Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Honiara Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Honiara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $2,120 in Honiara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $2,756 in Honiara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $3,393 in Honiara, rent included.

Phuket is about 41% cheaper than Honiara, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Honiara is 59% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$5.87 SBD 47.33

-22.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$51.8 SBD 418

-10.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$11.90 SBD 96.0

-25.71%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.10 SBD 25.01

-1.29%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.38 SBD 11.15

-47.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.03 SBD 8.32

-61.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.84 SBD 14.86

32.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.66 SBD 29.50

3.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.64 SBD 21.30

-14.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.47 SBD 11.88

23.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.56 SBD 12.58

44.23%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$5.29 SBD 42.72

-57.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$3.95 SBD 31.90

393.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$8.34 SBD 67.3

-56.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$14.79 SBD 119

-11.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$7.59 SBD 61.3

-57.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.62 SBD 21.17

-38.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$7.53 SBD 60.8

-68.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$3.34 SBD 26.97

-39.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.01 SBD 16.19

-23.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$3.27 SBD 26.35

-54.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.33 SBD 10.77

-26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.11 SBD 8.97

-53.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.89 SBD 31.36

14.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$10.36 SBD 83.6

76.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.81 SBD 14.59

2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$3.20 SBD 25.81

-16.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.50 SBD 4.01

182.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$23.80 SBD 192

-50.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.23 SBD 9.92

152.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.17 SBD 9.42

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$11.89 SBD 95.9

18.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.30 SBD 10.49

0.77%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿4,118

$705 SBD 5,688

-82.63%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$26.04 SBD 210

-47.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$86.2 SBD 696

-78.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$6.16 SBD 49.67

175.65%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.23 SBD 26.09

180.80%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$95.3 SBD 769

640.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$2,775 SBD 22.4K

469.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$19.99 SBD 161

192.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$89.1 SBD 719

-60.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$76.7 SBD 619

50.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$76.6 SBD 618

9.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$532 SBD 4,290

17.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$627 SBD 5,056

-28.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$1,217 SBD 9,822

67.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$843 SBD 6,803

76.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$87.3K SBD 704.2K

-96.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$61.9K SBD 499.1K

-95.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$692 SBD 5,584

-27.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

15.67

-65.99%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Honiara: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket 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 38% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $52.0 in Honiara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $334 – making Phuket 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

Phuket vs Honiara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Phuket, $2,120 in Honiara – roughly 70% apart. Honiara costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket 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 Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $46.00 in Phuket 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 Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Honiara at $2,120. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Honiara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,250 in Phuket to $2,120 in Honiara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. 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.