Living Cost Compare
Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,050/mo est.

vs
Mesa

Arizona

$1,460/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $2,050 in Honolulu, HI versus $1,460 in Mesa, AZ. Overall, Mesa, AZ 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 $78,779 in Mesa, AZ — about 8% higher in Honolulu, HI. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI
Mesa, AZ

Rent

Studio
$1,390
$1,209
+13% in Honolulu, HI
1 Bedroom
$1,570
$1,288
+18% in Honolulu, HI
2 Bedroom
$1,983
$1,458
+26% in Honolulu, HI
3 Bedroom
$2,433
$1,819
+25% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$834,100
$364,300
+56% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income
$85,428
$78,779
+8% in Honolulu, HI
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$57,220
$51,380
+10% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
42.9 yr
37.2 yr
+5.7 yr in Honolulu, HI
Homeownership
48.6%
64.4%
+15.8 pp in Mesa, AZ
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.8%
31.5%
+9.3 pp in Honolulu, HI
Avg Commute
22.3 min
25.0 min
+2.7 min in Mesa, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
214.1
485.8
+127% in Mesa, AZ
Property Crime
1,919.8
1,487.8
+23% 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
75.1°F
+2.6°F in Honolulu, HI
Annual Precipitation
17.1 in
8.0 in
+9.1 in in Honolulu, HI

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.57/gal
$5.57/gal
about equal

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$3.00
$2.00
+33% in Honolulu, HI

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
42.2
15.6
+63% in Honolulu, HI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$60.89
$19.69
+68% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.37
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$2.10
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$2.25
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$7.23
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$2.14
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.74
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (HI / AZ)
4%
5.6%
+1.6 pp in AZ
Income Tax (top rate)
11.00%
2.50%
+8.5 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Mesa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Mesa?
Mesa, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,460 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Mesa?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $52,000 in Mesa.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Mesa?
Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Mesa under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% 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).