Here's why:

* Ionic Bonding vs. Hydrogen Bonding: NaOH is an ionic compound, meaning it is held together by strong electrostatic forces between positively charged sodium ions (Na+) and negatively charged hydroxide ions (OH-). These ionic bonds require a lot of energy to break, resulting in a high melting point.

* Hydrogen Bonding in Methanol: CH3OH is a covalent compound with hydrogen bonding. While hydrogen bonds are stronger than typical dipole-dipole interactions, they are still weaker than ionic bonds. The hydrogen bonding in methanol contributes to its relatively higher melting point compared to nonpolar molecules, but it's not as strong as the ionic bonding in NaOH.

Melting Points:

* NaOH: 318 °C (590 °F)

* CH3OH: -97.6 °C (-141.7 °F)

Therefore, NaOH has a significantly higher melting point than CH3OH due to its stronger ionic bonding.