Is it cheaper to live in Denver or Honolulu?

Denver, CO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,750 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of electricity costs.

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

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

Which has lower taxes, Denver or Honolulu?

Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Honolulu under Hawaii's (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax).

Denver vs Honolulu Cost of Living 2026

Denver

Colorado

$1,750/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 $1,750 in Denver, CO versus $2,050 in Honolulu, HI. Overall, Denver, CO is roughly 15% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $91,681 in Denver, CO and $85,428 in Honolulu, HI — about 7% higher in Denver, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Denver, CO

Honolulu, HI

Rent

Studio

$1,497

$1,390

+7% in Denver, CO

1 Bedroom

$1,583

$1,570

+1% in Denver, CO

2 Bedroom

$1,958

$1,983

+1% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$2,269

$2,433

+7% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$586,700

$834,100

+42% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$91,681

$85,428

+7% in Denver, CO

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$62,320

$57,220

+8% in Denver, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.2 yr

42.9 yr

+7.7 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

49.1%

48.6%

+0.5 pp in Denver, CO

Bachelor's+ (25+)

55.6%

40.8%

+14.8 pp in Denver, CO

Avg Commute

25.4 min

22.3 min

+3.1 min in Denver, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

998.3

214.1

+79% in Denver, CO

Property Crime

4,781.9

1,919.8

+60% in Denver, CO

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

50.2°F

77.7°F

+27.5°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

15.6 in

17.1 in

+1.5 in in Honolulu, HI

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.58/gal

$5.57/gal

+22% in Honolulu, HI

Area: Denver vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.75

$3.00

+9% in Honolulu, HI

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.7

42.2

+152% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.64

$60.89

+423% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.37

about equal

Bread (lb)

$2.10

about equal

Eggs (doz)

$2.25

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.23

about equal

Chicken (lb)

$2.14

about equal

Bananas (lb)

$0.74

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / HI)

2.9%

+1.1 pp in HI

Income Tax (top rate)

4.40%

11.00%

+6.6 pp in HI

Denver vs Honolulu — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Denver or Honolulu?: Denver, CO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,750 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Denver than in Honolulu?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $63,000 in Honolulu.
Which has lower taxes, Denver or Honolulu?: Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% 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).