Living Cost Compare
Fort Wayne

Indiana

$960/mo est.

vs
Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,160/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $960 in Fort Wayne, IN versus $2,160 in Honolulu, HI. Overall, Fort Wayne, IN is roughly 56% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $60,293 in Fort Wayne, IN and $85,428 in Honolulu, HI — about 29% higher in Honolulu, HI. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Fort Wayne, IN
Honolulu, HI

Rent

Studio
$798
$1,390
+74% in Honolulu, HI
1 Bedroom
$782
$1,570
+101% in Honolulu, HI
2 Bedroom
$984
$1,983
+102% in Honolulu, HI
3 Bedroom
$1,100
$2,433
+121% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$169,700
$834,100
+392% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income
$60,293
$85,428
+42% in Honolulu, HI
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$47,700
$57,220
+20% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.0 yr
42.9 yr
+7.9 yr in Honolulu, HI
Homeownership
62.2%
48.6%
+13.6 pp in Fort Wayne, IN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
28.5%
40.8%
+12.3 pp in Honolulu, HI
Avg Commute
21.4 min
22.3 min
+0.9 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
308.9
214.1
+31% in Fort Wayne, IN
Property Crime
2,245.4
1,919.8
+15% in Fort Wayne, IN

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
50.5°F
77.7°F
+27.2°F in Honolulu, HI
Annual Precipitation
38.3 in
17.1 in
+21.2 in in Fort Wayne, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$5.09/gal
+29% in Honolulu, HI

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$3.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
18.1
52.0
+187% in Honolulu, HI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.70
$70.84
+417% 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 Fort Wayne, IN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$7.36
+9% in Honolulu, HI
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.01
+4% in Fort Wayne, IN
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 (IN / HI)
7%
4%
+3.0 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
2.95%
11.00%
+8.1 pp in HI

Fort Wayne vs Honolulu — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Wayne or Honolulu?
Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (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 Fort Wayne than in Honolulu?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Fort Wayne versus $63,000 in Honolulu.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Wayne or Honolulu?
Fort Wayne is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% 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).