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: $1,612 in Kiribati versus $2,129 in Solomon Islands.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,500 in Kiribati versus $2,857 in Solomon Islands.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,387 in Kiribati versus $3,585 in Solomon Islands.

Living in Kiribati costs about 24% less than in Solomon Islands on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Kiribati 21% above, Solomon Islands 59% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.99 KID 7.13
$4.59 SBD 37.03
8.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.87 KID 36.99
$53.7 SBD 433
-51.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.53 KID 13.63
$11.84 SBD 95.6
-19.51%
Cappuccino
$2.95 KID 4.21
$3.04 SBD 24.52
-2.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 KID 1.39
$1.46 SBD 11.77
-33.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 KID 0.99
$1.18 SBD 9.52
-40.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.53 KID 5.05
$2.35 SBD 18.93
50.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.90 KID 8.43
$3.28 SBD 26.46
79.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.18 KID 3.12
$2.68 SBD 21.65
-18.66%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 KID 2.64
$1.47 SBD 11.85
25.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.34 KID 1.92
$1.44 SBD 11.59
-6.94%
Eggs
$6.34 KID 9.06
$5.64 SBD 45.52
12.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.29 KID 23.30
$5.79 SBD 46.69
181.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.64 KID 8.06
$8.16 SBD 65.8
-30.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.86 KID 25.53
$13.84 SBD 112
29.05%
Apples (1kg)
$6.16 KID 8.81
$8.55 SBD 69.0
-27.95%
Banana (1kg)
$3.32 KID 4.75
$2.66 SBD 21.45
24.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.34 KID 9.06
$7.52 SBD 60.7
-15.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.88 KID 8.40
$3.15 SBD 25.45
86.67%
Potato (1kg)
$4.51 KID 6.44
$2.25 SBD 18.13
100.44%
Onion (1kg)
$2.99 KID 4.28
$3.13 SBD 25.25
-4.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.46 KID 4.95
$1.46 SBD 11.80
136.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.37 KID 0.52
$1.09 SBD 8.79
-66.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.68 KID 8.12
$4.01 SBD 32.35
41.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.18 KID 18.84
$12.62 SBD 102
4.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 KID 2.39
$1.88 SBD 15.20
-11.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19 KID 4.57
$2.92 SBD 23.60
9.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.60 KID 2.29
$0.35 SBD 2.82
357.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.4 KID 99.3
$30.46 SBD 246
127.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.96 KID 2.81
$1.22 SBD 9.85
60.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.85 KID 2.64
$1.16 SBD 9.35
59.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$11.84 SBD 95.5
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.91 KID 2.72
$1.37 SBD 11.05
39.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K KID 37.4K
$20.4K SBD 165.0K
27.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1K KID 33.0K
$21.1K SBD 170.4K
9.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$289 KID 413
$732 SBD 5,903
-60.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$23.24 SBD 188
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.20 KID 4.58
$99.1 SBD 799
-96.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.58 KID 49.45
$17.98 SBD 145
92.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.62 KID 35.21
$6.09 SBD 49.13
304.27%
Cinema Ticket
$4.66 KID 6.66
$4.16 SBD 33.59
12.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$252 KID 360
$118 SBD 949
114.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,779 KID 8,264
$2,218 SBD 17.9K
160.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.75 KID 71.2
$24.46 SBD 197
103.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.94 KID 70.0
$89.1 SBD 718
-45.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.6 KID 111
$95.8 SBD 773
-19.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.6 KID 82.4
$89.6 SBD 723
-35.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$770 KID 1,100
$517 SBD 4,170
48.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$546 KID 781
$473 SBD 3,820
15.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,377 KID 1,969
$1,122 SBD 9,050
22.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,237 KID 1,770
$918 SBD 7,406
34.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,582 KID 6,552
$88.4K SBD 713.6K
-94.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,441 KID 4,921
$61.2K SBD 494.1K
-94.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$350 KID 501
$468 SBD 3,775
-25.16%
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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Solomon Islands: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National salary averages: $344 in Kiribati, $546 in Solomon Islands. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 41% higher in Kiribati.

Dining out costs 77% more in Solomon Islands.

Public transport is 159% more expensive in Kiribati.

Salaries are 59% 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 $1,612 per month in Kiribati and $2,129 in Solomon Islands, there's a 32% 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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