Cost of living in Honolulu

In Honolulu, United States, a single person typically needs around $3039 per month including rent. A family of four may spend about $7612 monthly.

How expensive is Honolulu compared to other cities?

Overall living costs in Honolulu are 113% more expensive than the European benchmark.

How does Honolulu compare to your city?

Honolulu is 24% cheaper than New York City, without rent.

Rent in Honolulu is, on average, 26% lower than in New York City.

What drives the cost of living in Honolulu?

Who is Honolulu a good fit for?

Honolulu is a better match for people who prioritize lifestyle benefits and can afford the premium driven by rent & utilities and transport. For most moderate-income households, housing costs are the main barrier.

FAQ

Why is Honolulu so expensive?

The primary reason for Honolulu's high cost of living is the significant expense associated with rent & utilities. These costs greatly influence overall affordability in the city.

Is food expensive in Honolulu?

Yes, food costs are 62% higher than the European benchmark, making dining and grocery shopping more costly.

Is public transport affordable in Honolulu?

Public transport is 71% higher than the European benchmark, indicating that commuting can be a significant expense.

Cost of living breakdown

Cost of Living, one person, including rent
3039 $
Without Rent
1089 $
Rent & Utilities
1950 $
Food
774 $
Transport
128 $
Monthly Salary, after tax
4110 $
GDP per Capita
81,695 $
Freedom Index
8.39
Lifespan
77 years
Speak English
96%
Population
351.0K

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Update Prices

Restaurants

Lunch menu, inexpensive restaurant 19.9 $
Dinner 80 $
Fast food, McDonalds or KFC 13.9 $
Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz 8.01 $
Capuccino 6.53 $
Coke, 330ml 2.99 $

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Markets

Milk, 1 L or 1 qt 2 $
Bread, 0.5 kg or 1 lb 6.67 $
Rice, 1 kg or 2 lb 6.24 $
Eggs, 12 pack 6.54 $
Cheese, 1 kg or 2 lb 23.3 $
Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2 lb 13.4 $
Round Steak, 1 kg or 2 lb 18.4 $
Apples, 1 kg or 2 lb 6.19 $
Banana, 1 kg or 2 lb 3.75 $
Oranges, 1 kg or 2 lb 5.79 $
Tomato, 1 kg or 2 lb 4.74 $
Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb 4.4 $
Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb 2.82 $
Water, 1 L or 1 qt 1.9 $
Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz 4.35 $
Wine, 750 mL bottle 16.1 $
Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz 1.94 $
Cigarette pack 12.1 $

Transportation

One-way Ticket 3.4 $
Monthly Pass 79.4 $
Gas or Petrol, 1l or 0.26 gal 1.28 $
Taxi, 8 km 24.4 $

Personal Care

Doctor Visit, private clinic 149 $
Cold medicine, for 1 week 12.7 $
Hair Shampoo, 400 ml or 12 oz. 7.05 $
Toilet paper, 4 rolls 5.85 $
Toothpaste, 1 tube 2.51 $

Utilities per Month

1 person, electricity, heating, water & garbage 193 $
Family of 4, electricity, heating, water & garbage 295 $
Internet plan, +60 Mbps 69.1 $

Rent per Month

1 Bedroom Apartment, outside of center, 40 sq.m 1,617 $
3 Bedroom Apartment, outside of center, 85 sq.m 3,497 $
1 Bedroom Apartment, in city center, 40 sq.m 1,975 $
3 Bedroom Apartment, in city center, 85 sq.m 3,984 $

Buy Apartment Price

Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment, in city center 8,808 $
Price per Square Meter to Buy House, in suburbs 8,156 $

Salaries and Financing

Average Monthly Net Salary, after tax 4,11 $
Mortgage Interest Rate, for 20 years fixed-rate 6.58%

Sports and Leisure

Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 44.8 $
Cinema, 1 seat 14.9 $
Haircut 26.2 $

Clothing and Shoes

Brand Sneakers, mid-range, Nike or similar 104 $
Brand Jeans, Levis 501 55.5 $

Childcare

Preschool, full day, monthly for 1 child 1,383 $
International Primary School, yearly for 1 child 31,596 $

