Living Cost Compare
Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,150/mo est.

vs
Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/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 $1,530 in Juneau, AK. Overall, Juneau, AK is roughly 29% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,428 in Honolulu, HI and $100,513 in Juneau, AK — about 15% higher in Juneau, AK. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI
Juneau, AK

Rent

Studio
$1,390
$993
+29% in Honolulu, HI
1 Bedroom
$1,570
$1,257
+20% in Honolulu, HI
2 Bedroom
$1,983
$1,647
+17% in Honolulu, HI
3 Bedroom
$2,433
$1,949
+20% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$834,100
$432,500
+48% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income
$85,428
$100,513
+18% in Juneau, AK
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$57,220
—

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
42.9 yr
39.8 yr
+3.1 yr in Honolulu, HI
Homeownership
48.6%
64.4%
+15.8 pp in Juneau, AK
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.8%
40.5%
+0.3 pp in Honolulu, HI
Avg Commute
22.3 min
15.8 min
+6.5 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
214.1
515.6
+141% in Juneau, AK
Property Crime
1,919.8
2,113.1
+10% in Juneau, AK

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
42.1°F
+35.6°F in Honolulu, HI
Annual Precipitation
17.1 in
62.3 in
+45.2 in in Juneau, AK

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.21/gal
$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 — TheBus vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
52.7
28.2
+46% in Honolulu, HI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$66.84
$17.35
+74% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (HI / AK)
4%
None
+4.0 pp in HI
Income Tax (top rate)
11.00%
None
+11.0 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Juneau — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Juneau?
Juneau, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Juneau?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $50,000 in Juneau.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Juneau?
Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Juneau under Alaska's (no state income tax and no 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).