Cost of Living Comparison Between Paramaribo and Honiara Cost of Living Comparison Between Paramaribo and Honiara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,105 per month in Paramaribo vs $1,756 in Honiara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,782 per month in Paramaribo vs $2,880 in Honiara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,459 per month in Paramaribo vs $4,004 in Honiara, rent included.

Paramaribo is about 37% cheaper than Honiara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Paramaribo sits 20% below the global median, while Honiara is 27% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.29 SRD 504

$6.89 SBD 55.2

92.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 SRD 1,996

$61.3 SBD 491

-14.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 SRD 423

$12.35 SBD 99.0

-9.64%

Cappuccino

$2.84 SRD 108

$3.48 SBD 27.89

-18.39%

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

$1.37 SRD 51.9

$1.59 SBD 12.76

-13.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 SRD 31.40

$1.07 SBD 8.59

-22.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 SRD 101

$2.44 SBD 19.54

9.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 SRD 146

$5.57 SBD 44.65

-30.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 SRD 67.4

$2.58 SBD 20.67

-31.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SRD 52.9

$1.49 SBD 11.91

-6.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 SRD 60.9

$1.64 SBD 13.17

-1.83%

Eggs

$2.96 SRD 112

$5.49 SBD 43.97

-46.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 SRD 424

$6.69 SBD 53.6

67.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 SRD 239

$8.84 SBD 70.8

-28.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.23 SRD 388

$15.22 SBD 122

-32.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 SRD 182

$6.17 SBD 49.41

-22.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 SRD 90.8

$2.71 SBD 21.72

-11.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 SRD 140

$8.38 SBD 67.2

-55.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.05 SRD 229

$3.67 SBD 29.39

64.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SRD 53.8

$1.94 SBD 15.55

-26.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 SRD 75.4

$3.40 SBD 27.27

-41.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 SRD 56.2

$1.48 SBD 11.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 SRD 54.7

$1.09 SBD 8.72

32.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 SRD 218

$4.23 SBD 33.91

36.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.81 SRD 296

$10.71 SBD 85.8

-27.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 SRD 78.3

$1.73 SBD 13.85

19.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 SRD 143

$3.54 SBD 28.37

6.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 SRD 29.01

$0.39 SBD 3.11

97.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.8 SRD 3,401

$25.16 SBD 202

256.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 SRD 115

$1.23 SBD 9.87

146.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 SRD 76.4

$1.23 SBD 9.85

64.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.87 SRD 374

$12.28 SBD 98.3

-19.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 SRD 42.49

$1.36 SBD 10.92

-17.65%

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

$24.6K SRD 930.4K

$18.8K SBD 150.7K

30.52%

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

$24.8K SRD 939.9K

$34.4K SBD 275.3K

-27.81%

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

$37.20 SRD 1,409

$440 SBD 3,528

-91.55%

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

$25.20 SRD 955

$27.19 SBD 218

-7.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.83 SRD 1,168

$89.5 SBD 717

-65.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.39 SRD 507

$38.24 SBD 306

-64.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.69 SRD 784

$9.07 SBD 72.7

128.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.12 SRD 194

$4.35 SBD 34.88

17.70%

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

$64.0 SRD 2,425

$98.2 SBD 787

-34.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,747 SRD 66.2K

$2,836 SBD 22.7K

-38.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.45 SRD 1,456

$27.05 SBD 217

42.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.47 SRD 1,003

$94.4 SBD 756

-71.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.1 SRD 2,769

$96.4 SBD 772

-24.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 SRD 4,006

$105 SBD 844

0.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 SRD 18.2K

$899 SBD 7,203

-46.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 SRD 9,917

$441 SBD 3,530

-40.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 SRD 43.9K

$1,896 SBD 15.2K

-38.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 SRD 18.6K

$1,411 SBD 11.3K

-65.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$466 SRD 17.6K

$88.9K SBD 712.4K

-99.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$396 SRD 15.0K

$62.1K SBD 497.7K

-99.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 SRD 10.8K

$717 SBD 5,742

-60.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.67

2.11%

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

Last update for Paramaribo: September 5, 2026

Last update for Honiara: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Paramaribo versus $899 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 153% 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 $53.0 in Paramaribo versus $61.0 in Honiara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $347 – making Paramaribo 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

Paramaribo vs Honiara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,105 in Paramaribo, $1,756 in Honiara – roughly 59% apart. Honiara costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,658 per month in Paramaribo and $2,634 in Honiara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paramaribo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $53.0 in Paramaribo and $61.0 in Honiara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Paramaribo, where all-in costs run around $1,105, than in Honiara at $1,756. In Paramaribo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Honiara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Paramaribo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Paramaribo. 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.