Compare Honolulu with other top cities

Cayman Islands
Honolulu vs George Town (George Town is 20% more expensive)
Bahamas
Honolulu vs Nassau (Nassau is 9% less expensive) Honolulu vs Freeport (Freeport is 28% less expensive)
Vanuatu
Honolulu vs Port Vila (Port Vila is 23% less expensive) Honolulu vs Luganville (Luganville is 0% more expensive)
United States
Honolulu vs New York City (New York City is 33% more expensive) Honolulu vs Los Angeles (Los Angeles is 5% more expensive) Honolulu vs Chicago (Chicago is 12% less expensive) Honolulu vs Houston (Houston is 26% less expensive) Honolulu vs Phoenix (Phoenix is 22% less expensive) Honolulu vs Philadelphia (Philadelphia is 16% less expensive) Honolulu vs San Antonio (San Antonio is 28% less expensive) Honolulu vs San Diego (San Diego is 10% more expensive) Honolulu vs Dallas (Dallas is 16% less expensive) Honolulu vs San Jose (San Jose is 21% more expensive)
Canada
Honolulu vs Toronto (Toronto is 15% less expensive) Honolulu vs Montreal (Montreal is 36% less expensive) Honolulu vs Calgary (Calgary is 29% less expensive) Honolulu vs Ottawa (Ottawa is 26% less expensive) Honolulu vs Edmonton (Edmonton is 41% less expensive) Honolulu vs Winnipeg (Winnipeg is 42% less expensive) Honolulu vs Mississauga (Mississauga is 19% less expensive) Honolulu vs Vancouver (Vancouver is 13% less expensive) Honolulu vs Brampton (Brampton is 30% less expensive) Honolulu vs Hamilton (Hamilton is 29% less expensive)
Barbados
Honolulu vs Bridgetown (Bridgetown is 55% less expensive) Honolulu vs Holetown (Holetown is 54% less expensive)
Panama
Honolulu vs Panama City (Panama City is 54% less expensive) Honolulu vs Colon (Colon is 61% less expensive) Honolulu vs Tocumen (Tocumen is 59% less expensive) Honolulu vs Santiago de Veraguas (Santiago de Veraguas is 65% less expensive) Honolulu vs David (David is 73% less expensive) Honolulu vs La Chorrera (La Chorrera is 69% less expensive) Honolulu vs Balboa (Balboa is 59% less expensive) Honolulu vs Pacora (Pacora is 59% less expensive) Honolulu vs Chitre (Chitre is 64% less expensive) Honolulu vs Penonome (Penonome is 64% less expensive)
Saint Kitts And Nevis
Honolulu vs Basseterre (Basseterre is 59% less expensive) Honolulu vs Cayon (Cayon is 59% less expensive)
Cuba
Honolulu vs Havana (Havana is 66% less expensive) Honolulu vs Santiago de Cuba (Santiago de Cuba is 53% less expensive) Honolulu vs Holguin (Holguin is 58% less expensive) Honolulu vs Camaguey (Camaguey is 50% less expensive) Honolulu vs Santa Clara (Santa Clara is 65% less expensive) Honolulu vs Bayamo (Bayamo is 62% less expensive) Honolulu vs Guantanamo (Guantanamo is 49% less expensive) Honolulu vs Las Tunas (Las Tunas is 49% less expensive) Honolulu vs Pinar del Rio (Pinar del Rio is 64% less expensive) Honolulu vs Cienfuegos (Cienfuegos is 71% less expensive)
Costa Rica
Honolulu vs San Jose (San Jose is 59% less expensive) Honolulu vs Limon (Limon is 60% less expensive) Honolulu vs Liberia (Liberia is 70% less expensive) Honolulu vs Alajuela (Alajuela is 59% less expensive) Honolulu vs Puntarenas (Puntarenas is 58% less expensive) Honolulu vs Cartago (Cartago is 68% less expensive) Honolulu vs Heredia (Heredia is 59% less expensive) Honolulu vs Tamarindo (Tamarindo is 44% less expensive) Honolulu vs Santa Teresa (Santa Teresa is 57% less expensive)
Saint Lucia
Honolulu vs Castries (Castries is 62% less expensive) Honolulu vs Vieux Fort (Vieux Fort is 61% less expensive)
Jamaica
Honolulu vs Kingston (Kingston is 56% less expensive) Honolulu vs Spanish Town (Spanish Town is 74% less expensive) Honolulu vs Montego Bay (Montego Bay is 67% less expensive) Honolulu vs Half Way Tree (Half Way Tree is 62% less expensive) Honolulu vs May Pen (May Pen is 73% less expensive) Honolulu vs Mandeville (Mandeville is 68% less expensive) Honolulu vs Old Harbour (Old Harbour is 72% less expensive) Honolulu vs Linstead (Linstead is 66% less expensive) Honolulu vs Savanna-la-Mar (Savanna-la-Mar is 63% less expensive) Honolulu vs Port Antonio (Port Antonio is 62% less expensive)
