Cost of Living Comparison Between Solomon Islands and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Solomon Islands and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,104 in Solomon Islands versus $711 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,865 in Solomon Islands versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,626 in Solomon Islands versus $1,550 in China.

Living in Solomon Islands is roughly 196% more expensive than China on average.

Solomon Islands (57% above) and China (47% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $525 to $1,220, compared to $2,098–$2,110 in Solomon Islands. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 SBD 35.76

$2.75 ¥18.83

62.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 SBD 426

$24.03 ¥165

121.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 SBD 94.1

$4.96 ¥33.95

137.10%

Cappuccino

$3.07 SBD 24.58

$3.12 ¥21.37

-1.60%

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

$1.47 SBD 11.74

$0.48 ¥3.26

206.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 SBD 9.51

$0.27 ¥1.84

340.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 SBD 18.96

$0.98 ¥6.73

141.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 SBD 26.07

$2.15 ¥14.69

51.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 SBD 21.82

$1.83 ¥12.53

49.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 SBD 11.73

$1.68 ¥11.54

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 SBD 12.00

$0.91 ¥6.21

64.84%

Eggs

$5.65 SBD 45.22

$1.56 ¥10.66

262.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.82 SBD 46.58

$12.97 ¥88.9

-55.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.95 SBD 63.6

$3.25 ¥22.23

144.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.98 SBD 112

$10.51 ¥72.0

33.02%

Apples (1kg)

$8.68 SBD 69.4

$1.81 ¥12.41

379.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 SBD 21.94

$1.30 ¥8.90

110.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.25 SBD 58.0

$1.50 ¥10.26

383.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 SBD 24.98

$1.15 ¥7.87

171.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 SBD 18.07

$0.76 ¥5.20

197.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 SBD 25.99

$0.89 ¥6.07

265.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 SBD 11.31

$0.58 ¥3.97

143.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 SBD 8.76

$0.58 ¥3.95

89.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 SBD 31.69

$3.50 ¥23.95

13.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 SBD 99.7

$11.55 ¥79.1

7.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 SBD 15.11

$0.78 ¥5.31

142.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SBD 23.73

$1.61 ¥11.03

84.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 SBD 3.01

$0.44 ¥3.01

-13.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.37 SBD 243

$21.15 ¥145

43.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 SBD 9.32

$1.36 ¥9.35

-14.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 SBD 9.29

$0.36 ¥2.44

222.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.94 SBD 95.5

$6.61 ¥45.28

80.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 SBD 11.16

$1.13 ¥7.74

23.01%

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

$20.4K SBD 163.2K

$19.7K ¥135.2K

3.29%

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

$20.8K SBD 166.4K

$17.1K ¥117.0K

21.76%

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

$723 SBD 5,784

$50.9 ¥349

1320.13%

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

$23.34 SBD 187

$10.03 ¥68.7

132.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.0 SBD 792

$11.33 ¥77.6

773.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.78 SBD 142

$40.13 ¥275

-55.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.91 SBD 47.29

$14.97 ¥103

-60.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.12 SBD 33.00

$6.09 ¥41.74

-32.35%

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

$121 SBD 968

$418 ¥2,860

-71.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,249 SBD 18.0K

$17.3K ¥118.2K

-86.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.83 SBD 199

$46.40 ¥318

-46.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$89.3 SBD 715

$32.92 ¥226

171.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 SBD 758

$71.1 ¥487

33.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 SBD 709

$72.9 ¥499

21.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 SBD 4,120

$438 ¥3,003

17.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 SBD 3,808

$259 ¥1,775

83.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 SBD 9,097

$926 ¥6,341

22.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 SBD 7,227

$548 ¥3,754

64.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$86.6K SBD 693.0K

$5,047 ¥34.6K

1616.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$63.0K SBD 503.8K

$2,666 ¥18.3K

2262.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$470 SBD 3,757

$1,074 ¥7,357

-56.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.33

4.06

302.22%

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

Last update for Solomon Islands: April 28, 2026

Last update for China: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $559 in Solomon Islands, $286 in China. Capital cities: $536 in Honiara vs $886 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $557 in Solomon Islands, $834 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 95% higher in Solomon Islands.

Dining out costs 152% more in Solomon Islands.

Public transport is 50% more expensive in Solomon Islands.

Salaries are 50% higher in China, giving China stronger purchasing power.

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

Solomon Islands vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $873 per month in China and $2,104 in Solomon Islands, there's a 141% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Solomon Islands beats China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Solomon Islands, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. China wins on affordability; Solomon Islands may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.