Cost of Living in Urban Honolulu, HI
Urban Honolulu, HI — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Urban Honolulu, HI to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is Urban Honolulu, HI?
With a price level of 111.0 (U.S. average = 100), Urban Honolulu, HI is one of the most expensive places in the country. In detail, housing costs run 36% above average; everyday goods run 12% above average; utilities run 87% above average; other services such as healthcare and dining run 3% above average. The biggest difference from the national average is in utilities.
Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 111.0 | +11.0% |
| Housing | 135.5 | +35.5% |
| Goods | 111.6 | +11.6% |
| Utilities | 187.3 | +87.3% |
| Other services | 102.9 | +2.9% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Urban Honolulu, HI
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,877 | $75,080/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $2,016 | $80,640/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $2,642 | $105,680/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $3,674 | $146,960/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $4,432 | $177,280/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in Urban Honolulu, HI
To keep the same standard of living as in an average-priced U.S. city, you would need to earn roughly:
| Salary in an average U.S. city | Equivalent in Urban Honolulu, HI | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $44,400 | $35,975 |
| $60,000 | $66,600 | $52,152 |
| $80,000 | $88,800 | $66,082 |
| $100,000 | $111,000 | $80,013 |
| $150,000 | $166,400 | $113,777 |
Scaled by the BEA price level (pre-tax). Take-home: single filer, Hawaii 2026 taxes. For a tax-aware comparison with a specific city, use the calculator above.
A monthly budget on the median wage
A single worker earning Urban Honolulu, HI's median wage of $57,220 takes home about $3,778 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $2,016, which is 53% of take-home pay — well above the 30% guideline, so many workers here share housing or rent smaller units. That leaves about $1,762 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI
- Federal income tax$4,686
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,548
- Medicare (1.45%)$830
- Hawaii income tax$2,819
- Take-home pay$45,338
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 7.60% state
Highest-paying jobs in Urban Honolulu, HI
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Pay and living costs in Hawaii cities
Half of Hawaii’s 627,530 workers earn less than $56,320 a year and half earn more; the middle 50% earn $40,370–$81,510 (BLS, May 2025). Prices vary a lot within the state: Kahului, HI stretches a paycheck furthest, while Urban Honolulu, HI is the costliest.
| Metro area | Median pay | Price level | 1-BR rent | Rent share | Left after rent / mo | Buying power* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $57,220 | 111.0 | $2,016 | 53% | $1,762 | $40,859 |
| Kahului, HI | $57,640 | 109.4 | $2,000 | 53% | $1,804 | $41,724 |
*Yearly take-home pay (on each metro’s median wage, single filer) in U.S.-average dollars. Price level: BEA RPP 2024 (U.S. = 100). Rent: HUD FY2026 one-bedroom fair market rent.
Urban Honolulu, HI vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 111.0 | $2,016 | $57,220 | 446,380 |
| New Orleans, LA | 92.6 | $1,105 | $47,290 | 445,550 |
| Albany, NY | 99.6 | $1,417 | $58,460 | 449,410 |
| Greenville, SC | 93.3 | $1,155 | $46,580 | 434,900 |
| Tulsa, OK | 89.2 | $976 | $46,670 | 458,730 |
| Knoxville, TN | 92.6 | $1,126 | $47,080 | 424,600 |
| Fresno, CA | 102.2 | $1,315 | $46,910 | 476,890 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Urban Honolulu, HI expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Urban Honolulu, HI metro area are 111.0% of the U.S. average, with housing at 135.5%. It is the #8 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Urban Honolulu, HI?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $66,577 in Urban Honolulu, HI (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $57,220.
Can you afford Urban Honolulu, HI on the median wage?
A single worker on the $57,220 median wage takes home about $3,778 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $2,016 would take 53% of that.
How much is rent in Urban Honolulu, HI?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Urban Honolulu, HI are $1,877 for a studio, $2,016 for one bedroom, $2,642 for two bedrooms and $3,674 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in Urban Honolulu, HI
Management Occupations
- Financial Manager — $134,330
- General and Operations Manager — $113,940
Business and Financial Operations Occupations
- Management Analyst — $101,750
- Business Operations Specialists, All Other — $94,330
- Accountant and Auditor — $74,990
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $74,310
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education — $73,080
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term — $58,520
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — $36,100
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Registered Nurse — $139,260
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Medical Assistant — $47,720
- Nursing Assistant — $45,260
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $37,770
Protective Service Occupations
- Security Guard — $42,580
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- Waiter and Waitress — $60,250
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $50,200
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $48,310
- Cooks, Restaurant — $42,450
- Food Preparation Worker — $37,300
- Dishwasher — $36,400
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $35,080
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
- Maid and Housekeeping Cleaner — $53,850
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker — $44,540
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners — $36,760
Sales and Related Occupations
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel — $61,710
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products — $59,190
- First-Line Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers — $55,410
- Retail Salesperson — $37,400
- Cashier — $35,930
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $62,980
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive — $50,020
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $48,030
- Customer Service Representative — $44,630
- Office Clerks, General — $41,600
- Receptionist and Information Clerk — $39,960
Construction and Extraction Occupations
- Carpenter — $94,310
- Construction Laborer — $77,960
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers — $90,400
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — $55,280
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $59,330
- Light Truck Driver — $45,860
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $44,120
- Stocker and Order Filler — $38,440