Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Honiara Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Honiara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,721 in Honiara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,821 in Honiara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,921 in Honiara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 26% cheaper than Honiara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Honiara is 26% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.84 SBD 54.7

69.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$62.4 SBD 499

-24.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$12.52 SBD 100

-5.11%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.34 SBD 26.73

19.16%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.58 SBD 12.64

-9.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.08 SBD 8.61

-24.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.56 SBD 20.48

24.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$5.66 SBD 45.28

19.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.61 SBD 20.88

-35.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.47 SBD 11.76

49.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.60 SBD 12.83

6.87%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$5.68 SBD 45.41

-51.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.62 SBD 53.0

44.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$8.44 SBD 67.5

6.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$15.17 SBD 121

-15.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$6.36 SBD 50.9

-54.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.63 SBD 21.06

-42.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$8.73 SBD 69.9

-75.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$3.78 SBD 30.25

-40.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.95 SBD 15.57

1.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$3.54 SBD 28.33

-43.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.47 SBD 11.79

-16.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.08 SBD 8.64

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.30 SBD 34.36

5.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$10.54 SBD 84.3

-1.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.78 SBD 14.23

-8.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.41 SBD 27.26

-15.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.39 SBD 3.10

53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$24.96 SBD 200

15.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.24 SBD 9.89

334.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.28 SBD 10.24

191.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$12.52 SBD 100

-53.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.30 SBD 10.41

18.46%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$18.5K SBD 148.2K

21.70%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$35.4K SBD 283.2K

-26.42%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$442 SBD 3,535

-79.33%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$27.75 SBD 222

-9.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$92.2 SBD 737

-66.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$38.16 SBD 305

76.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$9.40 SBD 75.2

209.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.33 SBD 34.60

12.24%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$99.9 SBD 799

123.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$2,821 SBD 22.6K

49.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$26.99 SBD 216

74.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$95.3 SBD 762

-53.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$96.9 SBD 775

-17.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$105 SBD 836

-11.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$912 SBD 7,290

16.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$442 SBD 3,533

-11.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,896 SBD 15.2K

13.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,443 SBD 11.5K

-11.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$86.7K SBD 693.6K

-95.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$63.3K SBD 506.5K

-89.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$720 SBD 5,759

5.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

15.67

-26.93%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Honiara: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $912 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 5% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $62.0 in Honiara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $348 – making Playa del Carmen 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

Playa del Carmen vs Honiara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $1,721 in Honiara – roughly 36% apart. Honiara costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,581 in Honiara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $62.0 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Honiara at $1,721. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Honiara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $1,721 in Honiara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. 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.