Living Cost Compare
Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,150/mo est.

vs
Lewiston

Maine

$1,070/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 $1,070 in Lewiston, ME. Overall, Lewiston, ME is roughly 50% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,428 in Honolulu, HI and $56,558 in Lewiston, ME — about 34% higher in Honolulu, HI. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Maine has a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI
Lewiston, ME

Rent

Studio
$1,390
$559
+60% in Honolulu, HI
1 Bedroom
$1,570
$749
+52% in Honolulu, HI
2 Bedroom
$1,983
$1,047
+47% in Honolulu, HI
3 Bedroom
$2,433
$1,209
+50% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$834,100
$214,200
+74% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income
$85,428
$56,558
+34% in Honolulu, HI
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$57,220
$49,540
+13% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
42.9 yr
37.8 yr
+5.1 yr in Honolulu, HI
Homeownership
48.6%
50.3%
+1.7 pp in Lewiston, ME
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.8%
21.7%
+19.1 pp in Honolulu, HI
Avg Commute
22.3 min
20.7 min
+1.6 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
214.1
244.5
+14% in Lewiston, ME
Property Crime
1,919.8
1,616.5
+16% 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
45.8°F
+31.9°F in Honolulu, HI
Annual Precipitation
17.1 in
51.1 in
+34.0 in in Lewiston, ME

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
29.6
+44% in Honolulu, HI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$66.84
$31.62
+53% 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
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.90
+6% in Honolulu, HI
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.19
+9% in Lewiston, ME
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 / ME)
4%
5.5%
+1.5 pp in ME
Income Tax (top rate)
11.00%
7.15%
+3.8 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Lewiston — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Lewiston?
Lewiston, ME is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 50% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Lewiston?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $30,000 in Lewiston.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Lewiston?
Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Lewiston under Maine's (a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% 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).