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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,721 in Honiara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,821 in Honiara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,921 in Honiara, rent included.

Medellin is about 2% cheaper than Honiara, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Honiara sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Honiara by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$6.84 SBD 54.7

17.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$62.4 SBD 499

-23.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$12.52 SBD 100

-21.01%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.34 SBD 26.73

-6.29%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.58 SBD 12.64

20.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.08 SBD 8.61

39.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.56 SBD 20.48

21.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$5.66 SBD 45.28

1.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.61 SBD 20.88

-44.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.47 SBD 11.76

69.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.60 SBD 12.83

10.62%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$5.68 SBD 45.41

-47.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$6.62 SBD 53.0

52.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$8.44 SBD 67.5

19.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$15.17 SBD 121

-5.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$6.36 SBD 50.9

-34.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.63 SBD 21.06

-38.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$8.73 SBD 69.9

-74.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$3.78 SBD 30.25

-40.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.95 SBD 15.57

4.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$3.54 SBD 28.33

-56.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.47 SBD 11.79

-20.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.08 SBD 8.64

21.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.30 SBD 34.36

-9.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.54 SBD 84.3

32.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.78 SBD 14.23

-2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.41 SBD 27.26

-15.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.39 SBD 3.10

212.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$24.96 SBD 200

222.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.24 SBD 9.89

5.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.28 SBD 10.24

71.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$12.52 SBD 100

-30.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.30 SBD 10.41

5.38%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$18.5K SBD 148.2K

50.24%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$35.4K SBD 283.2K

1.02%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$442 SBD 3,535

-59.89%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$27.75 SBD 222

-49.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$92.2 SBD 737

-67.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$38.16 SBD 305

17.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$9.40 SBD 75.2

82.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$4.33 SBD 34.60

53.58%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$99.9 SBD 799

713.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$2,821 SBD 22.6K

225.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$26.99 SBD 216

231.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$95.3 SBD 762

-38.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$96.9 SBD 775

42.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$105 SBD 836

-2.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$912 SBD 7,290

16.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$442 SBD 3,533

50.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,896 SBD 15.2K

-0.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,443 SBD 11.5K

-28.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$86.7K SBD 693.6K

-95.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$63.3K SBD 506.5K

-97.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$720 SBD 5,759

-5.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

15.67

-30.19%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Honiara: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $912 in Honiara. 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 6% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $62.0 in Honiara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $348 – 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

Medellin vs Honiara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $1,721 in Honiara – roughly 2% apart. Honiara costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,581 in Honiara. 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 14% 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $62.0 in Honiara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Honiara at $1,721. 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 $1,681 in Medellin to $1,721 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.