Living Cost Compare
Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,150/mo est.

vs
Morgantown

West Virginia

$950/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 $950 in Morgantown, WV. Overall, Morgantown, WV is roughly 56% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,428 in Honolulu, HI and $42,245 in Morgantown, WV — about 51% higher in Honolulu, HI. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI
Morgantown, WV

Rent

Studio
$1,390
$836
+40% in Honolulu, HI
1 Bedroom
$1,570
$770
+51% in Honolulu, HI
2 Bedroom
$1,983
$969
+51% in Honolulu, HI
3 Bedroom
$2,433
$1,038
+57% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$834,100
$238,200
+71% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income
$85,428
$42,245
+51% in Honolulu, HI
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$57,220
$47,350
+17% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
42.9 yr
24.0 yr
+18.9 yr in Honolulu, HI
Homeownership
48.6%
44.3%
+4.3 pp in Honolulu, HI
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.8%
58.1%
+17.3 pp in Morgantown, WV
Avg Commute
22.3 min
17.3 min
+5.0 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
214.1
216.3
+1% in Morgantown, WV
Property Crime
1,919.8
1,976.4
+3% in Morgantown, WV

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
53.0°F
+24.7°F in Honolulu, HI
Annual Precipitation
17.1 in
41.8 in
+24.7 in in Morgantown, WV

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
15.4
+71% in Honolulu, HI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$66.84
$24.68
+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 Morgantown, WV
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 / WV)
4%
6%
+2.0 pp in WV
Income Tax (top rate)
11.00%
4.82%
+6.2 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Morgantown — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Morgantown?
Morgantown, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 56% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Morgantown?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $31,000 in Morgantown.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Morgantown?
Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Morgantown under West Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 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).