CostIndexUSA

Kahului, HI vs Salinas, CA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostHI
Kahului
109.4
overall index
$3,525/mo rent
CA
Salinas
109
overall index
$2,875/mo rent

Kahului and Salinas have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+22.2%
Kahului
119.2
Salinas
145.7
🛒 Groceries5.7%
Kahului
111.6
Salinas
105.2
🚗 Transportation2.5%
Kahului
108
Salinas
105.3
🏥 Healthcare2.6%
Kahului
97.8
Salinas
95.3
Utilities19.1%
Kahului
190.6
Salinas
154.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Salinas, CA
$79,700
$300 less needed in Salinas

Formula: salary × (109 ÷ 109.4) = salary × 0.9963. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Kahului, HI

Median Home Price
$989,000
Median Monthly Rent
$3,525
Housing Index
119.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
23.4×

Salinas, CA

Median Home Price
$826,000
Median Monthly Rent
$2,875
Housing Index
145.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
23.9×

Salinas has 22.2% higher housing costs compared to Kahului.

Income & Job Market

Kahului, HI

Median Household Income
$83,700
Per Capita Income
$47,700
Unemployment Rate
3%
Population
26,337
Top Industries
TourismHealthcareRetailAgricultureGovernment

Salinas, CA

Median Household Income
$88,000
Per Capita Income
$50,200
Unemployment Rate
3.6%
Population
163,542
Top Industries
AgricultureHealthcareManufacturingGovernmentEducation

Affordability at a Glance

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

Kahului, HI
2.0×income-to-rent ratio

49% of income left after rent (median)

Salinas, CA
2.6×income-to-rent ratio

61% 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.