Living Cost Compare
Albuquerque

New Mexico

$1,040/mo est.

vs
Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,050/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,040 in Albuquerque, NM versus $2,050 in Honolulu, HI. Overall, Albuquerque, NM is roughly 49% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $65,604 in Albuquerque, NM and $85,428 in Honolulu, HI — about 23% higher in Honolulu, HI. New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax; Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Albuquerque, NM
Honolulu, HI

Rent

Studio
$797
$1,390
+74% in Honolulu, HI
1 Bedroom
$889
$1,570
+77% in Honolulu, HI
2 Bedroom
$1,140
$1,983
+74% in Honolulu, HI
3 Bedroom
$1,459
$2,433
+67% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$266,700
$834,100
+213% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income
$65,604
$85,428
+30% in Honolulu, HI
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,060
$57,220
+19% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.7 yr
42.9 yr
+4.2 yr in Honolulu, HI
Homeownership
61.5%
48.6%
+12.9 pp in Albuquerque, NM
Bachelor's+ (25+)
38.7%
40.8%
+2.1 pp in Honolulu, HI
Avg Commute
22.2 min
22.3 min
+0.1 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,193.2
214.1
+82% in Albuquerque, NM
Property Crime
4,766.2
1,919.8
+60% in Albuquerque, NM

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
57.2°F
77.7°F
+20.5°F in Honolulu, HI
Annual Precipitation
9.4 in
17.1 in
+7.7 in in Honolulu, HI

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.99/gal
$5.57/gal
+40% in Honolulu, HI

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
Free
$3.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.8
42.2
+185% in Honolulu, HI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$11.90
$60.89
+412% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.37
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$2.10
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$2.25
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$7.23
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$2.14
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.74
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NM / HI)
4.875%
4%
+0.9 pp in NM
Income Tax (top rate)
5.90%
11.00%
+5.1 pp in HI

Albuquerque vs Honolulu — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Albuquerque or Honolulu?
Albuquerque, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,040 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 49% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Albuquerque than in Honolulu?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Albuquerque versus $63,000 in Honolulu.
Which has lower taxes, Albuquerque or Honolulu?
Albuquerque is taxed under New Mexico's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% 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).