Cost of Living in Honolulu, Hawaii
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Honolulu, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 341,868
- Median household income
- $86,169
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 111.0
- Unemployment rate
- 2.9%
Is Honolulu a good place to live?
Honolulu is hard on a single typical paycheck: after taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, a typical worker living alone comes up $584 a year short. It works better for higher earners and for people who share housing.
Your own pay and housing may differ. Try your job
- Cost of living11% above the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,967 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$2,819 of state income tax on a typical wage
Cost of living in Honolulu
Prices in the Urban Honolulu, HI area run 11% above the US average. Utilities is the biggest difference, at 87% above the US average.
- Housing36% above the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)12% above the US average
- Utilities87% above the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)3% above the US average
- All items11% above the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,967 | $23,604 |
| Food | $551 | $6,612 |
| Transportation | $435 | $5,220 |
| Healthcare | $362 | $4,344 |
| Utilities | $488 | $5,856 |
| Total before taxes | $3,803 | $45,636 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Honolulu | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,851 | $1,836 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,967 | $1,951 |
| 2 bedrooms | $2,562 | $2,542 |
| 3 bedrooms | $3,550 | $3,520 |
| 4 bedrooms | $4,283 | $4,249 |
Living in Honolulu
How Honolulu compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Honolulu | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $86,169 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $850,100 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,815 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 51.9% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 10.5% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 43.8% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 42.8 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 22.8 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 7.9% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 8.2% | 3.7% |
Home internet
3 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Honolulu, led by Spectrum, Hawaiian Telcom, T-Mobile. Fiber reaches 63.3% of homes and 66.4% can get gigabit speeds.
Pros and cons of living in Honolulu
Pros
- Strong job market. Unemployment is 2.9%, against 4.6% nationally (ACS 2024 1-year).
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 22.8 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
- Usable public transit. 8.2% of commuters take public transit, against 3.7% nationally.
Cons
- Paychecks don't stretch far. A typical worker living alone comes up $584 short each year after taxes, rent and everyday costs.
- Higher cost of living. Prices are 11% above the US average (BEA, 2024).
- Pricey homes to buy. The median home is worth $850,100, against $360,600 nationally.
- Expensive rent. Median rent is $1,815 a month, against $1,487 nationally.
What your job keeps in Honolulu
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $57,220
- Federal income tax
- −$4,686
- Payroll taxes
- −$4,663
- State income tax
- −$2,819
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$23,604
- Everyday costs
- −$22,032
a year ($49 a month) for one earner renting a 1-bedroom alone
Pay: BLS OEWS Urban Honolulu, HI. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
A single earner renting a 1-bedroom alone. Sharing housing, or a second income, changes this a lot.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Urban Honolulu, HI area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Registered nurse | $139,260 | $51,345 |
| Lawyer | $120,870 | $40,180 |
| Electrician | $100,270 | $27,254 |
| Civil engineer | $94,600 | $23,696 |
| Carpenter | $94,310 | $23,514 |
| Accountant | $74,990 | $11,405 |
| Teacher | $73,193 | $10,287 |
| Truck driver | $59,330 | $940 |
| Medical assistant | $47,720 | −$7,471 |
| Nursing assistant | $45,260 | −$9,259 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Honolulu on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Auto mechanic −$6,526
- Data scientist $28,389
- Dental assistant −$11,082
- Dental hygienist $24,850
- Dentist $68,772
- Diesel mechanic $17,696
- Financial analyst $22,830
- HVAC technician $5,362
- Licensed practical nurse $9,444
- Lineman $48,817
- Mechanical engineer $26,293
- Nurse practitioner $49,114
- Occupational therapist $28,885
- Paralegal $3,476
- Paramedic $15,337
- Pharmacist $66,959
- Pharmacy technician −$8,431
- Physical therapist $28,151
- Physician assistant $69,963
- Plumber $15,237
- Police officer $16,932
- Project manager $13,963
- Radiologic technologist $28,722
- Respiratory therapist $23,451
- Social worker $11,740
- Software engineer $39,778
- Speech-language pathologist $25,767
- Veterinarian $46,249
- Welder $15,237
Compare Honolulu with other cities
Compare Honolulu with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Honolulu
5 licensed interstate movers are based in Honolulu, and 6 more elsewhere in the Urban Honolulu, HI area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Honolulu, HI a good place to live?
Honolulu is hard on a single typical paycheck: after taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, a typical worker living alone comes up $584 a year short. It works better for higher earners and for people who share housing. The typical worker here earns $57,220 and would be $584 short a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, renting alone.
What is the cost of living in Honolulu?
Prices in the Urban Honolulu, HI area are 11% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,967 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,836 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Honolulu?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $58,100 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Urban Honolulu, HI area earns $57,220.
What is the average rent in Honolulu?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,851 for a studio, $1,967 for a 1-bedroom and $2,562 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Honolulu at $1,815 a month (2024).
Does Honolulu have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $57,220, Hawaii state income tax comes to about $2,819 a year. Honolulu has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve Honolulu?
3 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Honolulu, led by Spectrum, Hawaiian Telcom, T-Mobile. 63.3% of homes can get fiber and 66.4% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
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, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area 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 MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate