Key takeaway: Asking rents for a one-bedroom range from about $1,400 in Pāhoa on Hawaiʻi Island to about $3,600 in the Ala Moana–Kakaʻako ZIP code on Oʻahu (Zillow listings, October 2026). By county, HUD’s 2027 benchmark runs from $1,615 on Hawaiʻi Island to $2,030 in Maui County (HUD data via StartBusinessByState). Numbers checked October 30, 2026.
By county
| County | HUD Fair Market Rent, 1BR (from Oct 1, 2026) | Typical 1BR apartment (Rentometer median) |
|---|---|---|
| Maui (incl. Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi) | $2,030 | $2,000 (Jan 2026) |
| Honolulu (Oʻahu) | $1,951 (down from $2,016) | $1,900 (Feb 2026) |
| Kauaʻi | $1,777 (2026 figure; 2027 not found) | Not enough listings |
| Hawaiʻi Island | $1,615 | $1,374 (Feb 2026) |
HUD figures are the 40th percentile of rent plus utilities, used for housing vouchers. Sources: StartBusinessByState (HUD FY2027 data); Kauaʻi FY2026; Rentometer.
By ZIP code
| ZIP | Island | Average 1BR asking rent |
|---|---|---|
| Pāhoa, 96778 | Hawaiʻi Island | $1,400 |
| Hilo, 96720 | Hawaiʻi Island | $1,600 |
| Kahului, 96732 | Maui | $1,850 |
| Kapolei, 96707 | Oʻahu | $2,200 |
| Kailua-Kona, 96740 | Hawaiʻi Island | $2,200 |
| Līhuʻe, 96766 | Kauaʻi | $2,400 |
| Downtown/Kakaʻako, 96813 | Oʻahu | $2,500 |
| Lahaina, 96761 | Maui | $2,600 |
| Kailua, 96734 | Oʻahu | $2,700 |
| Ala Moana/Kakaʻako, 96814 | Oʻahu | $3,600 |
Zillow Rental Manager, average of current one-bedroom listings, October 29, 2026. Small markets can swing a lot month to month.
Kīhei is left out on purpose. Zillow’s one-bedroom average there was nearly $5,000 in October, almost certainly furnished vacation-style listings. Zumper’s figure for Kīhei was $2,300 (Zumper).
Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi
There aren’t enough listings to give a real number. Zillow showed three rentals in Kaunakakai and one in Lānaʻi City in late October. Much of Lānaʻi’s housing is owned or managed by Pūlama Lānaʻi. HUD uses the Maui County figure for both.
Why sources disagree
- HUD counts rent plus utilities at the 40th percentile, based on survey data that’s a few years old and then trended forward.
- Zillow and Zumper average what’s listed right now, which leans newer and pricier.
- RentCafe only counts large managed buildings. In Honolulu that means towers, and its one-bedroom average is $2,356 (RentCafe).
Watch for GET: landlords can pass it through on top of rent, up to 4.712%. On a $2,000 lease that’s about $94 a month. See move-in costs.
Sources
- StartBusinessByState: FY2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD data)
- Federal Register: FY2026 Fair Market Rents
- PlainRent: Kauaʻi FY2026 FMR
- Rentometer: Honolulu County
- Rentometer: Kahului-Wailuku
- Rentometer: Hilo-Kailua
- RentCafe: Honolulu
- Zillow: Pāhoa, 96778
- Zillow: Hilo, 96720
- Zillow: Kahului, 96732
- Zillow: Kapolei, 96707
- Zillow: Kailua-Kona, 96740
- Zillow: Līhuʻe, 96766
- Zillow: Downtown/Kakaʻako, 96813
- Zillow: Lahaina, 96761
- Zillow: Kailua, 96734
- Zillow: Ala Moana/Kakaʻako, 96814
- Zumper: Kīhei