Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hilo, HI and Wasilla, AK

For one person, living costs are similar in Hilo, HI and in Wasilla, AK: $2,862 and $2,896 a month, rent and utilities included.

136

Cost of Living Index in Hilo, HI
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Hilo, HI Living Index
140

Cost of Living Index in Wasilla, AK
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Wasilla, AK Living Index

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Hilo, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,862

/mo nomad

Wasilla, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,896

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hilo, HI and in Wasilla, AK

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 Wasilla, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,862 per month in Hilo, HI vs $2,896 in Wasilla, AK, rent included.

Hilo, HI $2,862
Wasilla, AK $2,896

A couple spends around $4,324 per month in Hilo, HI vs $4,119 in Wasilla, AK, rent included.

Hilo, HI $4,324
Wasilla, AK $4,119

A family of three spends $5,786 per month in Hilo, HI vs $5,343 in Wasilla, AK, rent included.

Hilo, HI $5,786
Wasilla, AK $5,343

Hilo, HI is about 1% cheaper than Wasilla, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Hilo, HI and Wasilla, AK sit above the global median – Hilo, HI by 110%, Wasilla, AK by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.23 $21.23

$24.52 $24.52

-13.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 $78.7

$101 $101

-22.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.10 $12.10

$12.03 $12.03

0.58%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$3.92 $3.92

48.21%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$2.01 $2.01

44.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.04 $2.04

24.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 $6.66

$5.62 $5.62

18.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 $7.31

$7.77 $7.77

-5.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.23 $1.23

41.46%

White Bread (500g)

$9.67 $9.67

$3.10 $3.10

211.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$6.31 $6.31

-33.28%

Eggs

$6.93 $6.93

$3.27 $3.27

111.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.97 $19.97

$13.75 $13.75

45.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.69 $17.69

$10.21 $10.21

73.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.70 $29.70

$15.66 $15.66

89.66%

Apples (1kg)

$8.65 $8.65

$8.02 $8.02

7.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.21 $2.21

8.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.38 $10.38

$3.83 $3.83

171.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$12.03 $12.03

$4.32 $4.32

178.47%

Potato (1kg)

$8.99 $8.99

$2.58 $2.58

248.45%

Onion (1kg)

$7.54 $7.54

$3.19 $3.19

136.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.60 $5.60

$2.74 $2.74

104.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.25 $2.25

35.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.98 $11.98

$12.85 $12.85

-6.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.43 $22.43

$17.92 $17.92

25.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.70 $1.70

3.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.1 $61.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.76 $2.76

58.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.69 $1.69

-31.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.01 $38.01

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.00 $1.00

41.00%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$25.2K $25.2K

5.29%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$24.8K $24.8K

5.56%

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

$304 $304

$273 $273

11.50%

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

$67.7 $67.7

$47.81 $47.81

41.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 $124

$137 $137

-9.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.57 $36.57

$86.6 $86.6

-57.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.40 $25.40

$34.76 $34.76

-26.93%

Cinema Ticket

$13.05 $13.05

$8.32 $8.32

56.85%

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

$1,266 $1,266

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K $10.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.09 $38.09

$48.84 $48.84

-22.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.52 $30.52

$46.39 $46.39

-34.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 $66.1

$79.7 $79.7

-17.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 $84.3

$90.7 $90.7

-6.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,485 $1,485

$1,412 $1,412

5.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 $1,139

$1,381 $1,381

-17.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$2,039 $2,039

16.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 $2,084

$2,022 $2,022

3.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,660 $5,660

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,632 $4,632

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,810 $4,810

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.49

2.00%

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

Last update for Hilo, HI: October 25, 2026

Last update for Wasilla, AK: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hilo, HI

$1.1K 39.8%

Wasilla, AK

$1.4K 47.7% 21.3% $243

Groceries & Markets

Hilo, HI

$710 * 24.8%

Wasilla, AK

$415 14.3% 41.6% $295

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hilo, HI

$496 17.3%

Wasilla, AK

$458 15.8% 7.7% $38

Eating Out

Hilo, HI

$346 12.1%

Wasilla, AK

$339 11.7% 1.9% $6.4

Clothing & Footwear

Hilo, HI

$99 3.4%

Wasilla, AK

$120 4.1% 21.2% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Hilo, HI

$63 2.2%

Wasilla, AK

$103 3.6% 64.7% $41

Getting Around

Hilo, HI

$10 * 0.4%

Wasilla, AK

$80 2.8% 685% $70

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 $1,412 in Wasilla, AK. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Hilo, HI versus $101 in Wasilla, AK. Groceries tell a different story – $710 in Hilo, HI vs $415 in Wasilla, AK – so Wasilla, AK wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hilo, HI

🇺🇸 Wasilla, AK

🕒 Local time

05:01 5:01 AM

07:01 7:01 AM

2 h ahead of Hilo, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,186

9,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Hilo, HI Wasilla, AK 4,680 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Hilo, HI
Wasilla, AK

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 Wasilla, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wasilla, AK costs about 1% more than Hilo, HI, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. 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 $4,344 in Wasilla, AK. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,485 in Hilo, HI and $1,412 in Wasilla, AK. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,862 in Hilo, HI and $2,896 in Wasilla, AK. That’s a gap of about 1%.

Interestingly, groceries are about 42% cheaper in Wasilla, AK – 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 $2,896 in Wasilla, AK. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Hilo, HI has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,862 in Hilo, HI to $2,896 in Wasilla, AK. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.