Key takeaway: Kailua-Kona is the most expensive part of Hawaiʻi Island: HUD’s 2026–27 one-bedroom benchmark for ZIP 96740 is $1,890 a month, and the North Kona median single-family sale was $1.4 million in September 2026, almost three times Hilo’s. Its water comes from a few deep wells that have failed repeatedly, bringing mandatory cutbacks. Numbers checked October 31, 2026.
A one-bedroom in Kailua-Kona rents for about $1,900 to $2,200 a month, and the typical house sells for well over $1 million. Kona is the dry, sunny west side of Hawaiʻi Island and its visitor center, with the island’s main airport, resorts along the Kohala and Keauhou coasts, and Kona coffee farms upslope.
How much is rent in Kailua-Kona?
| Measure | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HUD Small Area FMR, ZIP 96740 | $1,890 | $2,440 | $3,070 | FY2027 (from Oct 1, 2026) |
| Zillow average asking rent | $2,200 | $3,200 | $4,433 | Oct 23, 2026 |
| Zumper average asking rent | $2,100 | $2,800 | $4,500 | Sep 28, 2026 |
HUD figures: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026), as republished by FairMarketRentMap; HUD’s summary pages show only county figures for the neighbor islands. These are 40th-percentile rents including utilities, a voucher benchmark rather than an asking price. Zillow and Zumper figures are averages of current listings in Kailua-Kona, all property types.
Kona’s HUD one-bedroom benchmark is $390 a month above Hilo’s ($1,500 for ZIP 96720), and Zillow’s listing average is about $550 higher. See rent by island.
What do homes cost in Kailua-Kona?
The median single-family sale price in the North Kona district was $1.4 million in September 2026 on 20 sales, up from $1.3 million in July; the median condo sold for $547,500 on 18 sales (Title Guaranty Hawaiʻi). South Kona, upslope and to the south, ran $812,000 on 6 sales. Homeowners in ZIP 96740 estimate their homes are worth a median of $760,600 (ACS 2020–2024), a sign that recent sales skew toward newer and resort-area homes.
Property tax uses the county homeowner rate of $5.75 per $1,000 after a $50,000 exemption (owners under 60), so a $1.4 million owner-occupied house pays about $7,800 a year. See property tax by county.
What do Kailua-Kona households earn?
The median household income in the Kailua census-designated place (Kailua-Kona, not the Oʻahu town of the same name) is $88,211 (±$5,715), and $95,542 for the wider ZIP 96740 (ACS 2020–2024). At HUD’s $1,890 benchmark, a one-bedroom takes 26% of the town’s median income.
How do people get around Kailua-Kona?
The average commute is 20 minutes in town (ACS 2020–2024), but jobs at the Kohala Coast resorts often mean 40 minutes or more each way on Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway. Hele-On buses are free through December 31, 2028 (Hele-On), with routes 75, 76, 90, 201 and 202 among those serving the Kona side (Hawaiʻi DOE route list, July 2026). Plan on a car.
What costs are specific to Kailua-Kona?
- Water restrictions. North Kona relies on a few deep wells, and they fail. In August 2024 the county Department of Water Supply ordered a mandatory 25% cut for Kailua-Kona, Keāhole and Keauhou after two wells went down (DWS notice), and in March 2026 a storm-related power outage led to essential-use-only orders for North and South Kona (Big Island Video News). Landscaping and pools can be restricted when this happens.
- Air conditioning. Kona is hot and dry, so more homes run air conditioning than in Hilo, and electric bills run higher at the same Hawaiian Electric rate. See electricity rates by island.
- Cesspools along the coast. South Kona and South Kohala shorelines, including Hōnaunau Bay and Miloliʻi, are the island’s worst cesspool contamination areas; conversion costs $25,000 to $45,000 (Civil Beat, Aug 2025).
- Vog. Volcanic smog from Kīlauea often collects on the Kona side, which matters if anyone in the household has asthma.
How does Kailua-Kona compare with other towns on Hawaiʻi Island?
| Town | 1BR rent, HUD benchmark | Median single-family sale | Mean commute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hilo (96720) | $1,500 | $502,000 (South Hilo, 8 sales) | 20 min |
| Kailua-Kona (96740) | $1,890 | $1.4 million (North Kona, 20 sales) | 20 min |
| Puna (Pāhoa 96778 / Keaʻau 96749) | $1,480 / $1,450 | $392,000 (Puna, 66 sales) | 33–35 min |
Rent: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026), as republished by FairMarketRentMap; HUD’s summary pages show only county figures for the neighbor islands. These are 40th-percentile rents including utilities, a voucher benchmark rather than an asking price. Sales: Title Guaranty Hawaiʻi Residential Sales Report, September 2026, by tax district. Commute: American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, via Census Reporter.
More: Hawaiʻi Island cost of living · compare the islands · rent vs. buy calculator.
Sources
- FairMarketRentMap: HUD FY2027 SAFMR, ZIP 96740
- Zillow Rental Manager: Kailua-Kona rent trends
- Zumper: Kailua-Kona rent research
- Title Guaranty Hawaiʻi: Residential Sales Report, Hawaiʻi Island, September 2026
- Census Reporter: Kailua CDP, Hawaiʻi County (ACS 2020–2024)
- Census Reporter: ZIP 96740 (ACS 2020–2024)
- Hawaiʻi DWS: mandatory water restriction, Aug 2024
- Big Island Video News: storm water restrictions, Mar 2026
- Hele-On: fares
- Hawaiʻi DOE: Hele-On to Schools (July 2026)
- Civil Beat: Big Island cesspools (Aug 2025)