Cost of Living Comparison Between Kailua, HI and Seattle, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Kailua, HI and Seattle, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,942 in Kailua, HI versus $3,621 in Seattle, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,853 in Kailua, HI versus $5,548 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,763 in Kailua, HI versus $7,476 in Seattle, WA.

Living in Kailua, HI is roughly 9% more expensive than in Seattle, WA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kailua, HI 196% above, Seattle, WA 172% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.73 $20.73

$25.02 $25.02

-17.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$118 $118

-13.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.63 $9.63

$13.76 $13.76

-30.01%

Cappuccino

$6.45 $6.45

$5.85 $5.85

10.26%

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

$2.92 $2.92

$3.05 $3.05

-4.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.39 $2.39

-17.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$7.93 $7.93

0.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.98 $8.98

$7.85 $7.85

14.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.39 $1.39

45.32%

White Bread (500g)

$6.58 $6.58

$4.86 $4.86

35.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.53 $7.53

$5.18 $5.18

45.37%

Eggs

$6.66 $6.66

$6.69 $6.69

-0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.83 $12.83

$25.28 $25.28

-49.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.16 $18.16

$15.92 $15.92

14.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.73 $19.73

$20.16 $20.16

-2.13%

Apples (1kg)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.19 $6.19

10.99%

Banana (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.88 $2.88

41.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$5.48 $5.48

14.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.10 $8.10

$6.38 $6.38

26.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.09 $3.09

25.57%

Onion (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$3.80 $3.80

21.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.58 $4.58

$2.80 $2.80

63.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.61 $2.61

21.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.02 $12.02

$11.41 $11.41

5.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 $12.82

$15.59 $15.59

-17.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.99 $2.99

-16.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$4.23 $4.23

-51.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.69 $2.69

44.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.6 $90.6

$101 $101

-10.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.68 $2.68

30.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.70 $1.70

50.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.38 $45.38

$29.50 $29.50

53.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.14 $1.14

7.02%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$33.3K $33.3K

-8.51%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$26.5K $26.5K

-8.20%

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

$238 $238

$261 $261

-8.97%

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

$49.07 $49.07

$60.4 $60.4

-18.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 $66.2

$75.8 $75.8

-12.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$78.8 $78.8

-11.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.30 $40.30

$40.08 $40.08

0.55%

Cinema Ticket

$16.04 $16.04

$15.82 $15.82

1.39%

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

$1,486 $1,486

$2,210 $2,210

-32.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K $20.7K

$29.8K $29.8K

-30.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$69.8 $69.8

-19.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.7 $59.7

$52.0 $52.0

14.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 $107

$117 $117

-8.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$139 $139

-7.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,793 $2,793

$2,321 $2,321

20.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,300 $2,300

$1,870 $1,870

22.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,237 $4,237

$4,728 $4,728

-10.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,915 $3,915

$3,569 $3,569

9.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K $12.4K

$7,651 $7,651

62.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,947 $9,947

$5,034 $5,034

97.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,737 $4,737

$6,516 $6,516

-27.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.42

2.18%

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

Last update for Kailua, HI: July 27, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,793 in Kailua, HI and $2,321 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 38% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $102 in Kailua, HI vs $118 in Seattle, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $575 vs $542, with Seattle, WA cheaper for home cooking.

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 Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 38% lower in Seattle, WA. 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: $2,793 in Kailua, HI versus $2,321 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Seattle, WA runs roughly 11% less than in Kailua, HI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,486 in Kailua, HI versus $2,210 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Seattle, WA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Seattle, WA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kailua, HI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kailua, HI and Seattle, WA 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 Seattle, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Kailua, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.