Cost of Living Comparison Between Kahului, HI and Washington, DC Cost of Living Comparison Between Kahului, HI and Washington, DC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,568 in Kahului, HI versus $3,801 in Washington, DC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,090 in Kahului, HI versus $6,013 in Washington, DC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,611 in Kahului, HI versus $8,224 in Washington, DC.

Living in Kahului, HI costs roughly 6% less than in Washington, DC, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kahului, HI 166% above, Washington, DC 184% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.17 $19.17

$27.56 $27.56

-30.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 $79.2

$120 $120

-33.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.48 $15.48

$11.92 $11.92

29.87%

Cappuccino

$7.17 $7.17

$5.84 $5.84

22.77%

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

$2.94 $2.94

$3.14 $3.14

-6.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.69 $2.69

31.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 $7.20

$7.95 $7.95

-9.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.63 $7.63

$9.83 $9.83

-22.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.15 $1.15

44.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 $3.45

$4.60 $4.60

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$7.09 $7.09

-38.93%

Eggs

$4.07 $4.07

$4.46 $4.46

-8.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.45 $12.45

$17.57 $17.57

-29.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.09 $11.09

$15.15 $15.15

-26.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.42 $15.42

$19.58 $19.58

-21.25%

Apples (1kg)

$8.93 $8.93

$6.17 $6.17

44.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.07 $2.07

-20.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$5.14 $5.14

-18.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.57 $8.57

$6.52 $6.52

31.44%

Potato (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$3.59 $3.59

85.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.87 $3.87

-24.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.67 $2.67

14.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.46 $2.46

-36.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.47 $9.47

$12.29 $12.29

-22.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 $14.10

$15.69 $15.69

-10.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.85 $2.85

-37.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 $4.07

$4.56 $4.56

-10.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.71 $2.71

-26.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.88 $44.88

$75.3 $75.3

-40.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.95 $3.95

-13.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.42 $2.42

-32.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.16 $29.16

$29.70 $29.70

-1.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.88 $0.88

42.05%

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

$39.2K $39.2K

$29.6K $29.6K

32.79%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

0.76%

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

$214 $214

$212 $212

0.95%

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

$78.4 $78.4

$60.8 $60.8

28.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 $54.1

$67.8 $67.8

-20.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.74 $42.74

$110 $110

-61.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.59 $38.59

Cinema Ticket

$12.80 $12.80

$17.30 $17.30

-26.01%

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

$1,321 $1,321

$2,652 $2,652

-50.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$39.5K $39.5K

-41.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.80 $38.80

$81.2 $81.2

-52.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.19 $25.19

$50.0 $50.0

-49.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 $66.1

$101 $101

-34.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$146 $146

-27.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,454 $2,454

$2,591 $2,591

-5.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,113 $2,113

$2,100 $2,100

0.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,481 $3,481

$5,946 $5,946

-41.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,455 $3,455

$4,197 $4,197

-17.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,720 $2,720

$8,729 $8,729

-68.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,391 $2,391

$3,298 $3,298

-27.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,675 $4,675

$6,965 $6,965

-32.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.48

0.46%

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

Last update for Kahului, HI: May 31, 2026

Last update for Washington, DC: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,454 in Kahului, HI and $2,591 in Washington, DC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Washington, DC pays 49% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $79.0 in Kahului, HI vs $120 in Washington, DC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $440 vs $501 per month, with Kahului, HI cheaper across the board.

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

Kahului, HI vs Washington, DC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kahului, HI wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Washington, DC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kahului, HI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Washington, DC earns 49% less. 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: $2,454 in Kahului, HI versus $2,591 in Washington, DC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,321 in Kahului, HI versus $2,652 in Washington, DC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Washington, DC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Kahului, HI 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 Kahului, HI delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,568 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kahului, HI hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kahului, HI and Washington, DC 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 Kahului, HI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Washington, DC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.