Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or New Orleans?

New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 43% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $41,000 in New Orleans.

Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or New Orleans?

Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); New Orleans under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax).

Honolulu vs New Orleans Cost of Living 2026

Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,050/mo est.

New Orleans

Louisiana

$1,170/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 $1,170 in New Orleans, LA. Overall, New Orleans, LA is roughly 43% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,428 in Honolulu, HI and $55,339 in New Orleans, LA — about 35% higher in Honolulu, HI. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI

New Orleans, LA

Rent

Studio

$1,390

$953

+31% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$1,570

$1,019

+35% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,983

$1,287

+35% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$2,433

$1,392

+43% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$834,100

$296,400

+64% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$85,428

$55,339

+35% in Honolulu, HI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$57,220

$47,290

+17% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.9 yr

38.4 yr

+4.5 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

48.6%

50.5%

+1.9 pp in New Orleans, LA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.8%

42.0%

+1.2 pp in New Orleans, LA

Avg Commute

22.3 min

22.7 min

+0.4 min in New Orleans, LA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

214.1

1,361.1

+536% in New Orleans, LA

Property Crime

1,919.8

5,089.6

+165% in New Orleans, LA

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

70.6°F

+7.1°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

17.1 in

62.3 in

+45.2 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.57/gal

$3.99/gal

+28% in Honolulu, HI

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$3.00

$1.25

+58% in Honolulu, HI

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

42.2

14.2

+66% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$60.89

$16.62

+73% 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 / LA)

+1.0 pp in LA

Income Tax (top rate)

11.00%

3.00%

+8.0 pp in HI

Honolulu vs New Orleans — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or New Orleans?: New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 43% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in New Orleans?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $41,000 in New Orleans.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or New Orleans?: Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); New Orleans under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 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).