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: $1,745 in Kiribati versus $1,974 in Solomon Islands.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,746 in Kiribati versus $3,006 in Solomon Islands.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,746 in Kiribati versus $4,037 in Solomon Islands.

Living in Kiribati costs about 12% less than in Solomon Islands on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Kiribati 27% above, Solomon Islands 43% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in Kiribati: monthly costs span $1,745 to $1,745, compared to $1,756$2,191 in Solomon Islands. City choice carries more weight in Kiribati.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.29 KID 7.35
$6.15 SBD 49.24
-13.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.68 KID 39.86
$66.1 SBD 530
-56.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.79 KID 14.99
$12.64 SBD 101
-14.64%
Cappuccino
$3.22 KID 4.47
$3.34 SBD 26.77
-3.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 KID 1.46
$1.43 SBD 11.46
-26.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 KID 1.06
$1.13 SBD 9.03
-32.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.92 KID 5.45
$2.75 SBD 22.03
42.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.34 KID 8.81
$4.67 SBD 37.39
35.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.33 KID 3.24
$2.84 SBD 22.77
-17.96%
White Bread (500g)
$2.11 KID 2.93
$1.47 SBD 11.74
43.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 KID 2.15
$1.53 SBD 12.29
0.65%
Eggs
$6.86 KID 9.54
$5.88 SBD 47.08
16.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.99 KID 25.01
$7.19 SBD 57.6
150.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.10 KID 8.48
$8.19 SBD 65.6
-25.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.39 KID 28.34
$14.89 SBD 119
36.94%
Apples (1kg)
$6.93 KID 9.63
$6.84 SBD 54.8
1.32%
Banana (1kg)
$3.69 KID 5.13
$2.80 SBD 22.44
31.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.42 KID 8.92
$8.24 SBD 66.0
-22.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.77 KID 8.02
$3.66 SBD 29.34
57.65%
Potato (1kg)
$4.95 KID 6.88
$2.11 SBD 16.90
134.60%
Onion (1kg)
$3.01 KID 4.19
$3.29 SBD 26.36
-8.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.32 KID 4.61
$1.64 SBD 13.17
102.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.36 KID 0.50
$1.19 SBD 9.55
-69.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.54 KID 9.09
$4.47 SBD 35.77
46.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.90 KID 19.33
$12.27 SBD 98.3
13.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 KID 2.49
$1.81 SBD 14.47
-1.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71 KID 5.16
$3.29 SBD 26.33
12.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.84 KID 2.56
$0.38 SBD 3.05
384.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.9 KID 110
$31.51 SBD 252
150.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.11 KID 2.93
$1.28 SBD 10.27
64.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.92 KID 2.66
$1.24 SBD 9.91
54.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$12.52 SBD 100
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.10 KID 2.92
$1.42 SBD 11.35
47.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.2K KID 40.5K
$19.8K SBD 158.8K
47.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.9K KID 34.6K
$28.0K SBD 223.9K
-10.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$320 KID 445
$533 SBD 4,267
-39.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$24.09 SBD 193
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.55 KID 4.94
$104 SBD 833
-96.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.29 KID 49.06
$28.04 SBD 225
25.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.80 KID 34.47
$9.27 SBD 74.3
167.53%
Cinema Ticket
$4.59 KID 6.38
$4.46 SBD 35.71
2.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$280 KID 389
$123 SBD 986
127.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,756 KID 8,001
$2,335 SBD 18.7K
146.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.5 KID 75.8
$27.16 SBD 218
100.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.5 KID 74.3
$94.4 SBD 756
-43.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.0 KID 120
$97.0 SBD 777
-11.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$64.5 KID 89.6
$100 SBD 805
-35.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$851 KID 1,183
$610 SBD 4,883
39.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$605 KID 841
$529 SBD 4,234
14.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,529 KID 2,126
$1,621 SBD 13.0K
-5.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,396 KID 1,940
$1,375 SBD 11.0K
1.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,520 KID 6,282
$87.4K SBD 700.2K
-94.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,396 KID 4,720
$63.0K SBD 504.4K
-94.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$364 KID 506
$465 SBD 3,729
-21.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
15.83
-

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

Last update for Kiribati: September 7, 2026

Last update for Solomon Islands: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National salary averages: $353 in Kiribati, $553 in Solomon Islands. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 16% higher in Kiribati.

Dining out costs 84% more in Solomon Islands.

Public transport is 179% more expensive in Kiribati.

Salaries are 57% 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 $1,745 per month in Kiribati and $1,974 in Solomon Islands, there's a 13% 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?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Kiribati: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 $3,000 go in Kiribati compared to Solomon Islands?
In Kiribati, $3,000 covers most cities easily; in Solomon Islands it stretches only to regional areas and 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 in 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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