Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Paterson?

Paterson, NJ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 33% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $47,000 in Paterson.

Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Paterson?

Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Paterson under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax).

Honolulu vs Paterson Cost of Living 2026

Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,150/mo est.

Paterson

New Jersey

$1,430/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 $1,430 in Paterson, NJ. Overall, Paterson, NJ is roughly 33% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,428 in Honolulu, HI and $53,766 in Paterson, NJ — about 37% higher in Honolulu, HI. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI

Paterson, NJ

Rent

Studio

$1,390

$786

+43% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$1,570

$1,183

+25% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,983

$1,468

+26% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$2,433

$1,729

+29% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$834,100

$335,400

+60% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$85,428

$53,766

+37% in Honolulu, HI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$57,220

$61,430

+7% in Paterson, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.9 yr

33.3 yr

+9.6 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

48.6%

26.2%

+22.4 pp in Honolulu, HI

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.8%

12.5%

+28.3 pp in Honolulu, HI

Avg Commute

22.3 min

23.1 min

+0.8 min in Paterson, NJ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

214.1

1,010.1

+372% in Paterson, NJ

Property Crime

1,919.8

2,391.4

+25% in Paterson, NJ

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

52.2°F

+25.5°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

17.1 in

49.0 in

+31.9 in in Paterson, NJ

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

24.9

+53% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$66.84

$17.68

+74% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Honolulu, HI

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.92

+6% in Honolulu, HI

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.90

+6% in Honolulu, HI

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.19

+9% in Paterson, NJ

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.69

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (HI / NJ)

6.625%

+2.6 pp in NJ

Income Tax (top rate)

11.00%

10.75%

+0.3 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Paterson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Paterson?: Paterson, NJ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 33% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Paterson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $47,000 in Paterson.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Paterson?: Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Paterson under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% 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).