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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,117 in Solomon Islands versus $1,575 in Kiribati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,846 in Solomon Islands versus $2,472 in Kiribati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,574 in Solomon Islands versus $3,369 in Kiribati.

Living in Solomon Islands is roughly 34% more expensive than Kiribati on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Solomon Islands 58% above, Kiribati 18% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Solomon Islands
Kiribati
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.45 SBD 35.74
$5.09 KID 7.13
-12.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.3 SBD 435
$26.49 KID 37.09
104.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.00 SBD 96.3
$9.73 KID 13.62
23.33%
Cappuccino
$3.02 SBD 24.23
$3.00 KID 4.20
0.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 SBD 12.15
$0.99 KID 1.39
52.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.17 SBD 9.38
$0.69 KID 0.97
69.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.46 SBD 19.77
$3.43 KID 4.80
-28.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24 SBD 26.00
$5.97 KID 8.36
-45.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Solomon Islands
Kiribati
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.63 SBD 21.13
$2.12 KID 2.96
24.06%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 SBD 11.76
$1.90 KID 2.66
-22.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.43 SBD 11.49
$1.41 KID 1.97
1.42%
Eggs
$5.43 SBD 43.55
$6.37 KID 8.91
-14.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.86 SBD 47.03
$16.14 KID 22.59
-63.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.30 SBD 66.6
$5.50 KID 7.71
50.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.33 SBD 115
$18.16 KID 25.43
-21.09%
Apples (1kg)
$8.29 SBD 66.5
$6.34 KID 8.88
30.76%
Banana (1kg)
$2.65 SBD 21.23
$3.16 KID 4.42
-16.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$7.34 SBD 58.9
$6.32 KID 8.84
16.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.23 SBD 25.95
$5.88 KID 8.23
-45.07%
Potato (1kg)
$2.31 SBD 18.53
$4.36 KID 6.10
-47.02%
Onion (1kg)
$3.14 SBD 25.18
$3.04 KID 4.25
3.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 SBD 11.76
$3.34 KID 4.67
-55.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 SBD 9.15
$0.36 KID 0.51
216.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 SBD 31.79
$5.81 KID 8.13
-31.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.63 SBD 101
$13.34 KID 18.68
-5.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 SBD 14.85
$1.64 KID 2.30
12.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 SBD 23.41
$3.20 KID 4.47
-8.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Solomon Islands
Kiribati
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 SBD 2.75
$1.59 KID 2.22
-78.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.78 SBD 239
$71.1 KID 99.6
-58.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.19 SBD 9.55
$2.00 KID 2.81
-40.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.22 SBD 9.80
$1.93 KID 2.70
-36.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.92 SBD 95.6
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.39 SBD 11.17
$1.92 KID 2.69
-27.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.8K SBD 158.6K
$25.8K KID 36.2K
-23.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.3K SBD 170.7K
$22.8K KID 31.9K
-6.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Solomon Islands
Kiribati
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$728 SBD 5,838
$296 KID 414
146.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.37 SBD 188
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$97.2 SBD 780
$3.28 KID 4.59
2863.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Solomon Islands
Kiribati
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$18.03 SBD 145
$34.65 KID 48.52
-47.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.88 SBD 47.15
$25.44 KID 35.61
-76.89%
Cinema Ticket
$4.30 SBD 34.52
$4.48 KID 6.27
-4.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Solomon Islands
Kiribati
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$119 SBD 958
$250 KID 350
-52.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,249 SBD 18.0K
$5,664 KID 7,930
-60.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Solomon Islands
Kiribati
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.41 SBD 196
$48.80 KID 68.3
-49.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$89.1 SBD 715
$49.05 KID 68.7
81.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.2 SBD 772
$78.5 KID 110
22.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0 SBD 722
$57.5 KID 80.4
56.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Solomon Islands
Kiribati
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$523 SBD 4,193
$790 KID 1,106
-33.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 SBD 3,802
$552 KID 772
-14.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,106 SBD 8,875
$1,355 KID 1,897
-18.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$910 SBD 7,305
$1,253 KID 1,755
-27.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$86.7K SBD 695.6K
$4,578 KID 6,409
1793.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$61.6K SBD 494.0K
$3,471 KID 4,859
1673.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Solomon Islands
Kiribati
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$472 SBD 3,790
$353 KID 494
33.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.33
0
-

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

Last update for Solomon Islands: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kiribati: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National salary averages: $545 in Solomon Islands, $364 in Kiribati. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 38% higher in Kiribati.

Dining out costs 83% more in Solomon Islands.

Public transport is 159% more expensive in Kiribati.

Salaries are 50% higher in Solomon Islands.

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 Kiribati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Kiribati or Solomon Islands?
At $1,575 per month in Kiribati and $2,118 in Solomon Islands, there's a 34% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Kiribati or Solomon Islands?
Kiribati 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.
How do rents compare between Kiribati and Solomon Islands?
Rent in Solomon Islands beats Kiribati across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in Kiribati vs Solomon Islands?
In Kiribati, $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.
How do I choose between living in Kiribati and Solomon Islands?
It depends on what you're after. Kiribati wins on affordability; Solomon Islands may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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