Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Little Rock?

Little Rock, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,080 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 50% below Honolulu, HI's $2,160, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $36,000 in Little Rock.

Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Little Rock?

Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Little Rock under Arkansas's (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax).

Honolulu vs Little Rock Cost of Living 2026

Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,160/mo est.

Little Rock

Arkansas

$1,080/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $2,160 in Honolulu, HI versus $1,080 in Little Rock, AR. Overall, Little Rock, AR 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 $60,583 in Little Rock, AR — about 29% higher in Honolulu, HI. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI

Little Rock, AR

Rent

Studio

$1,390

$981

+29% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$1,570

$904

+42% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,983

$1,064

+46% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$2,433

$1,292

+47% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$834,100

$221,200

+73% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$85,428

$60,583

+29% in Honolulu, HI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$57,220

$45,790

+20% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.9 yr

36.4 yr

+6.5 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

48.6%

54.2%

+5.6 pp in Little Rock, AR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.8%

44.0%

+3.2 pp in Little Rock, AR

Avg Commute

22.3 min

18.3 min

+4.0 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

214.1

1,673

+681% in Little Rock, AR

Property Crime

1,919.8

5,251.5

+174% in Little Rock, AR

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

62.7°F

+15.0°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

17.1 in

49.8 in

+32.6 in in Little Rock, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.09/gal

$3.62/gal

+29% in Honolulu, HI

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$3.00

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

52.0

14.4

+72% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$70.84

$25.93

+63% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Honolulu, HI

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Honolulu, HI

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Little Rock, AR

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Honolulu, HI

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Honolulu, HI

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Honolulu, HI

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (HI / AR)

6.5%

+2.5 pp in AR

Income Tax (top rate)

11.00%

3.90%

+7.1 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Little Rock — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Little Rock?: Little Rock, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,080 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 50% below Honolulu, HI's $2,160, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Little Rock?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $36,000 in Little Rock.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Little Rock?: Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Little Rock under Arkansas's (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% 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).