Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Portland?

Portland, ME is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,620 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Honolulu, HI's $2,160, mainly because of rent.

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

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 Portland.

Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Portland?

Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Portland under Maine's (a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% state sales tax).

Honolulu vs Portland Cost of Living 2026

Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,160/mo est.

Portland

Maine

$1,620/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $2,160 in Honolulu, HI versus $1,620 in Portland, ME. Overall, Portland, ME is roughly 25% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,428 in Honolulu, HI and $76,174 in Portland, ME — about 11% higher in Honolulu, HI. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Maine has a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI

Portland, ME

Rent

Studio

$1,390

$1,038

+25% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$1,570

$1,331

+15% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,983

$1,664

+16% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$2,433

$1,919

+21% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$834,100

$452,600

+46% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$85,428

$76,174

+11% in Honolulu, HI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$57,220

$56,960

+0% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.9 yr

37.5 yr

+5.4 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

48.6%

46.7%

+1.9 pp in Honolulu, HI

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.8%

59.2%

+18.4 pp in Portland, ME

Avg Commute

22.3 min

19.9 min

+2.4 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

214.1

272.7

+27% in Portland, ME

Property Crime

1,919.8

2,513.3

+31% in Portland, ME

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

46.5°F

+31.2°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

17.1 in

47.3 in

+30.1 in in Portland, ME

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.09/gal

$3.86/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)

52.0

28.6

+45% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$70.84

$21.00

+70% 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 Portland, ME

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 / ME)

5.5%

+1.5 pp in ME

Income Tax (top rate)

11.00%

7.15%

+3.8 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Portland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Portland?: Portland, ME is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,620 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Honolulu, HI's $2,160, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Portland?: 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 Portland.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Portland?: Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Portland under Maine's (a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% 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).