Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Raleigh?

Raleigh, NC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,490 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of rent.

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

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 Raleigh.

Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Raleigh?

Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Raleigh under North Carolina's (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax).

Honolulu vs Raleigh Cost of Living 2026

Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,050/mo est.

Raleigh

North Carolina

$1,490/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 $1,490 in Raleigh, NC. Overall, Raleigh, NC is roughly 27% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,428 in Honolulu, HI and $82,424 in Raleigh, NC — about 4% higher in Honolulu, HI. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI

Raleigh, NC

Rent

Studio

$1,390

$1,301

+6% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$1,570

$1,323

+16% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,983

$1,462

+26% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$2,433

$1,715

+30% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$834,100

$377,800

+55% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$85,428

$82,424

+4% in Honolulu, HI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$57,220

$51,990

+9% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.9 yr

34.7 yr

+8.2 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

48.6%

51.2%

+2.6 pp in Raleigh, NC

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.8%

52.9%

+12.1 pp in Raleigh, NC

Avg Commute

22.3 min

23.4 min

+1.1 min in Raleigh, NC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

214.1

491.5

+130% in Raleigh, NC

Property Crime

1,919.8

2,838

+48% in Raleigh, NC

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

60.6°F

+17.1°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

17.1 in

46.0 in

+28.9 in in Raleigh, NC

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

$1.25

+58% in Honolulu, HI

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

42.2

16.0

+62% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$60.89

$17.50

+71% 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 / NC)

4.75%

+0.8 pp in NC

Income Tax (top rate)

11.00%

3.99%

+7.0 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Raleigh — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Raleigh?: Raleigh, NC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,490 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Raleigh?: 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 Raleigh.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Raleigh?: Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Raleigh under North Carolina's (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% 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).