Is it cheaper to live in Cleveland or Honolulu?

Cleveland, OH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 56% below Honolulu, HI's $2,160, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $29,000 a year in Cleveland versus $63,000 in Honolulu.

Which has lower taxes, Cleveland or Honolulu?

Cleveland is taxed under Ohio's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax); Honolulu under Hawaii's (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax).

Cleveland vs Honolulu Cost of Living 2026

Cleveland

Ohio

$940/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 $940 in Cleveland, OH versus $2,160 in Honolulu, HI. Overall, Cleveland, OH is roughly 56% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $39,187 in Cleveland, OH and $85,428 in Honolulu, HI — about 54% higher in Honolulu, HI. Ohio has a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax; Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Cleveland, OH

Honolulu, HI

Rent

Studio

$678

$1,390

+105% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$732

$1,570

+114% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$903

$1,983

+120% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$1,081

$2,433

+125% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$94,100

$834,100

+786% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$39,187

$85,428

+118% in Honolulu, HI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$50,140

$57,220

+14% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.3 yr

42.9 yr

+6.6 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

41.2%

48.6%

+7.4 pp in Honolulu, HI

Bachelor's+ (25+)

21.3%

40.8%

+19.5 pp in Honolulu, HI

Avg Commute

22.9 min

22.3 min

+0.6 min in Cleveland, OH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,582

214.1

+86% in Cleveland, OH

Property Crime

4,531.3

1,919.8

+58% in Cleveland, OH

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

52.7°F

77.7°F

+25.0°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

36.4 in

17.1 in

+19.3 in in Cleveland, OH

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.18/gal

$5.09/gal

+22% in Honolulu, HI

Area: Ohio vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$3.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

19.5

52.0

+166% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$22.83

$70.84

+210% 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 Cleveland, OH

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Honolulu, HI

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in Cleveland, OH

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 (OH / HI)

5.75%

+1.8 pp in OH

Income Tax (top rate)

2.75%

11.00%

+8.3 pp in HI

Cleveland vs Honolulu — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cleveland or Honolulu?: Cleveland, OH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 56% below Honolulu, HI's $2,160, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cleveland than in Honolulu?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $29,000 a year in Cleveland versus $63,000 in Honolulu.
Which has lower taxes, Cleveland or Honolulu?: Cleveland is taxed under Ohio's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% 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).