Cost of Living Comparison Between Solomon Islands and New Zealand Cost of Living Comparison Between Solomon Islands and New Zealand

Name: New Zealand
Address: NZ

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,129 per month in Solomon Islands vs $1,884 in New Zealand, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,857 per month in Solomon Islands vs $2,895 in New Zealand, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,585 per month in Solomon Islands vs $3,906 in New Zealand, rent included.

The cost of living in Solomon Islands is about 13% higher than in New Zealand on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Solomon Islands and New Zealand are pricier than the global median – Solomon Islands by 59%, New Zealand by 41%.

The regional cost range is wider in New Zealand ($1,415–$2,721) than in Solomon Islands ($2,120–$2,137), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 SBD 37.03

$15.26 NZ$26.11

-69.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 SBD 433

$79.9 NZ$137

-32.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.84 SBD 95.6

$9.44 NZ$16.15

25.42%

Cappuccino

$3.04 SBD 24.52

$3.40 NZ$5.82

-10.59%

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

$1.46 SBD 11.77

$2.27 NZ$3.89

-35.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 SBD 9.52

$2.17 NZ$3.72

-45.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 SBD 18.93

$6.84 NZ$11.71

-65.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 SBD 26.46

$6.53 NZ$11.17

-49.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 SBD 21.65

$1.87 NZ$3.19

43.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 SBD 11.85

$1.96 NZ$3.36

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 SBD 11.59

$1.89 NZ$3.24

-23.81%

Eggs

$5.64 SBD 45.52

$6.41 NZ$10.97

-12.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 SBD 46.69

$8.28 NZ$14.17

-30.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 SBD 65.8

$9.93 NZ$17.00

-17.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.84 SBD 112

$13.13 NZ$22.46

5.41%

Apples (1kg)

$8.55 SBD 69.0

$2.76 NZ$4.73

209.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 SBD 21.45

$2.27 NZ$3.88

17.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.52 SBD 60.7

$3.01 NZ$5.14

149.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 SBD 25.45

$4.65 NZ$7.95

-32.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 SBD 18.13

$2.04 NZ$3.49

10.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 SBD 25.25

$1.81 NZ$3.10

72.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 SBD 11.80

$2.36 NZ$4.03

-38.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 SBD 8.79

$1.15 NZ$1.96

-5.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.01 SBD 32.35

$24.03 NZ$41.12

-83.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.62 SBD 102

$9.18 NZ$15.70

37.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 SBD 15.20

$3.10 NZ$5.30

-39.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 SBD 23.60

$3.65 NZ$6.25

-20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 SBD 2.82

$2.35 NZ$4.02

-85.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.46 SBD 246

$107 NZ$183

-71.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 SBD 9.85

$2.47 NZ$4.23

-50.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 SBD 9.35

$1.93 NZ$3.30

-39.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.84 SBD 95.5

$36.81 NZ$63.0

-67.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 SBD 11.05

$1.67 NZ$2.86

-17.96%

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

$20.4K SBD 165.0K

$27.7K NZ$47.3K

-26.12%

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

$21.1K SBD 170.4K

$21.6K NZ$36.9K

-2.10%

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

$732 SBD 5,903

$136 NZ$232

438.71%

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

$23.24 SBD 188

$35.75 NZ$61.2

-34.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.1 SBD 799

$52.4 NZ$89.7

89.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.98 SBD 145

$37.04 NZ$63.4

-51.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.09 SBD 49.13

$14.68 NZ$25.11

-58.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 SBD 33.59

$12.21 NZ$20.90

-65.93%

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

$118 SBD 949

$751 NZ$1,285

-84.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,218 SBD 17.9K

$11.6K NZ$19.8K

-80.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.46 SBD 197

$67.6 NZ$116

-63.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$89.1 SBD 718

$43.77 NZ$74.9

103.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 SBD 773

$97.4 NZ$167

-1.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.6 SBD 723

$118 NZ$201

-23.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 SBD 4,170

$1,100 NZ$1,883

-53.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 SBD 3,820

$927 NZ$1,586

-48.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 SBD 9,050

$1,804 NZ$3,087

-37.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$918 SBD 7,406

$1,528 NZ$2,614

-39.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$88.4K SBD 713.6K

$5,655 NZ$9,676

1463.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$61.2K SBD 494.1K

$3,718 NZ$6,361

1546.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$468 SBD 3,775

$2,861 NZ$4,894

-83.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.33

6.74

142.28%

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

Last update for Solomon Islands: July 13, 2026

Last update for New Zealand: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $557 in Solomon Islands vs $982 in New Zealand. For reference, capital cities sit at $532 in Honiara and $1,303 in Wellington.

Average salary: $546 in Solomon Islands vs $3,017 in New Zealand. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 76% higher in New Zealand.

Dining out costs 43% more in New Zealand.

Public transport is 152% more expensive in New Zealand.

Salaries are 453% higher in New Zealand, and purchasing power comes out stronger in New Zealand.

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 New Zealand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Zealand is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 3% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Solomon Islands, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Solomon Islands consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in New Zealand, contributing to the overall 3% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in New Zealand, but in Solomon Islands it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

New Zealand is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.