Living Cost Compare
Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,160/mo est.

vs
Tacoma

Washington

$1,500/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 $1,500 in Tacoma, WA. Overall, Tacoma, WA is roughly 31% 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 $83,857 in Tacoma, WA — about 2% higher in Honolulu, HI. 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
Tacoma, WA

Rent

Studio
$1,390
$1,178
+15% in Honolulu, HI
1 Bedroom
$1,570
$1,332
+15% in Honolulu, HI
2 Bedroom
$1,983
$1,693
+15% in Honolulu, HI
3 Bedroom
$2,433
$2,094
+14% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$834,100
$454,600
+45% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income
$85,428
$83,857
+2% in Honolulu, HI
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$57,220
$72,610
+27% in Tacoma, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
42.9 yr
37.3 yr
+5.6 yr in Honolulu, HI
Homeownership
48.6%
56.5%
+7.9 pp in Tacoma, WA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.8%
33.5%
+7.3 pp in Honolulu, HI
Avg Commute
22.3 min
29.0 min
+6.7 min in Tacoma, WA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
214.1
1,064.4
+397% in Tacoma, WA
Property Crime
1,919.8
5,695.2
+197% in Tacoma, 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
52.1°F
+25.6°F in Honolulu, HI
Annual Precipitation
17.1 in
43.0 in
+25.9 in in Tacoma, WA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.09/gal
$5.12/gal
+1% in Tacoma, WA

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Washington.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$3.00
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
52.0
14.9
+71% in Honolulu, HI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$70.84
$20.41
+71% 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 / WA)
4%
6.5%
+2.5 pp in WA
Income Tax (top rate)
11.00%
None
+11.0 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Tacoma — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Tacoma?
Tacoma, WA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 31% below Honolulu, HI's $2,160, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Tacoma?
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 Tacoma.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Tacoma?
Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Tacoma 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).