Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Tucson?

Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 48% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $36,000 in Tucson.

Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Tucson?

Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax).

Honolulu vs Tucson Cost of Living 2026

Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,050/mo est.

Tucson

Arizona

$1,060/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 $1,060 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Tucson, AZ is roughly 48% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,428 in Honolulu, HI and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 36% higher in Honolulu, HI. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI

Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio

$1,390

$795

+43% in Honolulu, HI

1 Bedroom

$1,570

$891

+43% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,983

$1,146

+42% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$2,433

$1,520

+38% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$834,100

$242,200

+71% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$85,428

$54,546

+36% in Honolulu, HI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$57,220

$47,760

+17% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.9 yr

34.6 yr

+8.3 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

48.6%

51.7%

+3.1 pp in Tucson, AZ

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.8%

30.2%

+10.6 pp in Honolulu, HI

Avg Commute

22.3 min

22.2 min

+0.1 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

214.1

645.8

+202% in Tucson, AZ

Property Crime

1,919.8

3,460

+80% in Tucson, AZ

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

70.2°F

+7.5°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

17.1 in

11.6 in

+5.5 in in Honolulu, HI

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.57/gal

about equal

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$3.00

Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

42.2

15.6

+63% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$60.89

$19.69

+68% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.37

about equal

Bread (lb)

$2.10

about equal

Eggs (doz)

$2.25

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.23

about equal

Chicken (lb)

$2.14

about equal

Bananas (lb)

$0.74

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (HI / AZ)

5.6%

+1.6 pp in AZ

Income Tax (top rate)

11.00%

2.50%

+8.5 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Tucson?: Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 48% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Tucson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Tucson?: Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% 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).