Living Cost Compare
Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,160/mo est.

vs
Salt Lake City

Utah

$1,300/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 $1,300 in Salt Lake City, UT. Overall, Salt Lake City, UT is roughly 40% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,428 in Honolulu, HI and $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT — about 12% higher in Honolulu, HI. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI
Salt Lake City, UT

Rent

Studio
$1,390
$997
+28% in Honolulu, HI
1 Bedroom
$1,570
$1,166
+26% in Honolulu, HI
2 Bedroom
$1,983
$1,461
+26% in Honolulu, HI
3 Bedroom
$2,433
$1,993
+18% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$834,100
$495,700
+41% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income
$85,428
$74,925
+12% in Honolulu, HI
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$57,220
$55,240
+3% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
42.9 yr
33.0 yr
+9.9 yr in Honolulu, HI
Homeownership
48.6%
46.8%
+1.8 pp in Honolulu, HI
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.8%
50.9%
+10.1 pp in Salt Lake City, UT
Avg Commute
22.3 min
19.6 min
+2.7 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
214.1
878.8
+310% in Salt Lake City, UT
Property Crime
1,919.8
5,257.3
+174% in Salt Lake City, UT

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
52.8°F
+24.9°F in Honolulu, HI
Annual Precipitation
17.1 in
16.1 in
+1.0 in in Honolulu, HI

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.09/gal
$4.29/gal
+16% in Honolulu, HI

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$3.00
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
52.0
13.0
+75% in Honolulu, HI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$70.84
$10.26
+86% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (HI / UT)
4%
6.1%
+2.1 pp in UT
Income Tax (top rate)
11.00%
4.50%
+6.5 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Salt Lake City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Salt Lake City?
Salt Lake City, UT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 40% below Honolulu, HI's $2,160, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Salt Lake City?
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 Salt Lake City.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Salt Lake City?
Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Salt Lake City under Utah's (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% 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).