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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $2,120 in Honiara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,756 in Honiara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,393 in Honiara, rent included.

Medellin is about 51% cheaper than Honiara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Honiara is 59% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.87 SBD 47.33

4.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$51.8 SBD 418

-37.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$11.90 SBD 96.0

-38.32%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.10 SBD 25.01

-44.52%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.38 SBD 11.15

-23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.03 SBD 8.32

-25.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.84 SBD 14.86

-8.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.66 SBD 29.50

-13.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.64 SBD 21.30

-60.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.47 SBD 11.88

-11.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.56 SBD 12.58

-10.26%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$5.29 SBD 42.72

-59.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.95 SBD 31.90

11.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$8.34 SBD 67.3

-29.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$14.79 SBD 119

-41.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$7.59 SBD 61.3

-69.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.62 SBD 21.17

-57.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$7.53 SBD 60.8

-79.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.34 SBD 26.97

-59.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.01 SBD 16.19

-43.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$3.27 SBD 26.35

-65.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.33 SBD 10.77

-36.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.11 SBD 8.97

-18.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.89 SBD 31.36

-39.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.36 SBD 83.6

19.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.81 SBD 14.59

-33.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.20 SBD 25.81

-22.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.50 SBD 4.01

68.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$23.80 SBD 192

70.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.23 SBD 9.92

15.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.17 SBD 9.42

64.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$11.89 SBD 95.9

-35.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.30 SBD 10.49

-23.85%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$705 SBD 5,688

-88.54%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$26.04 SBD 210

-61.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$86.2 SBD 696

-71.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$6.16 SBD 49.67

210.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.23 SBD 26.09

23.22%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$95.3 SBD 769

220.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,775 SBD 22.4K

118.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$19.99 SBD 161

190.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$89.1 SBD 719

-63.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$76.7 SBD 619

31.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$76.6 SBD 618

40.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$532 SBD 4,290

-10.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$627 SBD 5,056

-39.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,217 SBD 9,822

-30.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$843 SBD 6,803

-13.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$87.3K SBD 704.2K

-96.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$61.9K SBD 499.1K

-97.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$692 SBD 5,584

-10.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

15.67

-14.29%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Honiara: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $532 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 12% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $52.0 in Honiara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $334 – 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $2,120 in Honiara – roughly 106% apart. Honiara costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $3,180 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 73% 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $52.0 in Honiara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Honiara at $2,120. 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $2,120 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.