Cost of Living Comparison Between Kiribati and Solomon Islands Cost of Living Comparison Between Kiribati and Solomon Islands

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,575 in Kiribati versus $2,117 in Solomon Islands.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,472 in Kiribati versus $2,846 in Solomon Islands.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,369 in Kiribati versus $3,574 in Solomon Islands.

Living in Kiribati costs about 26% less than in Solomon Islands on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Kiribati 18% above, Solomon Islands 58% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.09 KID 7.13
$4.45 SBD 35.74
14.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.49 KID 37.09
$54.3 SBD 435
-51.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.73 KID 13.62
$12.00 SBD 96.3
-18.92%
Cappuccino
$3.00 KID 4.20
$3.02 SBD 24.23
-0.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 KID 1.39
$1.51 SBD 12.15
-34.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 KID 0.97
$1.17 SBD 9.38
-41.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.43 KID 4.80
$2.46 SBD 19.77
39.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.97 KID 8.36
$3.24 SBD 26.00
84.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.12 KID 2.96
$2.63 SBD 21.13
-19.39%
White Bread (500g)
$1.90 KID 2.66
$1.47 SBD 11.76
29.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.41 KID 1.97
$1.43 SBD 11.49
-1.40%
Eggs
$6.37 KID 8.91
$5.43 SBD 43.55
17.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.14 KID 22.59
$5.86 SBD 47.03
175.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.50 KID 7.71
$8.30 SBD 66.6
-33.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.16 KID 25.43
$14.33 SBD 115
26.73%
Apples (1kg)
$6.34 KID 8.88
$8.29 SBD 66.5
-23.52%
Banana (1kg)
$3.16 KID 4.42
$2.65 SBD 21.23
19.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.32 KID 8.84
$7.34 SBD 58.9
-13.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.88 KID 8.23
$3.23 SBD 25.95
82.04%
Potato (1kg)
$4.36 KID 6.10
$2.31 SBD 18.53
88.74%
Onion (1kg)
$3.04 KID 4.25
$3.14 SBD 25.18
-3.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.34 KID 4.67
$1.47 SBD 11.76
127.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.36 KID 0.51
$1.14 SBD 9.15
-68.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.81 KID 8.13
$3.96 SBD 31.79
46.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.34 KID 18.68
$12.63 SBD 101
5.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 KID 2.30
$1.85 SBD 14.85
-11.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 KID 4.47
$2.92 SBD 23.41
9.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.59 KID 2.22
$0.34 SBD 2.75
367.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$71.1 KID 99.6
$29.78 SBD 239
138.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 KID 2.81
$1.19 SBD 9.55
68.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.93 KID 2.70
$1.22 SBD 9.80
58.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$11.92 SBD 95.6
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.92 KID 2.69
$1.39 SBD 11.17
38.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.8K KID 36.2K
$19.8K SBD 158.6K
30.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8K KID 31.9K
$21.3K SBD 170.7K
7.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$296 KID 414
$728 SBD 5,838
-59.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$23.37 SBD 188
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.28 KID 4.59
$97.2 SBD 780
-96.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.65 KID 48.52
$18.03 SBD 145
92.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.44 KID 35.61
$5.88 SBD 47.15
332.65%
Cinema Ticket
$4.48 KID 6.27
$4.30 SBD 34.52
4.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$250 KID 350
$119 SBD 958
109.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,664 KID 7,930
$2,249 SBD 18.0K
151.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.80 KID 68.3
$24.41 SBD 196
99.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.05 KID 68.7
$89.1 SBD 715
-44.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.5 KID 110
$96.2 SBD 772
-18.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.5 KID 80.4
$90.0 SBD 722
-36.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$790 KID 1,106
$523 SBD 4,193
51.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$552 KID 772
$474 SBD 3,802
16.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 KID 1,897
$1,106 SBD 8,875
22.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,253 KID 1,755
$910 SBD 7,305
37.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,578 KID 6,409
$86.7K SBD 695.6K
-94.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,471 KID 4,859
$61.6K SBD 494.0K
-94.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$353 KID 494
$472 SBD 3,790
-25.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
16.33
-

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

Last update for Kiribati: June 1, 2026

Last update for Solomon Islands: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National salary averages: $364 in Kiribati, $545 in Solomon Islands. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 38% higher in Kiribati.

Dining out costs 83% more in Solomon Islands.

Public transport is 159% more expensive in Kiribati.

Salaries are 50% higher in Solomon Islands.

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
Kiribati vs Solomon Islands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Kiribati or Solomon Islands?
At $1,575 per month in Kiribati and $2,118 in Solomon Islands, there's a 34% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Kiribati or Solomon Islands?
Kiribati is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Kiribati and Solomon Islands?
Rent in Solomon Islands beats Kiribati across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in Kiribati vs Solomon Islands?
In Kiribati, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Solomon Islands, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Kiribati and Solomon Islands?
It depends on what you're after. Kiribati wins on affordability; Solomon Islands may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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