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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. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is. Honolulu (index 149, 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 2…
#1 Ranked: Honolulu — cost index 149, rent $2,548/mo, income $85,428
0 of 1 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
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. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is. Honolulu (index 149, 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.
The #1 spot goes to Honolulu, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $2,548/month — we had to double-check this one — — costing renters $7,836 more per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Healthcare is the standout at index 110, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 149. The 36% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
What makes this tricky: Here's the state-level backdrop: Hawaii averages a 149 cost index, $2,548/mo rent, and $85,428 income across 1 cities. That's $653 more than the national rent average. The most isolated and expensive housing market in the US — and that context shapes every city in this ranking (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
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
Why Honolulu ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 149 on the cost index, residents spend roughly 38% more than the typical American. Rent sits at $2,548/month — for better or worse — while the median household pulls in $85,428/year. The Healthcare category is particularly strong at 110, though Housing (149) lags behind. Home prices average $758,507 — $291,137 above the national median (that's pre-tax, of course).
Cities are ranked by their utilities 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 149 and median income of $85,428.
Honolulu, HI has the lowest utilities index at 115, 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.