Is it cheaper to live in Fayetteville or Honolulu?

Fayetteville, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $990 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 54% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Fayetteville versus $63,000 in Honolulu.

Which has lower taxes, Fayetteville or Honolulu?

Fayetteville is taxed under Arkansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax); Honolulu under Hawaii's (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax).

Fayetteville vs Honolulu Cost of Living 2026

Fayetteville

Arkansas

$990/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 $990 in Fayetteville, AR versus $2,150 in Honolulu, HI. Overall, Fayetteville, AR is roughly 54% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $59,074 in Fayetteville, AR and $85,428 in Honolulu, HI — about 31% higher in Honolulu, HI. Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax; Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Fayetteville, AR

Honolulu, HI

Rent

Studio

$709

$1,390

+96% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$817

$1,570

+92% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$999

$1,983

+98% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$1,430

$2,433

+70% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$322,500

$834,100

+159% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$59,074

$85,428

+45% in Honolulu, HI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,610

$57,220

+23% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

28.7 yr

42.9 yr

+14.2 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

41.9%

48.6%

+6.7 pp in Honolulu, HI

Bachelor's+ (25+)

49.8%

40.8%

+9.0 pp in Fayetteville, AR

Avg Commute

18.2 min

22.3 min

+4.1 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

429.4

214.1

+50% in Fayetteville, AR

Property Crime

2,392.2

1,919.8

+20% in Fayetteville, AR

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

57.1°F

77.7°F

+20.6°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

48.5 in

17.1 in

+31.4 in in Fayetteville, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$5.21/gal

+44% in Honolulu, HI

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$3.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.1

52.7

+273% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$27.86

$66.84

+140% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Honolulu, HI

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Honolulu, HI

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Fayetteville, AR

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Honolulu, HI

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Honolulu, HI

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Honolulu, HI

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AR / HI)

6.5%

+2.5 pp in AR

Income Tax (top rate)

3.90%

11.00%

+7.1 pp in HI

Fayetteville vs Honolulu — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fayetteville or Honolulu?: Fayetteville, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $990 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 54% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fayetteville than in Honolulu?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Fayetteville versus $63,000 in Honolulu.
Which has lower taxes, Fayetteville or Honolulu?: Fayetteville is taxed under Arkansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% 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).