Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Honolulu?

Austin, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,650 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 20% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of electricity costs.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $63,000 in Honolulu.

Which has lower taxes, Austin or Honolulu?

Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Honolulu under Hawaii's (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax).

Austin vs Honolulu Cost of Living 2026

Austin

Texas

$1,650/mo est.

Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,050/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,650 in Austin, TX versus $2,050 in Honolulu, HI. Overall, Austin, TX is roughly 20% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $85,428 in Honolulu, HI — about 7% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Austin, TX

Honolulu, HI

Rent

Studio

$1,348

$1,390

+3% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$1,457

$1,570

+8% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,776

$1,983

+12% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$2,127

$2,433

+14% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$512,700

$834,100

+63% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$91,461

$85,428

+7% in Austin, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,950

$57,220

+0% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.5 yr

42.9 yr

+8.4 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

44.4%

48.6%

+4.2 pp in Honolulu, HI

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.2%

40.8%

+17.4 pp in Austin, TX

Avg Commute

24.0 min

22.3 min

+1.7 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

475.9

214.1

+55% in Austin, TX

Property Crime

3,290.2

1,919.8

+42% in Austin, TX

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

67.2°F

77.7°F

+10.5°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

34.9 in

17.1 in

+17.8 in in Austin, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.96/gal

$5.57/gal

+41% in Honolulu, HI

Area: Texas vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

$3.00

+140% in Honolulu, HI

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

42.2

+158% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.61

$60.89

+147% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.16

$4.37

+5% in Honolulu, HI

Bread (lb)

$1.73

$2.10

+21% in Honolulu, HI

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.25

+3% in Honolulu, HI

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.56

$7.23

+10% in Honolulu, HI

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.14

+12% in Honolulu, HI

Bananas (lb)

$0.61

$0.74

+21% in Honolulu, HI

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / HI)

6.25%

+2.3 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

None

11.00%

+11.0 pp in HI

Austin vs Honolulu — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Honolulu?: Austin, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,650 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 20% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Honolulu?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $63,000 in Honolulu.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Honolulu?: Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).