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State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in Hawaii

Statewide Regional Price Parities for Hawaii from the Bureau of Economic Analysis — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 2 metro areas.

110.0
Statewide RPP
#2
of 51 states by cost
125.3
Rents RPP
2
Metro areas

The verdict

Hawaii is more expensive than 96% of U.S. states — a statewide cost index of 110.0, 10.0% above the national average.

110.0
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#2
of 51 states by overall cost
top 4%
nationally, among all states
125.3
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $90,950 when earned in Hawaii.

Reading the Hawaii Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places Hawaii's statewide Regional Price Parity at 110.0 for the 2024 data year, 10.0% more expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's services line runs hottest at 190.2. That internal spread — rather than the single state number — is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

Hawaii captures 2 metro areas in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. Urban Honolulu, HI leads on cost at 111.0, while Kahului-Wailuku, HI sits at the opposite end at 109.4 — a gap of 1.6 index points inside a single state. For goods the state indexes at 111.6, for services 190.2, and for rents 125.3 — the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, Hawaii's statewide index has held steady within 0.2 points, suggesting a stable competitive position against other states. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $90,950 of national buying power when earned inside Hawaii, and a household relocating here would need roughly $109,951 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

110.0
Overall
111.6
Goods
190.2
Services
125.3
Rents

Hawaii vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

110 Top 4% higher than 96% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). Below this entry. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). Below this entry. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). Below this entry. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). This entry sits in this band. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Most Expensive in Hawaii → Cheapest in Hawaii →

Metro areas in Hawaii, ranked by cost

# Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
1 Urban Honolulu 111.0 111.6 187.3 135.5
2 Kahului-Wailuku 109.4 111.6 190.6 119.2

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 109.8
2009 112.7
2010 109.6
2011 109.9
2012 108.4
2013 112.3
2014 110.6
2015 111.5
2016 109.9
2017 110.5
2018 110.9
2019 111.8
2020 113.3
2021 112.6
2022 111.1
2023 109.7
2024 110.0

What this means in Hawaii

The statewide index is a starting point — cost varies metro to metro within Hawaii.

  • Don't rely on the state figure alone: Urban Honolulu (111.0) and Kahului-Wailuku (109.4) sit 2 index points apart inside Hawaii. Check your specific metro.
  • Rents index at 125.3 (25.3% above average) — the largest swing in the RPP. Review the housing line before any relocation decision. Highest rents
  • Weighing Hawaii against another state? Convert your salary to local purchasing power first. Salary calculator

RPP is BEA's annual price-level benchmark (national average = 100) for the data year shown — pair it with local wages and current rents before deciding.

Cost of Living Guides

Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Hawaii? ▼
Hawaii has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 110.0, meaning it is 10.0% more expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 111.6, services at 190.2, and rents at 125.3.
What salary in Hawaii equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $109,951 in Hawaii. Conversely, $100K earned in Hawaii has the purchasing power of $90,950 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in Hawaii? ▼
Rents in Hawaii are indexed at 125.3, which is 25.3% above the national average. Housing costs are significantly higher than typical U.S. levels.
Which is the most expensive metro in Hawaii? ▼
The most expensive metro area in Hawaii is Urban Honolulu, HI with an RPP of 111.0. The most affordable is Kahului-Wailuku, HI at 109.4. There are 2 metro areas in Hawaii with BEA price data.
Is Hawaii getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Hawaii's overall cost index changed by +0.2 points (from 109.8 to 110.0). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.
What is most expensive in Hawaii compared to the U.S. average? ▼
The most expensive category in Hawaii is services at 190.2, which is 90.2% above the national average. All other categories are at or above the national average.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.