Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Honolulu?

Concord, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 34% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $63,000 in Honolulu.

Which has lower taxes, Concord or Honolulu?

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

Concord vs Honolulu Cost of Living 2026

Concord

New Hampshire

$1,410/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 $1,410 in Concord, NH versus $2,150 in Honolulu, HI. Overall, Concord, NH is roughly 34% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,701 in Concord, NH and $85,428 in Honolulu, HI — about 2% higher in Honolulu, HI. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Concord, NH

Honolulu, HI

Rent

Studio

$876

$1,390

+59% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$1,134

$1,570

+38% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,475

$1,983

+34% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$1,769

$2,433

+38% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$323,700

$834,100

+158% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$83,701

$85,428

+2% in Honolulu, HI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$57,220

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

40.7 yr

42.9 yr

+2.2 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

57.4%

48.6%

+8.8 pp in Concord, NH

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.1%

40.8%

+0.7 pp in Honolulu, HI

Avg Commute

23.2 min

22.3 min

+0.9 min in Concord, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

180.7

214.1

+18% in Honolulu, HI

Property Crime

1,251.5

1,919.8

+53% 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

46.4°F

77.7°F

+31.3°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

40.6 in

17.1 in

+23.5 in in Concord, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$5.21/gal

+32% in Honolulu, HI

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$3.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.0

52.7

+95% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$66.84

+208% 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)

$1.92

$2.04

+6% in Honolulu, HI

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$7.36

+7% in Honolulu, HI

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.01

+8% in Concord, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.70

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / HI)

None

+4.0 pp in HI

Income Tax (top rate)

None

11.00%

+11.0 pp in HI

Concord vs Honolulu — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Honolulu?: Concord, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 34% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Honolulu?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $63,000 in Honolulu.
Which has lower taxes, Concord or Honolulu?: Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no 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).