What it actually costs to live in Hawaiʻi, island by island.
Every number sourced. Every island shown.Hawaiʻi doesn’t have one cost of living. A gallon of gas, a kilowatt-hour or a one-bedroom can cost very different amounts on Oʻahu, Maui, Hawaiʻi Island, Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi. We show every island side by side, and every figure links to the agency, utility filing or report it came from.
Numbers last checked October 30, 2026. How much do you need to make to live here?
Find your number Compare the islandsThe island gap: lowest to highest
Island by island
Pick an island
This season
Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30
What it costs to get ready, how your homeowners policy deductible works, and when insurers stop writing new policies because a storm is coming. Hurricane deductibles usually run 1% to 5% of your home’s insured value, so 5% on a $500,000 policy is $25,000 out of pocket. Plan for storm costs
The numbers
Same cost, six islands
When a figure changes, we update it here and change the date. Each island has its own color, taken from its official island color.
| What | Oʻahu | Maui | Hawaiʻi Is. | Kauaʻi | Molokaʻi | Lānaʻi | Swing | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1BR rent, HUD benchmark | $1,951 | $2,030 | $1,615 | $1,609 | $2,030 | $2,030 | $421 | HUD |
| Electricity, first block, ¢/kWh | 45.8¢ | 44.6¢ | 46.8¢ | 39.8¢* | 58.4¢ | 60.7¢ | 20.9¢ | HECO, KIUC |
| Regular gas, per gallon | $5.60 | $5.74 | $5.70 | $5.86 | ~$6.99* | $5.03* | ~$1.96 | AAA, Maui Now |
| General excise tax | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.5% | none | Dept. of Taxation |
| Owner-occupied property tax, per $1,000 | $3.50 | $1.65 | $5.75 | $2.59 | $1.65 | $1.65 | $4.10 | County rates |
| Military cost-of-living index (mainland = 100) | 114 | 118 | 126 | 126 | 118 | — | 12 | DTMO via DBEDT |
| Local bus, one adult ride | $3.25 | $2 | Free | $2 | Free | No bus | $3.25 | Transit agencies |
| Median single-family home | $1.11M | $1.15M | $499K | $1.49M | — | — | $991K | Realtor boards |
Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi are part of Maui County, so they share its tax rates and HUD rent benchmark but pay their own electricity rates. *Kauaʻi electricity is KIUC’s July average; Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi gas prices are from April 2026 reporting. Electricity is October 2026; gas is October 30, 2026; home prices are September 2026.
Out-of-date numbers you’ll still find online
Search these and the first answer is often wrong
Pick your island, pick your price
From Hilo to Honolulu
The cheapest rent and the most expensive rent in the state can be a short flight apart. Compare every island side by side in our island comparison, then work out your own number with the salary calculator.
| Hilo, 96720 | $1,600 |
| Kahului, 96732 | $1,850 |
| Kapolei, 96707 | $2,200 |
| Līhuʻe, 96766 | $2,400 |
| Ala Moana–Kakaʻako, 96814 | $3,600 |
Average one-bedroom asking rent, Zillow listings, October 29, 2026. See all 10 ZIP codes in rent by island and ZIP.
Start here
Seven guides most people start with
How we check
We only use a number if we can link to where it came from: the Hawaiʻi Department of Taxation, the county real property tax offices, Hawaiian Electric and KIUC filings with the Public Utilities Commission, DBEDT, or reporting from local newsrooms. When sources disagree, we show more than one and explain why. See something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we’ll fix it. Read our full methodology.