Is it cheaper to live in Bellevue or Honolulu?

Bellevue, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,160 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 46% below Honolulu, HI's $2,160, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $40,000 a year in Bellevue versus $63,000 in Honolulu.

Which has lower taxes, Bellevue or Honolulu?

Bellevue is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax); Honolulu under Hawaii's (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax).

Bellevue vs Honolulu Cost of Living 2026

Bellevue

Nebraska

$1,160/mo est.

Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,160/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,160 in Bellevue, NE versus $2,160 in Honolulu, HI. Overall, Bellevue, NE is roughly 46% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $87,343 in Bellevue, NE and $85,428 in Honolulu, HI — about 2% higher in Bellevue, NE. Nebraska has a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax; Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Bellevue, NE

Honolulu, HI

Rent

Studio

$1,106

$1,390

+26% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$1,008

$1,570

+56% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,190

$1,983

+67% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$1,660

$2,433

+47% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$230,800

$834,100

+261% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$87,343

$85,428

+2% in Bellevue, NE

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,660

$57,220

+15% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.1 yr

42.9 yr

+6.8 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

65.5%

48.6%

+16.9 pp in Bellevue, NE

Bachelor's+ (25+)

33.4%

40.8%

+7.4 pp in Honolulu, HI

Avg Commute

20.8 min

22.3 min

+1.5 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

100.8

214.1

+112% in Honolulu, HI

Property Crime

1,149.4

1,919.8

+67% 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

51.1°F

77.7°F

+26.6°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

30.6 in

17.1 in

+13.5 in in Bellevue, NE

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$5.09/gal

+29% 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)

13.6

52.0

+283% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$15.53

$70.84

+356% 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 Bellevue, NE

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Honolulu, HI

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in Bellevue, NE

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 (NE / HI)

5.5%

+1.5 pp in NE

Income Tax (top rate)

4.55%

11.00%

+6.5 pp in HI

Bellevue vs Honolulu — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Bellevue or Honolulu?: Bellevue, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,160 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 46% below Honolulu, HI's $2,160, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Bellevue than in Honolulu?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $40,000 a year in Bellevue versus $63,000 in Honolulu.
Which has lower taxes, Bellevue or Honolulu?: Bellevue is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% 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).