Is it cheaper to live in Greenville or Honolulu?

Greenville, SC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 40% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.

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

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

Which has lower taxes, Greenville or Honolulu?

Greenville is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Honolulu under Hawaii's (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax).

Greenville vs Honolulu Cost of Living 2026

Greenville

South Carolina

$1,300/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 $1,300 in Greenville, SC versus $2,150 in Honolulu, HI. Overall, Greenville, SC is roughly 40% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $68,460 in Greenville, SC and $85,428 in Honolulu, HI — about 20% higher in Honolulu, HI. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Greenville, SC

Honolulu, HI

Rent

Studio

$1,175

$1,390

+18% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$1,113

$1,570

+41% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,325

$1,983

+50% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$1,550

$2,433

+57% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$453,300

$834,100

+84% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$68,460

$85,428

+25% in Honolulu, HI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,580

$57,220

+23% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.8 yr

42.9 yr

+8.1 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

41.2%

48.6%

+7.4 pp in Honolulu, HI

Bachelor's+ (25+)

55.0%

40.8%

+14.2 pp in Greenville, SC

Avg Commute

19.9 min

22.3 min

+2.4 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

649.8

214.1

+67% in Greenville, SC

Property Crime

3,479.3

1,919.8

+45% in Greenville, SC

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

60.5°F

77.7°F

+17.2°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

50.8 in

17.1 in

+33.7 in in Greenville, SC

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)

15.6

52.7

+239% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$29.07

$66.84

+130% 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 Greenville, SC

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 (SC / HI)

+2.0 pp in SC

Income Tax (top rate)

6.00%

11.00%

+5.0 pp in HI

Greenville vs Honolulu — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Greenville or Honolulu?: Greenville, SC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 40% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Greenville than in Honolulu?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Greenville versus $63,000 in Honolulu.
Which has lower taxes, Greenville or Honolulu?: Greenville is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% 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).