Is it cheaper to live in Fairbanks or Honolulu?

Fairbanks, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 37% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $43,000 a year in Fairbanks versus $63,000 in Honolulu.

Which has lower taxes, Fairbanks or Honolulu?

Fairbanks is taxed under Alaska'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).

Fairbanks vs Honolulu Cost of Living 2026

Fairbanks

Alaska

$1,350/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 $1,350 in Fairbanks, AK versus $2,150 in Honolulu, HI. Overall, Fairbanks, AK is roughly 37% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $72,077 in Fairbanks, AK and $85,428 in Honolulu, HI — about 16% higher in Honolulu, HI. Alaska 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.

Fairbanks, AK

Honolulu, HI

Rent

Studio

$883

$1,390

+57% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$1,076

$1,570

+46% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,428

$1,983

+39% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$2,019

$2,433

+21% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$255,700

$834,100

+226% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$72,077

$85,428

+19% in Honolulu, HI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$61,810

$57,220

+7% in Fairbanks, AK

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

28.6 yr

42.9 yr

+14.3 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

40.5%

48.6%

+8.1 pp in Honolulu, HI

Bachelor's+ (25+)

26.5%

40.8%

+14.3 pp in Honolulu, HI

Avg Commute

14.1 min

22.3 min

+8.2 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

726.1

214.1

+71% in Fairbanks, AK

Property Crime

3,504.2

1,919.8

+45% in Fairbanks, AK

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

27.7°F

77.7°F

+50.0°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

10.8 in

17.1 in

+6.3 in in Honolulu, HI

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.21/gal

about equal

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$3.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

28.2

52.7

+87% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.35

$66.84

+285% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

about equal

Bread (lb)

$2.04

about equal

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

about equal

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

about equal

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AK / HI)

None

+4.0 pp in HI

Income Tax (top rate)

None

11.00%

+11.0 pp in HI

Fairbanks vs Honolulu — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fairbanks or Honolulu?: Fairbanks, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 37% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fairbanks than in Honolulu?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $43,000 a year in Fairbanks versus $63,000 in Honolulu.
Which has lower taxes, Fairbanks or Honolulu?: Fairbanks is taxed under Alaska'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).