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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 — for better or worse — , 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.
#1 Ranked: Honolulu — cost index 135, rent $2,548/mo, income $85,428
0 of 1 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Hawaii — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Honolulu (index 135 — for better or worse — , 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.
Honolulu earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And from what we can tell, the 135 cost index sits 23 points above the national baseline, and the $85,428 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $758,507 — $291,137 above the national median, reflecting the local market dynamics. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 125, while Housing trails at 189.
The healthcare sub-index is derived from overall cost of living with regional BLS price adjustments. A score of 140 (the top-10 average here) means healthcare costs are about -40% below the national median. Honolulu leads at 140. Note: a low healthcare index doesn't guarantee a low overall cost — check the full cost breakdown table below (which, to be fair, is a metric that favors smaller cities). No gimmicks — just good numbers.
Real talk: Balance that against the cost side: State context matters: Hawaii's 1 cities average a 135 cost index with $2,548/month median rent and $85,428 household income. And for many people, the most isolated and expensive housing market in the US. The FAQ section goes deeper on this (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
In plain English: Bottom line: Honolulu leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
341,778 residents · Hawaii
To be honest, Why Honolulu ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 135 on the cost index, residents spend roughly 23% more than the typical American. Rent sits at $2,548/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — while the median household pulls in $85,428/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 125, though Housing (189) lags behind. Home prices average $758,507 — $291,137 above the national median.
Cities are ranked by their healthcare cost sub-index within Hawaii. Each sub-index is derived from the overall cost of living with regional adjustment factors. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Honolulu ranks #1 in Hawaii for this analysis with a cost index of 135 and median income of $85,428.
Honolulu, HI has the lowest healthcare index at 140, compared to the national average of 100.
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.
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.