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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,120 in Honiara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,756 in Honiara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,393 in Honiara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 41% cheaper than Honiara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.87 SBD 47.33

104.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$51.8 SBD 418

-19.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$11.90 SBD 96.0

-9.66%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.10 SBD 25.01

12.90%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.38 SBD 11.15

5.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.03 SBD 8.32

-14.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.84 SBD 14.86

60.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.66 SBD 29.50

23.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.64 SBD 21.30

-45.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.47 SBD 11.88

25.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.56 SBD 12.58

0.64%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$5.29 SBD 42.72

-52.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$3.95 SBD 31.90

109.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$8.34 SBD 67.3

1.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$14.79 SBD 119

-27.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$7.59 SBD 61.3

-65.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.62 SBD 21.17

-45.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$7.53 SBD 60.8

-73.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.34 SBD 26.97

-37.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.01 SBD 16.19

-7.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$3.27 SBD 26.35

-33.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.33 SBD 10.77

-22.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.11 SBD 8.97

-3.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.89 SBD 31.36

5.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$10.36 SBD 83.6

-1.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.81 SBD 14.59

-7.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.20 SBD 25.81

-20.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.50 SBD 4.01

2.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$23.80 SBD 192

9.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.23 SBD 9.92

162.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.17 SBD 9.42

105.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$11.89 SBD 95.9

-72.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.30 SBD 10.49

1.54%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$705 SBD 5,688

-88.37%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$26.04 SBD 210

-11.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$86.2 SBD 696

-65.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$6.16 SBD 49.67

200.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.23 SBD 26.09

54.18%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$95.3 SBD 769

107.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,775 SBD 22.4K

92.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$19.99 SBD 161

78.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$89.1 SBD 719

-54.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$76.7 SBD 619

2.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$76.6 SBD 618

16.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$532 SBD 4,290

78.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$627 SBD 5,056

-24.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,217 SBD 9,822

35.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$843 SBD 6,803

43.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$87.3K SBD 704.2K

-95.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$61.9K SBD 499.1K

-89.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$692 SBD 5,584

-5.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

15.67

-27.12%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Honiara: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen 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 6% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $52.0 in Honiara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $334 – 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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $2,120 in Honiara – roughly 69% apart. Honiara costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen 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 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 34% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Honiara at $2,120. 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen to $2,120 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.