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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $2,132 in Honiara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,750 in Honiara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $3,369 in Honiara, rent included.

Medellin is about 52% cheaper than Honiara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Honiara is 59% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.10 SBD 48.96

-1.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$51.1 SBD 410

-35.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$11.92 SBD 95.6

-40.52%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.00 SBD 24.09

-43.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.39 SBD 11.13

-20.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$1.07 SBD 8.61

-27.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.82 SBD 14.59

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.54 SBD 28.42

-13.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.56 SBD 20.52

-57.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.49 SBD 11.92

-15.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.54 SBD 12.33

-10.39%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$5.49 SBD 44.07

-60.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.95 SBD 31.70

11.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$8.40 SBD 67.4

-32.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$14.53 SBD 117

-38.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$7.63 SBD 61.2

-69.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.68 SBD 21.52

-60.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$7.83 SBD 62.8

-80.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$3.34 SBD 26.81

-58.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.95 SBD 15.66

-41.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$3.32 SBD 26.64

-65.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.34 SBD 10.73

-33.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.07 SBD 8.59

-21.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.93 SBD 31.56

-41.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$10.46 SBD 83.9

1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.85 SBD 14.86

-35.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.21 SBD 25.72

-23.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.47 SBD 3.73

82.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$23.71 SBD 190

74.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.21 SBD 9.71

21.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.17 SBD 9.35

67.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$11.88 SBD 95.4

-34.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.29 SBD 10.36

-26.36%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$709 SBD 5,688

-88.40%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$26.03 SBD 209

-63.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$85.9 SBD 689

-71.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$5.96 SBD 47.81

218.79%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.35 SBD 26.86

17.31%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$94.6 SBD 759

227.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,788 SBD 22.4K

113.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$20.64 SBD 166

184.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$90.8 SBD 728

-64.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$75.6 SBD 607

35.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$75.1 SBD 602

44.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$547 SBD 4,390

-12.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$624 SBD 5,005

-39.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,236 SBD 9,913

-32.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$836 SBD 6,707

-13.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$85.7K SBD 687.5K

-96.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$62.9K SBD 504.9K

-98.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$699 SBD 5,606

-26.75%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Honiara: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $547 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 37% 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 $51.0 in Honiara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $336 – 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: $1,013 in Medellin, $2,132 in Honiara – roughly 110% apart. Honiara costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $3,198 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 78% 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 $51.0 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 $1,013, than in Honiara at $2,132. 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 $1,013 in Medellin to $2,132 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.