Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Honolulu, HI and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,963 in Honolulu, HI, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

190

Cost of Living Index in Honolulu, HI
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Honolulu, HI Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Honolulu, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$3,963

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Honolulu, HI and in Austin, TX

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,963 in Honolulu, HI versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Honolulu, HI $3,963
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,161 in Honolulu, HI versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Honolulu, HI $6,161
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,359 in Honolulu, HI versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Honolulu, HI $8,359
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Honolulu, HI is roughly 47% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Honolulu, HI 193% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.50 $28.50

$20.63 $20.63

38.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 $143

$84.6 $84.6

68.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.25 $15.25

$12.07 $12.07

26.35%

Cappuccino

$10.44 $10.44

$5.48 $5.48

90.51%

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

$5.06 $5.06

$3.80 $3.80

33.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.47 $2.47

41.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.40 $10.40

$8.05 $8.05

29.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.66 $11.66

$8.88 $8.88

31.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.11 $1.11

97.30%

White Bread (500g)

$7.54 $7.54

$3.72 $3.72

102.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$10.02 $10.02

$3.37 $3.37

197.33%

Eggs

$8.50 $8.50

$4.32 $4.32

96.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.23 $28.23

$13.13 $13.13

115.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.21 $20.21

$14.15 $14.15

42.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.80 $21.80

$16.33 $16.33

33.50%

Apples (1kg)

$8.28 $8.28

$4.55 $4.55

81.98%

Banana (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$1.46 $1.46

267.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.04 $7.04

$4.71 $4.71

49.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.80 $9.80

$4.15 $4.15

136.14%

Potato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.58 $2.58

87.60%

Onion (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.35 $2.35

107.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.30 $5.30

$1.77 $1.77

199.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.14 $2.14

42.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.26 $13.26

$10.10 $10.10

31.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.77 $17.77

$15.19 $15.19

16.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.82 $2.82

-4.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 $5.68

$3.44 $3.44

65.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.54 $1.54

90.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.7 $90.7

$40.99 $40.99

121.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.80 $2.80

27.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.60 $1.60

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.20 $45.20

$34.34 $34.34

31.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.94 $0.94

46.81%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$34.0K $34.0K

6.36%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.8K $26.8K

-2.00%

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

$256 $256

$223 $223

14.78%

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

$67.4 $67.4

$58.9 $58.9

14.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 $66.5

$70.6 $70.6

-5.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 $64.9

$57.7 $57.7

12.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.37 $31.37

$16.53 $16.53

89.78%

Cinema Ticket

$20.22 $20.22

$14.26 $14.26

41.80%

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

$2,123 $2,123

$1,511 $1,511

40.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.7K $26.7K

$20.9K $20.9K

27.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 $62.8

$51.3 $51.3

22.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.82 $45.82

$44.17 $44.17

3.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$87.0 $87.0

15.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$104 $104

27.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,941 $2,941

$1,940 $1,940

51.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 $1,972

$1,316 $1,316

49.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,026 $5,026

$3,664 $3,664

37.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,687 $3,687

$2,565 $2,565

43.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,589 $8,589

$7,354 $7,354

16.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,339 $7,339

$3,129 $3,129

134.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,099 $4,099

$5,286 $5,286

-22.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

6.79

-1.33%

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

Last update for Honolulu, HI: October 17, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Honolulu, HI

$2K 49.7%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 33.2% $655

Groceries & Markets

Honolulu, HI

$716 18.1%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 43.3% $310

Eating Out

Honolulu, HI

$509 12.8%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 31.2% $159

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Honolulu, HI

$389 9.8%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 9.6% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Honolulu, HI

$154 3.9%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 16.3% $25

Getting Around

Honolulu, HI

$119 3%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 51.3% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Honolulu, HI

$105 2.7%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 18.2% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,941 in Honolulu, HI and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $143 in Honolulu, HI vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $716 vs $406 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Honolulu, HI

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

04:54 4:54 AM

09:54 9:54 AM

5 h ahead of Honolulu, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

350,964

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Honolulu, HI Austin, TX 6,030 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Honolulu, HI
Austin, TX

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

Honolulu, HI vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 47% lower than in Honolulu, HI. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 29% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,941 in Honolulu, HI versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,963 per month in Honolulu, HI versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 121% less than in Honolulu, HI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,698 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Honolulu, HI and Austin, TX are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Honolulu, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.