Key takeaway: By the state’s own measure, Kauaʻi is the most expensive county to cover basics: a single adult needs $49,073 a year and a family of four $101,055 (DBEDT). It has the state’s highest median home price and gas prices, but the cheapest electricity, from its member-owned co-op. Numbers checked October 30, 2026.
Kauaʻi at a glance
| Figure | As of | |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR rent, HUD benchmark | $1,777 a month (2026 figure) | Oct 2025 |
| 1BR asking rent, Līhuʻe | $2,400 a month | Oct 2026 |
| Median single-family home | $1,490,000 (only 18 sales) | Sep 2026 |
| Median condo | $726,500 (only 6 sales) | Sep 2026 |
| Electricity (KIUC) | About 39.8¢ per kWh average | Jul 2026 |
| Regular gas, Līhuʻe | $5.86 a gallon, highest of AAA’s Hawaiʻi cities | Oct 30, 2026 |
| Property tax, owner-occupied | $2.59 per $1,000; $220,000 home exemption | FY2027 |
| Kauaʻi Bus ride | $2; $50 monthly | 2026 |
| Bare-bones budget, single adult | $49,073 a year, the state’s highest | 2024 data |
| Bare-bones budget, 2 adults + 2 kids | $101,055 a year, the state’s highest | 2024 data |
| MIT living wage, single adult | $66,922 a year ($32.17/hr) | Feb 2026 |
| Median household income | $97,668 | 2020–2024 |
| Military cost-of-living index | 126 (mainland = 100), tied for highest | Jan 2025 |
Every figure links to the guide where its source is cited. Budgets are before taxes. Electric bill is our calculation from the utility’s posted rates.
Rent by area
Kauaʻi has too few listings for a reliable island-wide median. One-bedroom listings in Līhuʻe averaged $2,400 in October (Zillow). HUD’s voucher benchmark by ZIP runs from $1,870 in Līhuʻe to $2,670 in Princeville (HUD small-area rents, via BNBCalc).
What’s different about Kauaʻi
- Your power company is a co-op. Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative is owned by its members, and its rates averaged about 39.8¢ per kWh in July 2026, the lowest in the state (Star-Advertiser, citing KIUC). Rates still swing with oil: they rose 13% in April (The Garden Island), and KIUC is seeking to recover costs from Hurricane Lowell in September (KIUC).
- Gas is the priciest of the islands AAA tracks. Līhuʻe was at $5.86 a gallon on October 30. See gas prices.
- Few homes change hands. With 18 house sales in September, one month’s median can jump. Look at several months before drawing conclusions. See buying a home.
- Seniors get bigger tax breaks. The home exemption rises to $240,000 at age 60 and $260,000 at 70. See retiring in Hawaiʻi.
- Residents skip new park fees. Since February 2026, visitors pay $5 a person plus $10 to park at Wailua River State Park; residents with a Hawaiʻi ID don’t (DLNR).
See how Kauaʻi compares: compare the islands.
Sources
- DBEDT: Self-Sufficiency Income Standard, 2024
- PlainRent: Kauaʻi FY2026 FMR
- BNBCalc: Kauaʻi small-area FMRs
- Zillow: Līhuʻe 1BR
- Title Guaranty: statewide housing statistics, September 2026
- Star-Advertiser: column citing KIUC rates
- The Garden Island: KIUC rate increase
- KIUC: news releases
- AAA: Hawaiʻi gas prices
- State report of FY2027 county tax rates
- MIT Living Wage: Kauaʻi County
- Census QuickFacts: Kauaʻi County
- DLNR: new parking and entry fees
- DBEDT Data Book Table 14.28: military COLA index