Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Jersey City?

Jersey City, NJ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $2,100 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $74,000 in Jersey City.

Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Jersey City?

Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Jersey City under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax).

Honolulu vs Jersey City Cost of Living 2026

Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,150/mo est.

Jersey City

New Jersey

$2,100/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $2,150 in Honolulu, HI versus $2,100 in Jersey City, NJ. Overall, Jersey City, NJ is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,428 in Honolulu, HI and $94,813 in Jersey City, NJ — about 10% higher in Jersey City, NJ. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI

Jersey City, NJ

Rent

Studio

$1,390

$1,949

+40% in Jersey City, NJ

1 Bedroom

$1,570

$1,853

+18% in Jersey City, NJ

2 Bedroom

$1,983

$1,857

+6% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$2,433

$2,004

+18% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$834,100

$534,500

+36% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$85,428

$94,813

+11% in Jersey City, NJ

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$57,220

$61,430

+7% in Jersey City, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.9 yr

34.7 yr

+8.2 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

48.6%

28.8%

+19.8 pp in Honolulu, HI

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.8%

53.1%

+12.3 pp in Jersey City, NJ

Avg Commute

22.3 min

36.9 min

+14.6 min in Jersey City, NJ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

214.1

562.9

+163% in Jersey City, NJ

Property Crime

1,919.8

2,036.4

+6% in Jersey City, NJ

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

77.7°F

55.0°F

+22.7°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

17.1 in

49.9 in

+32.8 in in Jersey City, NJ

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.21/gal

$3.94/gal

+24% in Honolulu, HI

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$3.00

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

52.7

24.9

+53% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$66.84

$17.68

+74% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Honolulu, HI

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.92

+6% in Honolulu, HI

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.90

+6% in Honolulu, HI

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.19

+9% in Jersey City, NJ

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.69

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (HI / NJ)

6.625%

+2.6 pp in NJ

Income Tax (top rate)

11.00%

10.75%

+0.3 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Jersey City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Jersey City?: Jersey City, NJ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $2,100 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Jersey City?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $74,000 in Jersey City.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Jersey City?: Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Jersey City under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% 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).