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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,132 per month in Honiara vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,750 per month in Honiara vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,369 per month in Honiara vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Honiara costs about 110% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Honiara sits 59% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.10 SBD 48.96

$5.99 COP 21.4K

1.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 SBD 410

$32.86 COP 117.4K

55.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 SBD 95.6

$7.09 COP 25.3K

68.12%

Cappuccino

$3.00 SBD 24.09

$1.71 COP 6,115

75.44%

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

$1.39 SBD 11.13

$1.10 COP 3,924

26.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 SBD 8.61

$0.78 COP 2,781

37.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SBD 14.59

$1.68 COP 5,997

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 SBD 28.42

$3.07 COP 11.0K

15.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.56 SBD 20.52

$1.09 COP 3,906

134.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 SBD 11.92

$1.26 COP 4,508

18.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 SBD 12.33

$1.38 COP 4,922

11.59%

Eggs

$5.49 SBD 44.07

$2.19 COP 7,827

150.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.95 SBD 31.70

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-10.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.40 SBD 67.4

$5.63 COP 20.1K

49.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.53 SBD 117

$8.89 COP 31.8K

63.44%

Apples (1kg)

$7.63 SBD 61.2

$2.34 COP 8,349

226.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 SBD 21.52

$1.06 COP 3,777

152.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.83 SBD 62.8

$1.50 COP 5,374

422.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 SBD 26.81

$1.38 COP 4,924

142.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 SBD 15.66

$1.15 COP 4,111

69.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.32 SBD 26.64

$1.16 COP 4,155

186.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 SBD 10.73

$0.89 COP 3,182

50.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 SBD 8.59

$0.84 COP 2,997

27.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 SBD 31.56

$2.28 COP 8,145

72.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 SBD 83.9

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-1.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SBD 14.86

$1.20 COP 4,284

54.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 SBD 25.72

$2.47 COP 8,824

29.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 SBD 3.73

$0.86 COP 3,056

-45.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.71 SBD 190

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-42.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 SBD 9.71

$1.47 COP 5,264

-17.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 SBD 9.35

$1.96 COP 7,009

-40.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.88 SBD 95.4

$7.74 COP 27.6K

53.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 SBD 10.36

$0.95 COP 3,409

35.79%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$709 SBD 5,688

$82.3 COP 293.7K

761.91%

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

$26.03 SBD 209

$9.50 COP 33.9K

174.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 SBD 689

$24.23 COP 86.5K

254.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 SBD 47.81

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-68.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.35 SBD 26.86

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-14.76%

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

$94.6 SBD 759

$309 COP 1.1M

-69.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,788 SBD 22.4K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-53.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.64 SBD 166

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-64.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$90.8 SBD 728

$32.35 COP 115.5K

180.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 SBD 607

$103 COP 366.4K

-26.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 SBD 602

$108 COP 387.2K

-30.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 SBD 4,390

$476 COP 1.7M

14.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 SBD 5,005

$379 COP 1.4M

64.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 SBD 9,913

$838 COP 3.0M

47.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$836 SBD 6,707

$724 COP 2.6M

15.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$85.7K SBD 687.5K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

2970.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$62.9K SBD 504.9K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

5095.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$699 SBD 5,606

$512 COP 1.8M

36.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.67

13.43

16.68%

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

Last update for Honiara: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $547 in Honiara versus $476 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 37% 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $188 – 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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,132 in Honiara, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 110% apart. Honiara costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,198 per month in Honiara and $1,519 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.

Groceries cost about 78% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Honiara and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Honiara at $2,132. 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 $1,013 in Medellin to $2,132 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.