Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Whangarei and Gizo

For one person, living is cheaper in Whangarei: $1,437 a month against $2,121 in Gizo, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

70

Cost of Living Index in Whangarei
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Whangarei Living Index
105

Cost of Living Index in Gizo
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Gizo Living Index

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Whangarei

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,437

/mo nomad

Gizo

🇸🇧 Solomon Islands

$2,121

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Whangarei and in Gizo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Whangarei and in Gizo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,437 in Whangarei versus $2,121 in Gizo.

Whangarei $1,437
Gizo $2,121

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,302 in Whangarei versus $3,041 in Gizo.

Whangarei $2,302
Gizo $3,041

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,167 in Whangarei versus $3,960 in Gizo.

Whangarei $3,167
Gizo $3,960

Living in Whangarei costs roughly 32% less than in Gizo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Whangarei 7% above, Gizo 58% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.15 NZ$21.65

$3.15 SBD 25.40

285.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 NZ$132

$56.5 SBD 456

30.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 NZ$14.63

$15.76 SBD 127

-47.91%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$6.08

$2.76 SBD 22.25

23.55%

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

$2.00 NZ$3.56

$1.26 SBD 10.17

58.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 NZ$2.84

$1.25 SBD 10.10

27.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 NZ$10.65

$2.55 SBD 20.61

134.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 NZ$9.85

$2.53 SBD 20.43

118.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 NZ$2.63

$3.29 SBD 26.57

-55.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 NZ$2.31

$1.32 SBD 10.65

-1.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 NZ$2.89

$1.40 SBD 11.32

15.71%

Eggs

$5.30 NZ$9.44

$7.24 SBD 58.5

-26.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.60 NZ$9.98

$8.64 SBD 69.8

-35.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.40 NZ$13.18

$6.33 SBD 51.1

16.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.64 NZ$26.09

$8.74 SBD 70.6

67.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 NZ$4.68

$6.88 SBD 55.5

-61.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 NZ$3.83

$6.01 SBD 48.50

-64.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.32

$6.33 SBD 51.2

-52.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 NZ$5.20

$3.04 SBD 24.56

-3.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 NZ$3.97

$3.03 SBD 24.49

-26.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 NZ$3.06

$2.41 SBD 19.50

-28.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 NZ$2.92

$2.43 SBD 19.61

-32.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 NZ$2.15

$1.33 SBD 10.77

-9.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.58 NZ$45.58

$4.27 SBD 34.49

499.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 NZ$16.68

$12.57 SBD 102

-25.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 NZ$3.95

$1.89 SBD 15.24

17.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 NZ$5.01

$2.19 SBD 17.67

28.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 NZ$2.96

$0.39 SBD 3.12

325.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$127 NZ$226

$31.04 SBD 251

308.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 NZ$6.61

$1.23 SBD 9.91

201.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 NZ$2.91

$2.45 SBD 19.76

-33.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.35 NZ$23.79

$12.41 SBD 100

7.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 NZ$3.02

$1.77 SBD 14.25

-3.95%

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

$26.8K NZ$47.7K

$20.6K SBD 166.3K

30.07%

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

$21.7K NZ$38.7K

$21.5K SBD 173.4K

1.05%

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

$152 NZ$271

$756 SBD 6,107

-79.86%

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

$27.05 NZ$48.20

$13.69 SBD 111

97.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 NZ$89.3

$125 SBD 1,008

-59.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.43 NZ$63.1

$18.41 SBD 149

92.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.75 NZ$4.90

$6.05 SBD 48.87

-54.55%

Cinema Ticket

$10.22 NZ$18.21

$4.39 SBD 35.43

132.80%

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

$695 NZ$1,239

$121 SBD 981

472.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.1K NZ$39.4K

$1,253 SBD 10.1K

1665.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 NZ$125

$24.88 SBD 201

181.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.07 NZ$57.2

$92.0 SBD 743

-65.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 NZ$124

$100 SBD 809

-30.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.2 NZ$164

$90.5 SBD 731

1.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 NZ$745

$608 SBD 4,908

-31.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 NZ$726

$594 SBD 4,799

-31.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 NZ$1,342

$618 SBD 4,991

21.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 NZ$1,336

$1,234 SBD 9,964

-39.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,306 NZ$7,673

$86.8K SBD 700.6K

-95.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,210 NZ$5,720

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,283 NZ$4,068

$395 SBD 3,192

477.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

16.33

-64.79%

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

Last update for Whangarei: October 6, 2026

Last update for Gizo: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Whangarei

$408 28.2%

Gizo

$594 27.2% 45.8% $187

Groceries & Markets

Whangarei

$272 18.8%

Gizo

$354 16.2% 30% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Whangarei

$230 15.9%

Gizo

$895 40.9% 290% $665

Eating Out

Whangarei

$218 15.1%

Gizo

$133 6.1% 38.8% $85

Getting Around

Whangarei

$145 10.1%

Gizo

$46 2.1% 68.3% $99

Clothing & Footwear

Whangarei

$119 8.2%

Gizo

$138 6.3% 16.5% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Whangarei

$56 3.9%

Gizo

$27 1.2% 51.4% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $418 in Whangarei and $608 in Gizo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Whangarei pays 477% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $74.0 in Whangarei vs $56.0 in Gizo. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $354, with Whangarei cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Whangarei

🇸🇧 Gizo

🕒 Local time

16:31 4:31 PM

14:31 2:31 PM

2 h behind Whangarei

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

54,300

7,177

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

Solomon Islands Dollar SBD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.561 USD

1 NZD = 0.5 EUR

1 SBD = 0.124 USD

1 SBD = 0.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SBD, USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.561 USD). 1 EUR = 2 NZD (1 NZD = 0.5 EUR).

Solomon Islands Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 8.08 SBD (1 SBD = 0.124 USD). 1 EUR = 9.06 SBD (1 SBD = 0.11 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Whangarei Gizo 3,550 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Whangarei
Gizo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Whangarei vs Gizo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Whangarei wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Gizo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Whangarei the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 477% higher in Whangarei, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $418 in Whangarei versus $608 in Gizo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Gizo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Whangarei – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $56.0 in Gizo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,437 in Whangarei versus $2,121 in Gizo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Whangarei but tight or insufficient in Gizo. The gap between the two cities makes Whangarei the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Whangarei and Gizo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Whangarei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Gizo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.