Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Virginia Beach?

Virginia Beach, VA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,540 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of electricity costs.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.

Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Virginia Beach?

Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Virginia Beach under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax).

Honolulu vs Virginia Beach Cost of Living 2026

Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,050/mo est.

Virginia Beach

Virginia

$1,540/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 $1,540 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Virginia Beach, VA is roughly 25% 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 $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 6% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Honolulu, HI

Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio

$1,390

$1,496

+8% in Virginia Beach, VA

1 Bedroom

$1,570

$1,357

+14% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,983

$1,559

+21% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$2,433

$1,857

+24% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$834,100

$366,300

+56% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$85,428

$90,685

+6% in Virginia Beach, VA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$57,220

$49,430

+14% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.9 yr

37.4 yr

+5.5 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

48.6%

64.9%

+16.3 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.8%

40.4%

+0.4 pp in Honolulu, HI

Avg Commute

22.3 min

23.2 min

+0.9 min in Virginia Beach, VA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

214.1

96.7

+55% in Honolulu, HI

Property Crime

1,919.8

1,664.3

+13% 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

59.9°F

+17.8°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

17.1 in

44.3 in

+27.2 in in Virginia Beach, VA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.57/gal

$4.30/gal

+23% in Honolulu, HI

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$3.00

$2.00

+33% in Honolulu, HI

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

42.2

17.1

+60% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$60.89

$18.75

+69% 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 / VA)

5.3%

+1.3 pp in VA

Income Tax (top rate)

11.00%

5.75%

+5.3 pp in HI

Honolulu vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Honolulu or Virginia Beach?: Virginia Beach, VA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,540 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Honolulu, HI's $2,050, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Honolulu than in Virginia Beach?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Honolulu versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Honolulu or Virginia Beach?: Honolulu is taxed under Hawaii's rules (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Virginia Beach under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% 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).