Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Philadelphia?

Philadelphia, PA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,400 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 32% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of rent.

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

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 Philadelphia.

Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Philadelphia?

Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Philadelphia under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax).

Honolulu vs Philadelphia Cost of Living 2026

Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,050/mo est.

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

$1,400/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 $1,400 in Philadelphia, PA. Overall, Philadelphia, PA is roughly 32% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,428 in Honolulu, HI and $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA — about 29% higher in Honolulu, HI. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI

Philadelphia, PA

Rent

Studio

$1,390

$1,126

+19% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$1,570

$1,189

+24% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,983

$1,394

+30% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$2,433

$1,406

+42% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$834,100

$232,400

+72% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$85,428

$60,698

+29% in Honolulu, HI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$57,220

$54,310

+5% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.9 yr

35.1 yr

+7.8 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

48.6%

52.3%

+3.7 pp in Philadelphia, PA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.8%

34.6%

+6.2 pp in Honolulu, HI

Avg Commute

22.3 min

32.0 min

+9.7 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

214.1

916.8

+328% in Philadelphia, PA

Property Crime

1,919.8

4,614.3

+140% in Philadelphia, PA

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

57.1°F

+20.6°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

17.1 in

48.5 in

+31.4 in in Philadelphia, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.57/gal

$4.30/gal

+23% in Honolulu, HI

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$3.00

$2.50

+17% in Honolulu, HI

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

42.2

20.9

+50% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$60.89

$16.67

+73% 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

$1.92

+9% in Honolulu, HI

Eggs (doz)

$2.25

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.23

$6.90

+5% in Honolulu, HI

Chicken (lb)

$2.14

$2.02

+5% in Honolulu, HI

Bananas (lb)

$0.74

$0.68

+9% in Honolulu, HI

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (HI / PA)

+2.0 pp in PA

Income Tax (top rate)

11.00%

3.07%

+7.9 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Philadelphia — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Philadelphia?: Philadelphia, PA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,400 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 32% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Philadelphia?: 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 Philadelphia.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Philadelphia?: Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Philadelphia under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% 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).