Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Hawaii — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Honolulu (index 135, rent $2,548/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 1 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Hawaii — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Honolulu (index 135, rent $2,548/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 1 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
What does daily life actually cost in Honolulu? Start with the 36% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. On the category level, Utilities (index 125) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 189) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $85,428 and homes at $758,507 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
Look, Here's the asterisk: The 1 cities we track in Hawaii paint a premium but nuanced picture. Average cost index: 135. Median rent: $2,548/month. Household income: $85,428. Hawaii is known for the most isolated and expensive housing market in the US — and the data backs that reputation with some caveats.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours.
#1 Ranked: Honolulu — cost index 135, rent $2,548/mo, income $85,428
0 of 1 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
341,778 residents · Hawaii
So, Honolulu. Cost index of 135 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — , rent at $2,548/month. It's higher than the national average. Median income is $85,428, which is above average. It's fine. Not great, not bad.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Honolulu | 11% | 4.44% | 0.27% | $40,557 |
Honolulu ranks #1 in Hawaii for this analysis with a cost index of 135 and median income of $85,428.
Yes. On a $60K salary in Honolulu, rent would consume about 51% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. It's tight — consider a roommate or nearby suburb.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Honolulu is $2,548/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $653 above the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 11% state income tax, estimated take-home on $60K in Honolulu is approximately $40,557/year ($3,380/month). After median rent of $2,548/month, you'd have roughly $9,981/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Honolulu is $758,507, which is 8.9× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
Hawaii has a 11% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 4.44%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.27%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.