Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Tampa?

Tampa, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (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 Tampa?

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 Tampa.

Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Tampa?

Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Tampa under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax).

Honolulu vs Tampa Cost of Living 2026

Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,050/mo est.

Tampa

Florida

$1,500/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 $1,500 in Tampa, FL. Overall, Tampa, FL 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 $71,302 in Tampa, FL — about 17% higher in Honolulu, HI. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI

Tampa, FL

Rent

Studio

$1,390

$1,242

+11% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$1,570

$1,324

+16% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,983

$1,673

+16% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$2,433

$1,729

+29% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$834,100

$375,300

+55% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$85,428

$71,302

+17% in Honolulu, HI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$57,220

$48,940

+14% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.9 yr

35.6 yr

+7.3 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

48.6%

50.2%

+1.6 pp in Tampa, FL

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.8%

44.6%

+3.8 pp in Tampa, FL

Avg Commute

22.3 min

24.7 min

+2.4 min in Tampa, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

214.1

443.4

+107% in Tampa, FL

Property Crime

1,919.8

1,473.2

+23% in Honolulu, HI

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

73.4°F

+4.3°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

17.1 in

46.3 in

+29.2 in in Tampa, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.57/gal

$4.25/gal

+24% in Honolulu, HI

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$3.00

$2.00

+33% in Honolulu, HI

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

42.2

14.9

+65% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$60.89

$23.62

+61% 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 / FL)

+2.0 pp in FL

Income Tax (top rate)

11.00%

None

+11.0 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Tampa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Tampa?: Tampa, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (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 Tampa?: 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 Tampa.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Tampa?: Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Tampa under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% 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).