,707

$1,178 SBD 9,454

-29.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$85.7K SBD 687.5K

$85.8K SBD 688.1K

-0.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$62.9K SBD 504.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$699 SBD 5,606

$391 SBD 3,135

78.80%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Gizo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $547 in Honiara and $580 in Gizo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Honiara pays 79% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $51.0 in Honiara vs $54.0 in Gizo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $343 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

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

Honiara pays 79% more on average, 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: $547 in Honiara versus $580 in Gizo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Honiara pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Gizo – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $51.0 in Honiara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,103 in Gizo versus $2,132 in Honiara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gizo but tight or insufficient in Honiara. The gap between the two cities makes Gizo 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 Gizo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Honiara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.