Is it cheaper to live in Aberdeen or Honolulu?

Aberdeen, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $740 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 66% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Aberdeen than in Honolulu?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $23,000 a year in Aberdeen versus $63,000 in Honolulu.

Which has lower taxes, Aberdeen or Honolulu?

Aberdeen is taxed under South Dakota's rules (no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax); Honolulu under Hawaii's (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax).

Aberdeen vs Honolulu Cost of Living 2026

Aberdeen

South Dakota

$740/mo est.

Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,150/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $740 in Aberdeen, SD versus $2,150 in Honolulu, HI. Overall, Aberdeen, SD is roughly 66% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $63,715 in Aberdeen, SD and $85,428 in Honolulu, HI — about 25% higher in Honolulu, HI. South Dakota has no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax; Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Aberdeen, SD

Honolulu, HI

Rent

Studio

$529

$1,390

+163% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$576

$1,570

+173% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$824

$1,983

+141% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$924

$2,433

+163% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$205,500

$834,100

+306% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$63,715

$85,428

+34% in Honolulu, HI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$57,220

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.8 yr

42.9 yr

+7.1 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

58.4%

48.6%

+9.8 pp in Aberdeen, SD

Bachelor's+ (25+)

33.6%

40.8%

+7.2 pp in Honolulu, HI

Avg Commute

11.1 min

22.3 min

+11.2 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

275

214.1

+22% in Aberdeen, SD

Property Crime

1,421.2

1,919.8

+35% in Honolulu, HI

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

43.0°F

77.7°F

+34.7°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

21.7 in

17.1 in

+4.6 in in Aberdeen, SD

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$5.21/gal

+35% in Honolulu, HI

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$3.00

Adult base one-way fare — — vs TheBus (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.4

52.7

+243% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$15.26

$66.84

+338% in Honolulu, HI

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Honolulu, HI

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$2.04

+23% in Honolulu, HI

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Aberdeen, SD

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Honolulu, HI

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in Aberdeen, SD

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Honolulu, HI

Average prices — Midwest vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SD / HI)

4.2%

+0.2 pp in SD

Income Tax (top rate)

None

11.00%

+11.0 pp in HI

Aberdeen vs Honolulu — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Aberdeen or Honolulu?: Aberdeen, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $740 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 66% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Aberdeen than in Honolulu?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $23,000 a year in Aberdeen versus $63,000 in Honolulu.
Which has lower taxes, Aberdeen or Honolulu?: Aberdeen is taxed under South Dakota's rules (no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax); Honolulu under Hawaii's (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).