Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Nashville?

Nashville, TN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $53,000 in Nashville.

Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Nashville?

Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Nashville under Tennessee's (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax).

Honolulu vs Nashville Cost of Living 2026

Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,050/mo est.

Nashville

Tennessee

$1,500/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 $1,500 in Nashville, TN. Overall, Nashville, TN is roughly 27% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,428 in Honolulu, HI and $75,197 in Nashville, TN — about 12% higher in Honolulu, HI. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI

Nashville, TN

Rent

Studio

$1,390

$1,341

+4% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$1,570

$1,336

+15% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,983

$1,478

+25% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$2,433

$1,832

+25% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$834,100

$383,100

+54% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$85,428

$75,197

+12% in Honolulu, HI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$57,220

$50,390

+12% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.9 yr

34.4 yr

+8.5 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

48.6%

53.0%

+4.4 pp in Nashville, TN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.8%

46.9%

+6.1 pp in Nashville, TN

Avg Commute

22.3 min

24.9 min

+2.6 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

214.1

1,178.6

+450% in Nashville, TN

Property Crime

1,919.8

4,557.6

+137% in Nashville, TN

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

59.4°F

+18.3°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

17.1 in

47.3 in

+30.1 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.57/gal

$4.35/gal

+22% in Honolulu, HI

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$3.00

$2.00

+33% in Honolulu, HI

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

42.2

15.1

+64% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$60.89

$15.54

+74% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.37

$4.16

+5% in Honolulu, HI

Bread (lb)

$2.10

$1.73

+18% in Honolulu, HI

Eggs (doz)

$2.25

$2.19

+3% in Honolulu, HI

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.23

$6.56

+9% in Honolulu, HI

Chicken (lb)

$2.14

$1.90

+11% in Honolulu, HI

Bananas (lb)

$0.74

$0.61

+17% in Honolulu, HI

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (HI / TN)

+3.0 pp in TN

Income Tax (top rate)

11.00%

None

+11.0 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Nashville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Nashville?: Nashville, TN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Nashville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $53,000 in Nashville.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Nashville?: Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Nashville under Tennessee's (no state income tax and a 7% 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).