CostIndexUSA

Honolulu, HI vs Houston, TX Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

HI
Honolulu
100
overall index
$1,500/mo rent
More AffordableTX
Houston
98.6
overall index
$1,600/mo rent

Houston is slightly cheaper than Honolulu — 1.4% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Honolulu, you would need $78,900 in Houston. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+4.5%
Honolulu
100
Houston
104.5
🛒 Groceries+0.6%
Honolulu
100
Houston
100.6
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Honolulu
100
Houston
100.4
🏥 Healthcare9.2%
Honolulu
100
Houston
90.8
Utilities4.7%
Honolulu
100
Houston
95.3

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Honolulu to see what you'd need to earn in Houston to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Houston, TX
$78,900
$1,100 less needed in Houston

Formula: salary × (98.6 ÷ 100) = salary × 0.9860. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Honolulu, HI

Median Home Price
$420,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,500
Housing Index
100
Price-to-Rent Ratio
23.3×

Houston, TX

Median Home Price
$302,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,600
Housing Index
104.5
Price-to-Rent Ratio
15.7×

Houston has 4.5% higher housing costs compared to Honolulu.

Income & Job Market

Honolulu, HI

Median Household Income
$75,000
Per Capita Income
$42,700
Unemployment Rate
3.7%
Population
350,964
Top Industries
TourismMilitaryHealthcareGovernmentRetail

Houston, TX

Median Household Income
$79,500
Per Capita Income
$45,300
Unemployment Rate
5.2%
Population
2,304,580
Top Industries
EnergyHealthcareAerospaceManufacturingLogistics

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Honolulu, HI
4.2×income-to-rent ratio

76% of income left after rent (median)

Houston, TX
4.1×income-to-rent ratio

76% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.