Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bellingham, WA and Hilo, HI

For one person, living is cheaper in Hilo, HI: $2,862 a month against $3,010 in Bellingham, WA, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Bellingham, WA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

145

Cost of Living Index in Bellingham, WA
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Bellingham, WA Living Index
136

Cost of Living Index in Hilo, HI
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Hilo, HI Living Index

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Bellingham, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,010

/mo nomad

Hilo, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,862

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bellingham, WA and in Hilo, HI

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bellingham, WA and in Hilo, HI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,010 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $2,862 in Hilo, HI, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $3,010
Hilo, HI $2,862

A couple spends around $4,448 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $4,324 in Hilo, HI, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $4,448
Hilo, HI $4,324

A family of three spends $5,886 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $5,786 in Hilo, HI, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $5,886
Hilo, HI $5,786

Bellingham, WA costs about 5% more than Hilo, HI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Bellingham, WA and Hilo, HI sit above the global median – Bellingham, WA by 121%, Hilo, HI by 110%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.70 $24.70

$21.23 $21.23

16.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$78.7 $78.7

28.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.26 $13.26

$12.10 $12.10

9.59%

Cappuccino

$5.94 $5.94

$5.81 $5.81

2.24%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.91 $2.91

8.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.54 $2.54

-13.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.66 $6.66

3.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 $6.90

$7.31 $7.31

-5.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.74 $1.74

-35.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 $3.82

$9.67 $9.67

-60.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$4.21 $4.21

16.63%

Eggs

$4.96 $4.96

$6.93 $6.93

-28.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.80 $18.80

$19.97 $19.97

-5.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.61 $18.61

$17.69 $17.69

5.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.00 $23.00

$29.70 $29.70

-22.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$8.65 $8.65

-40.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.39 $2.39

-20.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$10.38 $10.38

-48.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$12.03 $12.03

-47.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$8.99 $8.99

-59.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$7.54 $7.54

-58.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 $2.55

$5.60 $5.60

-54.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.04 $3.04

-18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.44 $12.44

$11.98 $11.98

3.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.95 $14.95

$22.43 $22.43

-33.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 $5.74

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.51 $30.51

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$4.37 $4.37

-38.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.16 $1.16

46.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.27 $30.27

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.41 $1.41

2.13%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.5K $27.5K

$26.5K $26.5K

3.80%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

-1.78%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$217 $217

$304 $304

-28.64%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$57.4 $57.4

$67.7 $67.7

-15.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.3 $81.3

$124 $124

-34.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.0 $62.0

$36.57 $36.57

69.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$25.40 $25.40

-41.65%

Cinema Ticket

$18.31 $18.31

$13.05 $13.05

40.31%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,125 $1,125

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K $31.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 $80.5

$38.09 $38.09

111.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.32 $28.32

$30.52 $30.52

-7.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$66.1 $66.1

64.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$84.3 $84.3

77.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 $1,707

$1,485 $1,485

14.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 $1,458

$1,139 $1,139

28.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,598 $2,598

$2,369 $2,369

9.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,347 $2,347

$2,084 $2,084

12.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,441 $4,441

$5,660 $5,660

-21.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,925 $3,925

$4,632 $4,632

-15.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,391 $4,391

$4,810 $4,810

-8.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.62

0.91%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bellingham, WA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Hilo, HI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bellingham, WA

$1.5K 48.4%

Hilo, HI

$1.1K 39.8% 21.9% $319

Groceries & Markets

Bellingham, WA

$505 16.8%

Hilo, HI

$710 * 24.8% 40.7% $205

Eating Out

Bellingham, WA

$378 12.6%

Hilo, HI

$346 12.1% 8.6% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bellingham, WA

$356 11.8%

Hilo, HI

$496 17.3% 39.4% $140

Clothing & Footwear

Bellingham, WA

$165 5.5%

Hilo, HI

$99 3.4% 40.3% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Bellingham, WA

$99 3.3%

Hilo, HI

$63 2.2% 36.5% $36

Getting Around

Bellingham, WA

$50 1.7%

Hilo, HI

$10 * 0.4% 79.5% $39

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,707 in Bellingham, WA versus $1,485 in Hilo, HI. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Hilo, HI, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Bellingham, WA versus $79 in Hilo, HI. Groceries tell a different story – $505 in Bellingham, WA vs $710 in Hilo, HI – so Bellingham, WA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bellingham, WA

🇺🇸 Hilo, HI

🕒 Local time

06:05 6:05 AM

03:05 3:05 AM

3 h behind Bellingham, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

91,482

44,186

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Bellingham, WA Hilo, HI 4,350 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Bellingham, WA
Hilo, HI

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bellingham, WA vs Hilo, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bellingham, WA costs about 5% more than Hilo, HI, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,515 per month in Bellingham, WA and $4,292 in Hilo, HI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hilo, HI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,485 there versus $1,707 in Bellingham, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,010 in Bellingham, WA and $2,862 in Hilo, HI. That’s a gap of about 5%.

Interestingly, groceries are about 29% cheaper in Bellingham, WA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,010 in Bellingham, WA and $2,862 in Hilo, HI. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Bellingham, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,862 in Hilo, HI to $3,010 in Bellingham, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.