Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Minneapolis?

Minneapolis, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 34% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $48,000 in Minneapolis.

Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Minneapolis?

Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Minneapolis under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

Honolulu vs Minneapolis Cost of Living 2026

Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,050/mo est.

Minneapolis

Minnesota

$1,350/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 $1,350 in Minneapolis, MN. Overall, Minneapolis, MN is roughly 34% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,428 in Honolulu, HI and $80,269 in Minneapolis, MN — about 6% higher in Honolulu, HI. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI

Minneapolis, MN

Rent

Studio

$1,390

$992

+29% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$1,570

$1,192

+24% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,983

$1,555

+22% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$2,433

$1,761

+28% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$834,100

$345,600

+59% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$85,428

$80,269

+6% in Honolulu, HI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$57,220

$59,320

+4% in Minneapolis, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.9 yr

33.0 yr

+9.9 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

48.6%

48.0%

+0.6 pp in Honolulu, HI

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.8%

54.5%

+13.7 pp in Minneapolis, MN

Avg Commute

22.3 min

22.5 min

+0.2 min in Minneapolis, MN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

214.1

1,167.8

+445% in Minneapolis, MN

Property Crime

1,919.8

5,182.6

+170% in Minneapolis, MN

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

47.4°F

+30.3°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

17.1 in

32.8 in

+15.7 in in Minneapolis, MN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.57/gal

$4.25/gal

+24% in Honolulu, HI

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Minnesota.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$3.00

$2.00

+33% in Honolulu, HI

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

42.2

15.1

+64% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$60.89

$14.33

+76% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.37

$4.14

+5% in Honolulu, HI

Bread (lb)

$2.10

$1.79

+15% in Honolulu, HI

Eggs (doz)

$2.25

$3.63

+61% in Minneapolis, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.23

$6.97

+4% in Honolulu, HI

Chicken (lb)

$2.14

$2.15

+1% in Minneapolis, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.74

$0.63

+15% in Honolulu, HI

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (HI / MN)

6.875%

+2.9 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

11.00%

9.85%

+1.2 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Minneapolis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Minneapolis?: Minneapolis, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 34% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Minneapolis?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $48,000 in Minneapolis.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Minneapolis?: Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Minneapolis under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% 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).