Living Cost Compare
Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,150/mo est.

vs
Laramie

Wyoming

$890/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 $890 in Laramie, WY. Overall, Laramie, WY is roughly 59% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,428 in Honolulu, HI and $52,414 in Laramie, WY — about 39% higher in Honolulu, HI. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI
Laramie, WY

Rent

Studio
$1,390
$667
+52% in Honolulu, HI
1 Bedroom
$1,570
$728
+54% in Honolulu, HI
2 Bedroom
$1,983
$883
+55% in Honolulu, HI
3 Bedroom
$2,433
$1,423
+42% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$834,100
$302,200
+64% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income
$85,428
$52,414
+39% in Honolulu, HI
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$57,220
—

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
42.9 yr
26.9 yr
+16.0 yr in Honolulu, HI
Homeownership
48.6%
44.1%
+4.5 pp in Honolulu, HI
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.8%
55.8%
+15.0 pp in Laramie, WY
Avg Commute
22.3 min
13.5 min
+8.8 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
214.1
129.6
+39% in Honolulu, HI
Property Crime
1,919.8
1,175.9
+39% in Honolulu, HI

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
41.0°F
+36.7°F in Honolulu, HI
Annual Precipitation
17.1 in
10.9 in
+6.2 in in Honolulu, HI

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.21/gal
$4.27/gal
+18% in Honolulu, HI

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$3.00
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
52.7
15.2
+71% in Honolulu, HI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$66.84
$18.28
+73% 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 / WY)
4%
4%
about equal
Income Tax (top rate)
11.00%
None
+11.0 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Laramie — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Laramie?
Laramie, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $890 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 59% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Laramie?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $29,000 in Laramie.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Laramie?
Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Laramie under Wyoming's (no state income tax 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).