Cost of Living in Hawaii
What it costs to live in Hawaii, how much tax you'll pay, and what common jobs keep after rent and everyday costs.
- Population
- 1,446,146
- Median household income
- $100,745
- State income tax
- Up to 11%
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 110.0
What a typical paycheck keeps in Hawaii
The typical Hawaii worker earns $56,320 (BLS). After taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, they come up $461 short. Pick a city for local rents and pay.
- Typical salary
- $56,320
- Federal income tax
- −$4,578
- Payroll taxes
- −$4,590
- State income tax
- −$2,750
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$22,740
- Everyday costs
- −$22,123
a year ($38 a month) for one earner renting a 1-bedroom alone
Pay: BLS OEWS statewide median. Rent: HUD FY2027, population-weighted across Hawaii.
Cost of living in Hawaii
Prices across Hawaii run 10% above the US average (BEA, 2024).
- Housing25% above the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)12% above the US average
- Utilities90% above the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)3% above the US average
- All items10% above the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,895 | $22,740 |
| Food | $551 | $6,612 |
| Transportation | $435 | $5,220 |
| Healthcare | $362 | $4,344 |
| Utilities | $495 | $5,940 |
| Total before taxes | $3,738 | $44,856 |
Rent is the statewide average of county fair market rents, weighted by population. City rents differ.
Hawaii taxes
State income tax, single filer (2026)
| Taxable income over | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 | 1.4% |
| $9,600 | 3.2% |
| $14,400 | 5.5% |
| $19,200 | 6.4% |
| $24,000 | 6.8% |
| $36,000 | 7.2% |
| $48,000 | 7.6% |
| $125,000 | 7.9% |
| $175,000 | 8.3% |
| $225,000 | 9% |
| $275,000 | 10% |
| $325,000 | 11% |
Payroll programs withheld from wages
- Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI)0.5%
Taxes on the median household income
$100,745 of wages, one single filer (Census 2024 median).
| Federal income tax | −$13,334 |
| Payroll taxes | −$8,097 |
| State income tax | −$6,126 |
| Effective tax rate | 27.4% |
Cities in Hawaii
What a typical worker keeps after taxes, rent and everyday costs in each Hawaii city we cover.
What common jobs keep in Hawaii
The 15 jobs that keep the most: statewide median pay, and what's left after taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Dentist | $167,820 | $69,382 |
| Physician assistant | $164,050 | $67,103 |
| Pharmacist | $163,220 | $66,601 |
| Registered nurse | $136,320 | $50,340 |
| Nurse practitioner | $135,570 | $49,887 |
| Lineman | $134,340 | $49,143 |
| Veterinarian | $130,120 | $46,591 |
| Lawyer | $124,990 | $43,474 |
| Software engineer | $124,040 | $42,897 |
| Occupational therapist | $102,870 | $29,658 |
| Data scientist | $102,130 | $29,193 |
| Physical therapist | $101,700 | $28,924 |
| Radiologic technologist | $101,700 | $28,924 |
| Mechanical engineer | $98,740 | $27,066 |
| Dental hygienist | $97,570 | $26,333 |
Salary pages in Hawaii, A–Z
Pay range, what’s kept and the best cities for each job.
- Accountant
- Auto mechanic
- Carpenter
- Civil engineer
- Data scientist
- Dental assistant
- Dental hygienist
- Dentist
- Diesel mechanic
- Electrician
- Financial analyst
- HVAC technician
- Lawyer
- Licensed practical nurse
- Lineman
- Mechanical engineer
- Medical assistant
- Nurse practitioner
- Nursing assistant
- Occupational therapist
- Paralegal
- Paramedic
- Pharmacist
- Pharmacy technician
- Physical therapist
- Physician assistant
- Plumber
- Police officer
- Project manager
- Radiologic technologist
- Registered nurse
- Respiratory therapist
- Social worker
- Software engineer
- Speech-language pathologist
- Teacher
- Truck driver
- Veterinarian
- Welder
Top-paying jobs in Hawaii
Median pay, jobs with at least 1,000 workers (BLS OEWS). Linked jobs have a salary page.
| Job | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $339,290 |
| Pharmacists | $163,220 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $151,670 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $147,630 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $141,640 |
| Registered Nurses | $136,320 |
| Financial Managers | $134,210 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $129,530 |
| Construction Managers | $128,910 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $126,760 |
| Lawyers | $124,990 |
| Software Developers | $124,040 |
| Engineers, All Other | $122,800 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $120,100 |
| Sales Managers | $116,340 |
Living in Hawaii
Hawaii against the US (Census Bureau, ACS 2024).
| Measure | Hawaii | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $875,900 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,942 | $1,487 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 10% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 37.8% | 36.9% |
| Average commute, one way | 26.7 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 8.9% | 13.3% |
Nearest states on the mainland
Compare Hawaii with another state or city: what a job keeps in each, side by side.
Questions people ask
What is the cost of living in Hawaii?
Prices in Hawaii are 10% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). The statewide fair market rent for a 1-bedroom is $1,895 a month (HUD, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person come to about $1,844 a month.
Does Hawaii have a state income tax?
Yes. Hawaii's income tax rate is up to 11%. On a typical wage of $56,320, a single filer pays about $2,750 a year in state income tax.
How much do you need to earn to live in Hawaii?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom at the statewide fair market rent needs about $57,000 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs. The typical worker in Hawaii earns $56,320 and comes up $461 short after those costs.
Where in Hawaii does a paycheck go furthest?
Of the Hawaii cities we cover, a typical worker keeps the most in Kahului ($1,547 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs) and the least in Honolulu ($584 short).
What jobs pay the most in Hawaii?
Among jobs with at least 1,000 workers, the highest median pay in Hawaii goes to Physicians, All Other ($339,290); Pharmacists ($163,220); Architectural and Engineering Managers ($151,670) (BLS OEWS).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
- HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by state, 2024
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate