Cost of Living Comparison Between New Zealand and Solomon Islands Cost of Living Comparison Between New Zealand and Solomon Islands

Name: Solomon Islands
Address: SB

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,934 per month in New Zealand vs $1,967 in Solomon Islands, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,935 per month in New Zealand vs $2,988 in Solomon Islands, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,936 per month in New Zealand vs $4,009 in Solomon Islands, rent included.

The cost of living in New Zealand is roughly 2% lower than in Solomon Islands on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both New Zealand and Solomon Islands are pricier than the global median – New Zealand by 41%, Solomon Islands by 43%.

The regional cost range is wider in New Zealand ($883–$2,531) than in Solomon Islands ($1,718–$2,216), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.75 NZ$25.07

$6.37 SBD 51.0

131.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.1 NZ$123

$64.8 SBD 518

11.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.54 NZ$16.22

$12.36 SBD 98.9

-22.82%

Cappuccino

$3.46 NZ$5.88

$3.44 SBD 27.51

0.58%

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

$2.29 NZ$3.90

$1.49 SBD 11.90

53.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 NZ$3.41

$1.13 SBD 9.03

77.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.25 NZ$12.33

$2.82 SBD 22.58

157.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 NZ$11.79

$4.76 SBD 38.10

45.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 NZ$3.11

$2.86 SBD 22.87

-36.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 NZ$3.35

$1.48 SBD 11.82

33.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.13

$1.60 SBD 12.81

15.00%

Eggs

$6.20 NZ$10.53

$5.97 SBD 47.72

3.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 NZ$14.73

$7.02 SBD 56.2

23.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 NZ$16.45

$8.05 SBD 64.4

20.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 NZ$24.61

$14.74 SBD 118

-1.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 NZ$4.85

$6.59 SBD 52.7

-56.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 NZ$3.79

$2.70 SBD 21.63

-17.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 NZ$5.32

$8.38 SBD 67.0

-62.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.17 NZ$8.78

$3.71 SBD 29.68

39.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 NZ$3.59

$2.21 SBD 17.67

-4.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.82

$3.41 SBD 27.25

-51.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 NZ$3.78

$1.63 SBD 13.04

36.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 NZ$1.91

$1.21 SBD 9.65

-6.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.51 NZ$43.36

$4.33 SBD 34.62

489.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.67 NZ$16.43

$12.27 SBD 98.1

-21.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 NZ$5.61

$1.75 SBD 13.98

88.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 NZ$5.84

$3.22 SBD 25.72

6.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 NZ$3.47

$0.36 SBD 2.85

466.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 NZ$190

$31.83 SBD 255

251.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 NZ$3.93

$1.22 SBD 9.76

89.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 NZ$3.45

$1.26 SBD 10.08

61.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.08 NZ$57.9

$12.56 SBD 100

171.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 NZ$3.07

$1.43 SBD 11.42

26.57%

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

$26.3K NZ$44.7K

$20.1K SBD 160.5K

31.12%

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

$24.9K NZ$42.3K

$28.2K SBD 225.6K

-11.85%

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

$165 NZ$280

$551 SBD 4,408

-70.13%

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

$33.13 NZ$56.3

$24.42 SBD 195

35.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 NZ$85.8

$102 SBD 817

-50.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.73 NZ$62.4

$27.59 SBD 221

33.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.31 NZ$26.03

$9.31 SBD 74.5

64.45%

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 NZ$20.37

$4.31 SBD 34.46

177.96%

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

$918 NZ$1,560

$123 SBD 987

643.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K NZ$28.5K

$2,325 SBD 18.6K

620.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 NZ$122

$26.51 SBD 212

171.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 NZ$64.6

$94.6 SBD 756

-59.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 NZ$166

$99.4 SBD 795

-1.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NZ$207

$101 SBD 808

20.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 NZ$1,925

$599 SBD 4,793

88.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$972 NZ$1,652

$522 SBD 4,173

86.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,776 NZ$3,019

$1,603 SBD 12.8K

10.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 NZ$2,668

$1,349 SBD 10.8K

16.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,791 NZ$9,843

$87.7K SBD 701.8K

-93.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,761 NZ$6,393

$61.5K SBD 491.6K

-93.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,919 NZ$4,961

$475 SBD 3,801

514.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

15.83

-60.20%

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

Last update for New Zealand: August 31, 2026

Last update for Solomon Islands: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $971 in New Zealand vs $751 in Solomon Islands. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,305 in Wellington and $902 in Honiara.

Average salary: $3,048 in New Zealand vs $558 in Solomon Islands. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 29% higher in New Zealand.

Dining out costs 13% more in New Zealand.

Public transport is 182% more expensive in New Zealand.

Salaries are 446% higher in New Zealand, and purchasing power comes out stronger in New Zealand.

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

New Zealand vs Solomon Islands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Zealand is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 15% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Solomon Islands, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Solomon Islands consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in New Zealand, contributing to the overall 15% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in New Zealand, but in Solomon Islands it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

New Zealand is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.