Cost of Living in Kahului, Hawaii
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Kahului, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 28,288
- Median household income
- $98,077
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 109.4
- Unemployment rate
- 3.5%
Is Kahului a good place to live?
Kahului is one of the pricier places for a typical paycheck: a typical worker keeps less here than in 152 of 178 other large cities. Higher earners do better.
A typical worker in Kahului keeps $1,547 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living9% above the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,806 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$2,850 of state income tax on a typical wage
Cost of living in Kahului
Prices in the Kahului-Wailuku, HI area run 9% above the US average. Utilities is the biggest difference, at 91% above the US average.
- Housing19% above the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)12% above the US average
- Utilities91% above the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)3% above the US average
- All items9% above the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,806 | $21,672 |
| Food | $551 | $6,612 |
| Transportation | $435 | $5,220 |
| Healthcare | $362 | $4,344 |
| Utilities | $496 | $5,952 |
| Total before taxes | $3,650 | $43,800 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Kahului | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,714 | $1,850 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,806 | $2,030 |
| 2 bedrooms | $2,378 | $2,656 |
| 3 bedrooms | $3,068 | $3,351 |
| 4 bedrooms | $3,829 | $4,143 |
Living in Kahului
How Kahului compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year).
| Measure | Kahului | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $98,077 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $862,600 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,488 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 35.3% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 8.7% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 24.6% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 43 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 22.8 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 5% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 3.2% | 3.7% |
Home internet
3 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Kahului, led by Spectrum, Hawaiian Telcom, T-Mobile. Fiber reaches 77.7% of homes and 81.2% can get gigabit speeds.
Pros and cons of living in Kahului
Pros
- Strong job market. Unemployment is 3.5%, against 4.6% nationally (ACS 2020–2024 5-year).
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 22.8 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
- Higher incomes. Median household income is $98,077, against $81,604 nationally.
Cons
- Paychecks don't stretch far. A typical worker keeps $1,547 a year, less than in 152 of 178 large cities.
- Pricey homes to buy. The median home is worth $862,600, against $360,600 nationally.
- Higher cost of living. Prices are 9% above the US average (BEA, 2024).
- Higher state income tax. $2,850 on a typical wage of $57,640, or 4.9%.
What your job keeps in Kahului
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
- $57,640
- Federal income tax
- −$4,737
- Payroll taxes
- −$4,698
- State income tax
- −$2,850
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$21,672
- Everyday costs
- −$22,136
a year, or $129 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Kahului-Wailuku, HI. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Kahului-Wailuku, HI area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Registered nurse | $144,350 | $56,249 |
| Electrician | $98,480 | $27,958 |
| Carpenter | $82,110 | $17,687 |
| Accountant | $78,630 | $15,502 |
| Plumber | $77,610 | $14,865 |
| Teacher | $73,002 | $11,996 |
| Truck driver | $63,420 | $5,723 |
| Auto mechanic | $57,180 | $1,214 |
| Medical assistant | $51,200 | −$3,115 |
| Nursing assistant | $47,630 | −$5,709 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Kahului on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Civil engineer $29,872
- Data scientist $30,248
- Dental assistant −$6,660
- Dental hygienist $31,472
- Dentist $65,480
- Diesel mechanic $11,764
- Financial analyst $25,549
- HVAC technician $13,065
- Lawyer $58,680
- Licensed practical nurse $11,777
- Lineman $50,198
- Mechanical engineer $28,121
- Nurse practitioner $68,255
- Occupational therapist $30,713
- Paralegal $8,558
- Paramedic $17,165
- Pharmacist $65,975
- Pharmacy technician −$7,075
- Physical therapist $29,948
- Physician assistant $50,574
- Police officer $18,740
- Project manager $15,936
- Radiologic technologist $29,659
- Respiratory therapist $25,279
- Social worker $11,165
- Software engineer $49,914
- Speech-language pathologist $27,382
- Veterinarian $57,603
- Welder $8,434
Compare Kahului with other cities
Compare Kahului with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Kahului
No licensed interstate movers list an address in Kahului itself (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Kahului, HI a good place to live?
Kahului is one of the pricier places for a typical paycheck: a typical worker keeps less here than in 152 of 178 other large cities. Higher earners do better. The typical worker here earns $57,640 and keeps $1,547 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Kahului?
Prices in the Kahului-Wailuku, HI area are 9% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,806 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,845 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Kahului?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $55,500 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Kahului-Wailuku, HI area earns $57,640.
What is the average rent in Kahului?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,714 for a studio, $1,806 for a 1-bedroom and $2,378 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Kahului at $1,488 a month (2024).
Does Kahului have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $57,640, Hawaii state income tax comes to about $2,850 a year. Kahului has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve Kahului?
3 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Kahului, led by Spectrum, Hawaiian Telcom, T-Mobile. 77.7% of homes can get fiber and 81.2% 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, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-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