Living Cost Compare
Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,050/mo est.

vs
Portland

Oregon

$1,600/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 $1,600 in Portland, OR. Overall, Portland, OR is roughly 22% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $85,428 in Honolulu, HI and $88,792 in Portland, OR — about 4% higher in Portland, OR. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI
Portland, OR

Rent

Studio
$1,390
$1,294
+7% in Honolulu, HI
1 Bedroom
$1,570
$1,440
+8% in Honolulu, HI
2 Bedroom
$1,983
$1,741
+12% in Honolulu, HI
3 Bedroom
$2,433
$2,053
+16% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$834,100
$557,600
+33% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income
$85,428
$88,792
+4% in Portland, OR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$57,220
$60,690
+6% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
42.9 yr
38.6 yr
+4.3 yr in Honolulu, HI
Homeownership
48.6%
52.8%
+4.2 pp in Portland, OR
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.8%
53.5%
+12.7 pp in Portland, OR
Avg Commute
22.3 min
24.6 min
+2.3 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
214.1
731.7
+242% in Portland, OR
Property Crime
1,919.8
5,605.5
+192% in Portland, OR

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
54.5°F
+23.2°F in Honolulu, HI
Annual Precipitation
17.1 in
42.9 in
+25.8 in in Portland, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.57/gal
$5.57/gal
about equal

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$3.00
$2.80
+7% in Honolulu, HI

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
42.2
14.9
+65% in Honolulu, HI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$60.89
$17.98
+70% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.37
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$2.10
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$2.25
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$7.23
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$2.14
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.74
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (HI / OR)
4%
None
+4.0 pp in HI
Income Tax (top rate)
11.00%
9.90%
+1.1 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Portland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Portland?
Portland, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,600 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 22% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of electricity costs.
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 $58,000 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 Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no 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).