Cost of Living Comparison Between Honiara and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Honiara and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,718 per month in Honiara vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,864 per month in Honiara vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,010 per month in Honiara vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Honiara and Medellin have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Honiara and Medellin sit above the global median – Honiara by 25%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.93 SBD 55.4

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-13.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 SBD 498

$48.26 COP 152.0K

29.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.50 SBD 99.8

$9.77 COP 30.8K

27.94%

Cappuccino

$3.52 SBD 28.12

$2.91 COP 9,167

20.96%

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

$1.60 SBD 12.74

$1.94 COP 6,122

-17.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 SBD 8.86

$1.52 COP 4,792

-26.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 SBD 19.76

$3.09 COP 9,740

-20.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 SBD 43.94

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-4.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 SBD 20.61

$1.36 COP 4,296

89.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 SBD 12.31

$2.39 COP 7,519

-35.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 SBD 13.28

$1.70 COP 5,356

-2.35%

Eggs

$5.59 SBD 44.63

$2.87 COP 9,038

94.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.39 SBD 51.0

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-35.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.41 SBD 67.1

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-21.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 SBD 120

$14.73 COP 46.4K

1.83%

Apples (1kg)

$6.20 SBD 49.54

$4.09 COP 12.9K

51.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SBD 20.53

$1.57 COP 4,950

63.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.80 SBD 70.3

$2.13 COP 6,695

313.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 SBD 30.05

$2.21 COP 6,972

70.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 SBD 15.37

$2.05 COP 6,447

-5.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.53 SBD 28.20

$1.50 COP 4,737

135.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SBD 11.40

$1.19 COP 3,747

20.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 SBD 8.21

$1.16 COP 3,647

-11.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 SBD 32.74

$3.90 COP 12.3K

5.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 SBD 84.0

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-27.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SBD 14.26

$1.58 COP 4,987

13.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 SBD 28.12

$2.83 COP 8,905

24.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 SBD 3.08

$1.17 COP 3,679

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.79 SBD 198

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-68.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 SBD 10.18

$1.28 COP 4,045

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 SBD 9.71

$2.09 COP 6,589

-41.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.48 SBD 99.7

$8.62 COP 27.1K

44.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 SBD 10.31

$1.30 COP 4,088

-0.77%

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

$18.8K SBD 150.2K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

-31.97%

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

$35.1K SBD 280.3K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-1.15%

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

$444 SBD 3,544

$176 COP 554.5K

152.12%

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

$27.88 SBD 223

$13.37 COP 42.1K

108.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.0 SBD 727

$29.89 COP 94.1K

204.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.67 SBD 293

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-18.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.90 SBD 71.1

$17.06 COP 53.7K

-47.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.42 SBD 35.26

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-28.71%

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

$98.5 SBD 786

$793 COP 2.5M

-87.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,849 SBD 22.7K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-68.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.89 SBD 215

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-68.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$92.2 SBD 737

$58.5 COP 184.1K

57.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 SBD 790

$136 COP 429.3K

-27.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SBD 834

$103 COP 324.7K

1.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 SBD 7,201

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-14.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 SBD 3,515

$680 COP 2.1M

-35.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 SBD 15.0K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-6.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 SBD 11.2K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

19.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$87.4K SBD 697.6K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

2024.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$62.8K SBD 501.1K

$1,701 COP 5.4M

3588.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$716 SBD 5,714

$665 COP 2.1M

7.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.67

10.94

43.24%

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

Last update for Honiara: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $902 in Honiara versus $1,060 in Medellin. 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 8% higher in Honiara. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Honiara versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $303 – making Medellin 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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,577 per month in Honiara and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Honiara and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 214% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Honiara at $1,718. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Honiara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,716 in Medellin to $1,718 in Honiara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. 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.