Cost of Living Comparison Between Kiribati and United States Cost of Living Comparison Between Kiribati and United States

Name: United States
Address: US

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,612 in Kiribati versus $2,642 in United States.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,500 in Kiribati versus $3,857 in United States.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,387 in Kiribati versus $5,072 in United States.

Living in Kiribati costs about 39% less than in United States on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Kiribati 21% above, United States 98% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in Kiribati: monthly costs span $1,612 to $1,612, compared to $1,335–$5,182 in United States. City choice carries more weight in Kiribati.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 KID 7.13

$19.63 $19.63

-74.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.87 KID 36.99

$75.4 $75.4

-65.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 KID 13.63

$11.57 $11.57

-17.63%

Cappuccino

$2.95 KID 4.21

$5.22 $5.22

-43.49%

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

$0.97 KID 1.39

$2.49 $2.49

-61.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 KID 0.99

$2.06 $2.06

-66.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 KID 5.05

$5.91 $5.91

-40.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 KID 8.43

$7.13 $7.13

-17.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 KID 3.12

$1.09 $1.09

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 KID 2.64

$3.56 $3.56

-48.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 KID 1.92

$4.74 $4.74

-71.73%

Eggs

$6.34 KID 9.06

$4.34 $4.34

46.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.29 KID 23.30

$12.68 $12.68

28.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 KID 8.06

$12.28 $12.28

-54.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.86 KID 25.53

$16.60 $16.60

7.59%

Apples (1kg)

$6.16 KID 8.81

$5.16 $5.16

19.38%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 KID 4.75

$1.70 $1.70

95.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.34 KID 9.06

$4.45 $4.45

42.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.88 KID 8.40

$4.80 $4.80

22.50%

Potato (1kg)

$4.51 KID 6.44

$2.93 $2.93

53.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 KID 4.28

$3.09 $3.09

-3.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.46 KID 4.95

$2.22 $2.22

55.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 KID 0.52

$2.25 $2.25

-83.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.68 KID 8.12

$9.90 $9.90

-42.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 KID 18.84

$15.28 $15.28

-13.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 KID 2.39

$1.91 $1.91

-12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 KID 4.57

$3.58 $3.58

-10.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 KID 2.29

$2.46 $2.46

-34.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.4 KID 99.3

$64.6 $64.6

7.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 KID 2.81

$3.77 $3.77

-48.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 KID 2.64

$1.71 $1.71

8.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 KID 2.72

$0.96 $0.96

98.96%

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

$26.1K KID 37.4K

$29.9K $29.9K

-12.46%

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

$23.1K KID 33.0K

$26.1K $26.1K

-11.79%

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

$289 KID 413

$210 $210

37.46%

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

$56.3 $56.3

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.20 KID 4.58

$72.9 $72.9

-95.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.58 KID 49.45

$45.39 $45.39

-23.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.62 KID 35.21

$21.60 $21.60

13.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 KID 6.66

$14.04 $14.04

-66.81%

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

$252 KID 360

$1,377 $1,377

-81.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,779 KID 8,264

$22.4K $22.4K

-74.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.75 KID 71.2

$52.7 $52.7

-5.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.94 KID 70.0

$42.41 $42.41

15.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 KID 111

$91.8 $91.8

-15.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.6 KID 82.4

$114 $114

-49.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 KID 1,100

$1,765 $1,765

-56.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 KID 781

$1,462 $1,462

-62.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 KID 1,969

$2,849 $2,849

-51.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 KID 1,770

$2,369 $2,369

-47.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,582 KID 6,552

$3,364 $3,364

36.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,441 KID 4,921

$2,665 $2,665

29.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$350 KID 501

$4,378 $4,378

-92.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

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

Last update for Kiribati: July 13, 2026

Last update for United States: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National salary averages: $344 in Kiribati, $4,500 in United States. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 109% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 143% more in United States.

Public transport is 180% more expensive in Kiribati.

Salaries are 1208% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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 United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,612 per month in Kiribati and $3,259 in United States, there's a 102% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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.

Rent in United States 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.

In Kiribati, $3,000 covers most cities easily; in United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: Kiribati wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.