Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kailua, HI and Pago Pago

For one person, living is cheaper in Pago Pago: $1,471 a month against $4,119 in Kailua, HI, rent and utilities included – about $31,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

201

Cost of Living Index in Kailua, HI
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Kailua, HI Living Index
72

Cost of Living Index in Pago Pago
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Pago Pago Living Index

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Kailua, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$4,119

/mo nomad

Pago Pago

🇦🇸 American Samoa

$1,471

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kailua, HI and in Pago Pago

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,119 in Kailua, HI versus $1,471 in Pago Pago.

Kailua, HI $4,119
Pago Pago $1,471

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,034 in Kailua, HI versus $2,269 in Pago Pago.

Kailua, HI $6,034
Pago Pago $2,269

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,950 in Kailua, HI versus $3,067 in Pago Pago.

Kailua, HI $7,950
Pago Pago $3,067

Living in Kailua, HI is roughly 180% more expensive than in Pago Pago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kailua, HI 205% above, Pago Pago 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.44 $27.44

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$139 $139

$35.31 $35.31

293.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.31 $11.31

$9.86 $9.86

14.71%

Cappuccino

$6.29 $6.29

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

$3.08 $3.08

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.03 $1.03

122.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.78 $9.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.20 $9.20

$3.97 $3.97

131.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.48 $2.48

-8.87%

White Bread (500g)

$7.79 $7.79

$2.84 $2.84

174.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.90 $7.90

$4.19 $4.19

88.54%

Eggs

$8.13 $8.13

$4.52 $4.52

79.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.97 $18.97

$10.27 $10.27

84.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.95 $15.95

$10.19 $10.19

56.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.45 $21.45

$11.41 $11.41

87.99%

Apples (1kg)

$7.93 $7.93

$6.06 $6.06

30.86%

Banana (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$0.98 $0.98

358.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.77 $6.77

$2.91 $2.91

132.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.55 $9.55

$4.07 $4.07

134.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.96 $3.96

-8.84%

Onion (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$4.10 $4.10

13.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.47 $4.47

$1.96 $1.96

128.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.95 $1.95

54.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.67 $12.67

$11.57 $11.57

9.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 $16.63

$15.16 $15.16

9.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$0.98 $0.98

171.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.97 $2.97

-28.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.01 $2.01

95.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.7 $90.7

$126 $126

-27.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 $3.60

$4.93 $4.93

-26.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.98 $1.98

34.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.40 $45.40

$29.42 $29.42

54.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$29.7K $29.7K

19.51%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$20.3K $20.3K

32.16%

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

$249 $249

$407 $407

-38.85%

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

$49.11 $49.11

$29.46 $29.46

66.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 $66.0

$73.5 $73.5

-10.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 $71.4

$50.6 $50.6

41.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.59 $39.59

$10.13 $10.13

290.82%

Cinema Ticket

$18.47 $18.47

$8.92 $8.92

107.06%

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

$2,175 $2,175

$1,001 $1,001

117.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.9K $26.9K

$9,885 $9,885

172.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 $62.0

$69.3 $69.3

-10.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.54 $47.54

$50.6 $50.6

-6.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 $99.5

$79.2 $79.2

25.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$102 $102

29.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,786 $2,786

$328 $328

749.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,320 $2,320

$202 $202

1049.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,185 $4,185

$891 $891

369.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,679 $3,679

$688 $688

434.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K $12.3K

$18.2K $18.2K

-32.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,689 $9,689

$10.7K $10.7K

-9.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,797 $4,797

$1,195 $1,195

301.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

123.33%

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

Last update for Kailua, HI: October 10, 2026

Last update for Pago Pago: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kailua, HI

$2.3K 56.3%

Pago Pago

$202 13.7% 91.3% $2.1K

Groceries & Markets

Kailua, HI

$632 15.4%

Pago Pago

$365 24.8% 42.3% $267

Eating Out

Kailua, HI

$418 10.1%

Pago Pago

$42 * 2.8% 90% $376

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kailua, HI

$364 8.8%

Pago Pago

$510 34.7% 40.1% $146

Clothing & Footwear

Kailua, HI

$153 3.7%

Pago Pago

$135 9.2% 11.6% $18

Getting Around

Kailua, HI

$123 3%

Pago Pago

$149 10.1% 20.7% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Kailua, HI

$108 2.6%

Pago Pago

$68 4.7% 36.8% $40

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,786 in Kailua, HI and $328 in Pago Pago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kailua, HI pays 302% 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: $139 in Kailua, HI vs $35.00 in Pago Pago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $632 vs $365 per month, with Pago Pago cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Kailua, HI

🇦🇸 Pago Pago

🕒 Local time

06:47 6:47 AM

05:47 5:47 AM

1 h behind Kailua, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,975

11,500 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Kailua, HI Pago Pago 4,100 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Kailua, HI
Pago Pago

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

Kailua, HI vs Pago Pago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pago Pago is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 180% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 302% higher in Kailua, HI, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,786 in Kailua, HI versus $328 in Pago Pago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pago Pago runs roughly 39% less than in Kailua, HI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,175 in Kailua, HI versus $1,001 in Pago Pago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,471 in Pago Pago versus $4,119 in Kailua, HI, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pago Pago but tight or insufficient in Kailua, HI. The gap between the two cities makes Pago Pago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kailua, HI and Pago Pago 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 Pago Pago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 180% less than in Kailua, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.