Last update: Oct 2026

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

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.

136

Cost of Living Index in Hilo, HI
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Hilo, HI Living Index
145

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

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Hilo, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,862

/mo nomad

Bellingham, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,010

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.23 $21.23

$24.70 $24.70

-14.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 $78.7

$101 $101

-22.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.10 $12.10

$13.26 $13.26

-8.75%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$5.94 $5.94

-2.19%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$3.16 $3.16

-7.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.19 $2.19

15.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 $6.66

$6.87 $6.87

-3.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 $7.31

$6.90 $6.90

5.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.13 $1.13

53.98%

White Bread (500g)

$9.67 $9.67

$3.82 $3.82

153.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$4.91 $4.91

-14.26%

Eggs

$6.93 $6.93

$4.96 $4.96

39.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.97 $19.97

$18.80 $18.80

6.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.69 $17.69

$18.61 $18.61

-4.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.70 $29.70

$23.00 $23.00

29.13%

Apples (1kg)

$8.65 $8.65

$5.14 $5.14

68.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.89 $1.89

26.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.38 $10.38

$5.32 $5.32

95.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$12.03 $12.03

$6.32 $6.32

90.35%

Potato (1kg)

$8.99 $8.99

$3.61 $3.61

149.03%

Onion (1kg)

$7.54 $7.54

$3.16 $3.16

138.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.60 $5.60

$2.55 $2.55

119.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.47 $2.47

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.98 $11.98

$12.44 $12.44

-3.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.43 $22.43

$14.95 $14.95

50.03%

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)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.68 $2.68

63.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.70 $1.70

-31.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.27 $30.27

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.44 $1.44

-2.08%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$27.5K $27.5K

-3.66%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.7K $25.7K

1.81%

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

$304 $304

$217 $217

40.14%

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

$67.7 $67.7

$57.4 $57.4

17.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 $124

$81.3 $81.3

52.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.57 $36.57

$62.0 $62.0

-41.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.40 $25.40

$14.82 $14.82

71.39%

Cinema Ticket

$13.05 $13.05

$18.31 $18.31

-28.73%

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)

$38.09 $38.09

$80.5 $80.5

-52.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.52 $30.52

$28.32 $28.32

7.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 $66.1

$109 $109

-39.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 $84.3

$149 $149

-43.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,485 $1,485

$1,707 $1,707

-13.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 $1,139

$1,458 $1,458

-21.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$2,598 $2,598

-8.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 $2,084

$2,347 $2,347

-11.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,660 $5,660

$4,441 $4,441

27.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,632 $4,632

$3,925 $3,925

18.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,810 $4,810

$4,391 $4,391

9.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.68

-0.90%

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

Last update for Hilo, HI: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bellingham, WA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hilo, HI

$1.1K 39.8%

Bellingham, WA

$1.5K 48.4% 28% $319

Groceries & Markets

Hilo, HI

$710 * 24.8%

Bellingham, WA

$505 16.8% 28.9% $205

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hilo, HI

$496 17.3%

Bellingham, WA

$356 11.8% 28.3% $140

Eating Out

Hilo, HI

$346 12.1%

Bellingham, WA

$378 12.6% 9.4% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Hilo, HI

$99 3.4%

Bellingham, WA

$165 5.5% 67.5% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Hilo, HI

$63 2.2%

Bellingham, WA

$99 3.3% 57.4% $36

Getting Around

Hilo, HI

$10 * 0.4%

Bellingham, WA

$50 1.7% 387% $39

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,485 in Hilo, HI versus $1,707 in Bellingham, WA. 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 $79 in Hilo, HI versus $101 in Bellingham, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $710 in Hilo, HI vs $505 in Bellingham, WA – so Bellingham, WA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hilo, HI

🇺🇸 Bellingham, WA

🕒 Local time

01:07 1:07 AM

04:07 4:07 AM

3 h ahead of Hilo, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,186

91,482

💱 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

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

From you

Hilo, HI
Bellingham, WA

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

Hilo, HI vs Bellingham, WA: 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 $4,292 per month in Hilo, HI and $4,515 in Bellingham, WA. 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 $2,862 in Hilo, HI and $3,010 in Bellingham, WA. 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 $2,862 in Hilo, HI and $3,010 in Bellingham, WA. 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.