Last update: Oct 2026 53.1K

Cost of Living in the Marshall Islands

Name: Marshall Islands
Address: MH

Across the Marshall Islands, living costs for one person average $2,125 a month, including rent and utilities, which take more than half of the total. Other living expenses average about $32 a day.

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🇲🇭 Marshall Islands

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the Marshall Islands

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

Average monthly costs for a single person come to about $2,125 including rent across the Marshall Islands.

$2,125 /mo

Estimated average monthly cost for a couple: $2,968 including rent across the Marshall Islands.

$2,968 /mo

Average monthly costs for a family of three come to about $3,812 including rent across the Marshall Islands.

$3,812 /mo

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 $7.58

$5.06 $5.06

$15.17 $15.17

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.13 $30.13

$20.09 $20.09

$50.2 $50.2

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.49 $10.49

$9.99 $9.99

$10.99 $10.99

Cappuccino

$4.44 $4.44

$3.08 $3.08

$5.13 $5.13

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

$1.86 $1.86

$1.02 $1.02

$3.05 $3.05

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.03 $2.03

$4.05 $4.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 $4.58

$4.07 $4.07

$5.08 $5.08

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 $5.13

$4.10 $4.10

$5.13 $5.13

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 $2.24

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 $3.42

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

Eggs

$5.11 $5.11

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.62 $30.62

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.81 $10.81

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.31 $18.31

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

Banana (1kg)

$7.20 $7.20

Oranges (1kg)

$8.65 $8.65

Tomato (1kg)

$12.96 $12.96

Potato (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

Onion (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.86 $3.86

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.15 $6.15

Wine (Bottle)

$9.82 $9.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.08 $3.08

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.53 $2.53

$3.04 $3.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 $5.11

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.68 $1.68

$1.96 $1.96

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

$25.3K $25.3K

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

$34.3K $34.3K

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

$252 $252

$147 $147

$357 $357

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

$37.24 $37.24

$24.82 $24.82

$49.65 $49.65

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.1 $73.1

$56.8 $56.8

$101 $101

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.89 $37.89

$35.37 $35.37

$40.42 $40.42

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

$152 $152

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,612 $2,612

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 $70.9

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.81 $39.81

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.60 $29.60

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.47 $49.47

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$766 $766

$741 $741

$790 $790

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$886 $886

$760 $760

$1,013 $1,013

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 $1,342

$1,193 $1,193

$1,491 $1,491

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 $1,284

$811 $811

$1,824 $1,824

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$988 $988

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

Last update: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Marshall Islands $2,125

Accommodation & Living

$886 41.7%

Groceries & Markets

$539 * 25.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

$363 17.1%

Eating Out

$198 9.3%

Clothing & Footwear

$85 4%

Sport & Entertainment

$38 * 1.8%

Getting Around

$15 * 0.7%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

National average salary: $1,004. With average costs at $2,125, the gap is significant. Expats and remote workers with foreign income benefit most.

Expect to spend about $541 monthly on groceries. Dining out at a mid-range restaurant averages $30 for two.

Cost Highlights

Overall cost of living ($2,125) is 56% above the global median of $1,361.

Average rent ($782) is 18% above the global median of $661.

Dinner for two at a restaurant ($30) is 38% below the global median of $48.

Good to know

🕒 Local time

23:19 11:19 PM

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

53,127

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

By City in the Marshall Islands

Lowest

Highest

Rank	City	Population	Living Index	Solo costs (no rent) / month	Solo costs (with rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Internet download speed (Mbps)
1	Majuro	26000	103	$1,008	$2,143	$2,320	$3,834	20.84	64.86

The Marshall Islands Median Internet Speeds (Updated April 2026)

Mobile

Mbps

Fixed Broadband

Mbps

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living in the Marshall Islands - Frequently Asked Questions

Compared with many Pacific destinations, Cost of Living in the Marshall Islands is shaped by import costs and local fishing staples. For travelers and remote workers, longer stays can deliver value if you shop at local markets and choose simpler housing, but expect higher prices for most imported goods, electronics, and dining out. Utilities and internet can add up if air conditioning is used heavily. In Majuro you’ll find more services; outer islands tend to be quieter and cheaper but with fewer conveniences. Tip: plan a staged stay to test routines, from groceries to coworking.

Daily life centers on practical choices and outdoor living. Housing options cluster in Majuro, with a mix of apartments and beach-side homes; outer atolls offer simple houses closer to fishing and gardens. Food comes from local markets and sea produce, with imported staples more expensive. Transportation relies on bikes, ferries, and short inter-island flights, so travel planning matters. Co-working spaces exist in main towns with reliable power and Wi-Fi, but outages can occur. Marshall Islands living cost varies by island and lifestyle; plan errands and meals around your travel pace. Tip: map a few core markets and a dependable transport route before you arrive.

Quality of life here blends a relaxed pace with strong connections to family, sea, and nature. A practical budgeting framework is to prioritize needs: housing and power in one category, groceries and internet in another, and excursions or dining out in a separate one. Seasonality affects travel and energy use, with hotter, humid periods driving AC demand and storm seasons influencing shipping and access to goods. For neighborhood fit, Majuro offers more amenities and coworking; smaller islands deliver tranquility and close-knit communities. Tip: adopt a simple envelope or zero-based budgeting plan and stay flexible to shipping schedules.

Even the cheaper cities in the Marshall Islands sit above the global median. The premium buys you quality infrastructure, public services, and safety – but you’ll need a solid income to live comfortably here.

Majuro sits at the top of the rental market in the Marshall Islands, with regional cities offering noticeably better value. Even moving a short distance from major urban centers can save you a significant amount on housing.