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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,132 in Honiara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,750 in Honiara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,369 in Honiara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 39% cheaper than Honiara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Honiara is 59% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.10 SBD 49.00

92.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$51.1 SBD 410

-18.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$11.92 SBD 95.7

-10.74%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.00 SBD 24.11

17.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.39 SBD 11.14

8.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.07 SBD 8.61

-9.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.82 SBD 14.60

62.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.54 SBD 28.44

25.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$2.56 SBD 20.53

-46.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.49 SBD 11.93

26.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.54 SBD 12.34

6.49%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$5.49 SBD 44.11

-54.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.95 SBD 31.73

111.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$8.40 SBD 67.5

-0.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$14.53 SBD 117

-26.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$7.63 SBD 61.2

-65.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.68 SBD 21.54

-45.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$7.83 SBD 62.9

-75.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$3.34 SBD 26.83

-37.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.95 SBD 15.67

-8.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$3.32 SBD 26.66

-34.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.34 SBD 10.74

-22.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.07 SBD 8.60

0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.93 SBD 31.59

3.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$10.46 SBD 84.0

-1.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.85 SBD 14.87

-7.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$3.21 SBD 25.74

-19.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.47 SBD 3.74

8.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$23.71 SBD 190

11.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.21 SBD 9.72

169.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.17 SBD 9.36

112.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$11.88 SBD 95.4

-72.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.29 SBD 10.37

1.55%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$709 SBD 5,692

-88.31%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$26.03 SBD 209

-14.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$85.9 SBD 690

-65.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$5.96 SBD 47.85

207.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$3.35 SBD 26.89

51.34%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$94.6 SBD 759

112.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$2,788 SBD 22.4K

86.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$20.64 SBD 166

78.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$90.8 SBD 729

-56.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$75.6 SBD 607

3.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$75.1 SBD 603

15.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$547 SBD 4,393

77.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$624 SBD 5,009

-25.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,236 SBD 9,921

32.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$836 SBD 6,712

46.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$85.7K SBD 688.0K

-95.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$62.9K SBD 505.3K

-89.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$699 SBD 5,610

-4.98%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Honiara: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $547 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 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 $51.0 in Honiara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $336 – 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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $2,132 in Honiara – roughly 64% apart. Honiara costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,198 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 35% 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 $51.0 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 $1,297, than in Honiara at $2,132. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $2,132 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.