Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Sioux Falls?

Sioux Falls, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 52% below Honolulu, HI's $2,160, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $35,000 in Sioux Falls.

Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Sioux Falls?

Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Sioux Falls under South Dakota's (no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax).

Honolulu vs Sioux Falls Cost of Living 2026

Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,160/mo est.

Sioux Falls

South Dakota

$1,030/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 $1,030 in Sioux Falls, SD. Overall, Sioux Falls, SD is roughly 52% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,428 in Honolulu, HI and $74,714 in Sioux Falls, SD — about 13% higher in Honolulu, HI. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; South Dakota has no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI

Sioux Falls, SD

Rent

Studio

$1,390

$825

+41% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$1,570

$870

+45% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,983

$1,000

+50% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$2,433

$1,237

+49% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$834,100

$271,400

+67% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$85,428

$74,714

+13% in Honolulu, HI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$57,220

$47,970

+16% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.9 yr

35.1 yr

+7.8 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

48.6%

60.0%

+11.4 pp in Sioux Falls, SD

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.8%

37.4%

+3.4 pp in Honolulu, HI

Avg Commute

22.3 min

17.0 min

+5.3 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

214.1

526.7

+146% in Sioux Falls, SD

Property Crime

1,919.8

2,927.1

+52% in Sioux Falls, SD

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

45.8°F

+31.9°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

17.1 in

26.4 in

+9.3 in in Sioux Falls, SD

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.09/gal

$3.94/gal

+23% in Honolulu, HI

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$3.00

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

52.0

15.7

+70% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$70.84

$10.95

+85% 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

$1.66

+19% in Honolulu, HI

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Sioux Falls, SD

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Honolulu, HI

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Sioux Falls, SD

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Honolulu, HI

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (HI / SD)

4.2%

+0.2 pp in SD

Income Tax (top rate)

11.00%

None

+11.0 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Sioux Falls — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Sioux Falls?: Sioux Falls, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 52% below Honolulu, HI's $2,160, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Sioux Falls?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $35,000 in Sioux Falls.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Sioux Falls?: Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Sioux Falls under South Dakota's (no state income tax and a 4.2% 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).