Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Urban Honolulu, HI
Cooks, Restaurant in the Urban Honolulu, HI metro area earn a median $42,450 a year — 14% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $34,548 take-home, or $2,879 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Urban Honolulu, HI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,914
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,632
- Medicare (1.45%)$616
- Hawaii income tax$1,740
- Take-home pay$34,548
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 7.20% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Urban Honolulu, HI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $30,270 | $14.55 | $25,593 | $2,133 |
| 25th percentile | $36,800 | $17.69 | $30,396 | $2,533 |
| Median (50th) | $42,450 | $20.41 | $34,548 | $2,879 |
| 75th percentile | $47,160 | $22.67 | $37,994 | $3,166 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $62,550 | $30.07 | $49,215 | $4,101 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Hawaii resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $42,450 buys in Urban Honolulu, HI
Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 11.0% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.36× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $34,548 take-home pay has the buying power of $31,135 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Urban Honolulu, HI has 1.7× the national concentration of cooks, restaurant jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Urban Honolulu, HI ranks #76 of 101 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spokane, WA | $44,230 | $37,719 | $37,589 |
| 2 | Portland, ME | $46,560 | $37,630 | $36,943 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $47,730 | $40,531 | $36,471 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $47,170 | $38,588 | $34,946 |
| 5 | Worcester, MA | $44,250 | $35,742 | $34,863 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | $44,370 | $36,587 | $34,588 |
| 7 | Omaha, NE | $37,840 | $31,742 | $34,536 |
| 8 | Atlantic City, NJ | $40,250 | $33,830 | $34,221 |
| 76 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $42,450 | $34,548 | $31,135 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 101 metros →
About the job: cooks, restaurant
Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +12.1% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Urban Honolulu, HI?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Urban Honolulu, HI metro area is $42,450 a year, or about $20.41 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,800 and $47,160.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI?
On the median $42,450 salary, a single filer living in Hawaii takes home about $34,548 a year ($2,879 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,740 in Hawaii taxes in 2026.
Is Urban Honolulu, HI a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 14% above the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 11.0% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $31,135 would in a typical U.S. city. Urban Honolulu, HI ranks #76 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Urban Honolulu, HI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Urban Honolulu, HI is $2,016 a month ($2,642 for two bedrooms) — 70% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Urban Honolulu, HI
- 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
- Food Preparation Worker — $37,300
- Dishwasher — $36,400
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $35,080