El Salvador
Honolulu vs San Salvador (San Salvador is 61% less expensive) Honolulu vs Santa Ana (Santa Ana is 77% less expensive) Honolulu vs Soyapango (Soyapango is 61% less expensive) Honolulu vs San Miguel (San Miguel is 64% less expensive) Honolulu vs Mejicanos (Mejicanos is 62% less expensive) Honolulu vs Apopa (Apopa is 62% less expensive) Honolulu vs Santa Tecla (Santa Tecla is 60% less expensive) Honolulu vs Ahuachapan (Ahuachapan is 52% less expensive) Honolulu vs Usulutan (Usulutan is 64% less expensive) Honolulu vs Sonsonate (Sonsonate is 71% less expensive)
Antigua And Barbuda
Honolulu vs St. John's (St. John's is 64% less expensive) Honolulu vs All Saints (All Saints is 64% less expensive)
Grenada
Honolulu vs St. George's (St. George's is 65% less expensive) Honolulu vs Grenville (Grenville is 65% less expensive)
Dominica
Honolulu vs Roseau (Roseau is 67% less expensive) Honolulu vs Portsmouth (Portsmouth is 63% less expensive)
Saint Vincent
Honolulu vs Kingstown (Kingstown is 68% less expensive) Honolulu vs Georgetown (Georgetown is 67% less expensive)
Belize
Honolulu vs Belize City (Belize City is 71% less expensive) Honolulu vs San Ignacio (San Ignacio is 64% less expensive) Honolulu vs Belmopan (Belmopan is 76% less expensive) Honolulu vs San Pedro Town (San Pedro Town is 56% less expensive) Honolulu vs Caye Caulker (Caye Caulker is 48% less expensive)
Guatemala
Honolulu vs Guatemala City (Guatemala City is 67% less expensive) Honolulu vs Mixco (Mixco is 79% less expensive) Honolulu vs Coban (Coban is 70% less expensive) Honolulu vs Quetzaltenango (Quetzaltenango is 74% less expensive) Honolulu vs Jalapa (Jalapa is 70% less expensive) Honolulu vs San Miguel Petapa (San Miguel Petapa is 70% less expensive) Honolulu vs Momostenango (Momostenango is 71% less expensive) Honolulu vs Mazatenango (Mazatenango is 71% less expensive) Honolulu vs Flores (Flores is 72% less expensive) Honolulu vs Panajachel (Panajachel is 74% less expensive)
Honduras
Honolulu vs Tegucigalpa (Tegucigalpa is 73% less expensive) Honolulu vs San Pedro Sula (San Pedro Sula is 66% less expensive) Honolulu vs Choloma (Choloma is 80% less expensive) Honolulu vs La Ceiba (La Ceiba is 79% less expensive) Honolulu vs El Progreso (El Progreso is 71% less expensive) Honolulu vs Villanueva (Villanueva is 72% less expensive) Honolulu vs Comayagua (Comayagua is 76% less expensive) Honolulu vs Puerto Cortes (Puerto Cortes is 76% less expensive) Honolulu vs Yoro (Yoro is 76% less expensive) Honolulu vs La Lima (La Lima is 71% less expensive)
Dominican Republic
Honolulu vs Santiago de los Caballeros (Santiago de los Caballeros is 74% less expensive) Honolulu vs Santo Domingo (Santo Domingo is 66% less expensive) Honolulu vs Puerto Plata (Puerto Plata is 75% less expensive) Honolulu vs Higuey (Higuey is 75% less expensive) Honolulu vs La Vega (La Vega is 81% less expensive) Honolulu vs San Cristobal (San Cristobal is 73% less expensive) Honolulu vs San Pedro de Macoris (San Pedro de Macoris is 76% less expensive) Honolulu vs San Francisco de Macoris (San Francisco de Macoris is 83% less expensive) Honolulu vs San Juan de la Maguana (San Juan de la Maguana is 79% less expensive) Honolulu vs Bonao (Bonao is 82% less expensive)
Nicaragua
Honolulu vs Managua (Managua is 75% less expensive) Honolulu vs Leon (Leon is 79% less expensive) Honolulu vs Masaya (Masaya is 77% less expensive) Honolulu vs Matagalpa (Matagalpa is 82% less expensive) Honolulu vs Chinandega (Chinandega is 79% less expensive) Honolulu vs Esteli (Esteli is 80% less expensive) Honolulu vs Granada (Granada is 77% less expensive) Honolulu vs Jinotega (Jinotega is 85% less expensive) Honolulu vs Juigalpa (Juigalpa is 78% less expensive) Honolulu vs San Juan del Sur (San Juan del Sur is 71% less expensive)