Living Cost Compare
Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,050/mo est.

vs
Seattle

Washington

$2,020/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 $2,020 in Seattle, WA. Overall, Seattle, WA is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,428 in Honolulu, HI and $121,984 in Seattle, WA — about 30% higher in Seattle, WA. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Washington has no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI
Seattle, WA

Rent

Studio
$1,390
$1,638
+18% in Seattle, WA
1 Bedroom
$1,570
$1,858
+18% in Seattle, WA
2 Bedroom
$1,983
$2,359
+19% in Seattle, WA
3 Bedroom
$2,433
$2,918
+20% in Seattle, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$834,100
$912,100
+9% in Seattle, WA

Income

Median Household Income
$85,428
$121,984
+43% in Seattle, WA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$57,220
$72,610
+27% in Seattle, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
42.9 yr
35.5 yr
+7.4 yr in Honolulu, HI
Homeownership
48.6%
44.2%
+4.4 pp in Honolulu, HI
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.8%
67.5%
+26.7 pp in Seattle, WA
Avg Commute
22.3 min
26.6 min
+4.3 min in Seattle, WA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
214.1
787.3
+268% in Seattle, WA
Property Crime
1,919.8
5,107.9
+166% in Seattle, WA

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
53.5°F
+24.2°F in Honolulu, HI
Annual Precipitation
17.1 in
37.7 in
+20.6 in in Seattle, WA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.57/gal
$5.77/gal
+4% in Seattle, WA

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Seattle.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$3.00
$2.75
+8% in Honolulu, HI

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
42.2
14.4
+66% in Honolulu, HI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$60.89
$17.32
+72% 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 / WA)
4%
6.5%
+2.5 pp in WA
Income Tax (top rate)
11.00%
None
+11.0 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Seattle — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Seattle?
Seattle, WA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $2,020 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Seattle?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $74,000 in Seattle.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Seattle?
Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Seattle under Washington's (no state income tax and a 6.5% 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).