Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kauai, Hawaii and Pago Pago

For one person, living is cheaper in Pago Pago: $1,477 a month against $2,605 in Kauai, Hawaii, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

127

Cost of Living Index in Kauai, Hawaii
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Kauai, Hawaii Living Index
71

Cost of Living Index in Pago Pago
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Pago Pago Living Index

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Kauai, Hawaii

🇺🇸 United States

$2,605

/mo nomad

Pago Pago

🇦🇸 American Samoa

$1,477

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kauai, Hawaii 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 Kauai, Hawaii and in Pago Pago actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,605 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $1,477 in Pago Pago.

Kauai, Hawaii $2,605
Pago Pago $1,477

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,851 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $2,274 in Pago Pago.

Kauai, Hawaii $3,851
Pago Pago $2,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,097 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $3,071 in Pago Pago.

Kauai, Hawaii $5,097
Pago Pago $3,071

Living in Kauai, Hawaii is roughly 76% 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: Kauai, Hawaii 91% above, Pago Pago 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 $19.36

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 $75.8

$35.62 $35.62

112.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 $10.98

$9.90 $9.90

10.91%

Cappuccino

$4.95 $4.95

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

$2.53 $2.53

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.98 $0.98

98.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$3.95 $3.95

76.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.53 $2.53

-60.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.85 $2.85

22.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$4.19 $4.19

1.91%

Eggs

$4.09 $4.09

$4.63 $4.63

-11.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.44 $12.44

$10.13 $10.13

22.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.49 $11.49

$9.98 $9.98

15.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.60 $15.60

$11.55 $11.55

35.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$5.89 $5.89

-19.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$0.98 $0.98

64.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.94 $2.94

47.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.94 $3.94

16.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$3.93 $3.93

-26.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.97 $3.97

-27.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.04 $2.04

-1.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.97 $1.97

10.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.47 $9.47

$11.66 $11.66

-18.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.83 $13.83

$14.74 $14.74

-6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.02 $1.02

73.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.87 $2.87

19.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.05 $2.05

0.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.5 $55.5

$125 $125

-55.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$5.13 $5.13

-30.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.04 $2.04

-23.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.13 $29.13

$29.67 $29.67

-1.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.29 $1.29

-34.88%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$30.3K $30.3K

-3.34%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$20.0K $20.0K

29.45%

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

$185 $185

$415 $415

-55.50%

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

$53.9 $53.9

$29.55 $29.55

82.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 $68.1

$75.9 $75.9

-10.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.26 $43.26

$49.77 $49.77

-13.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.03 $10.03

Cinema Ticket

$13.53 $13.53

$8.84 $8.84

53.05%

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

$1,282 $1,282

$984 $984

30.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$9,831 $9,831

134.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 $50.1

$70.8 $70.8

-29.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.37 $39.37

$49.70 $49.70

-20.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 $85.0

$78.7 $78.7

8.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$98.7 $98.7

13.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 $1,605

$327 $327

391.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 $1,329

$203 $203

555.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,647 $2,647

$911 $911

190.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,266 $2,266

$691 $691

227.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,817 $2,817

$18.2K $18.2K

-84.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,482 $2,482

$10.9K $10.9K

-77.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,183 $1,183

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

117.00%

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

Last update for Kauai, Hawaii: October 25, 2026

Last update for Pago Pago: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kauai, Hawaii

$1.3K 51%

Pago Pago

$203 13.7% 84.7% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Kauai, Hawaii

$385 14.8%

Pago Pago

$363 24.6% 5.9% $23

Eating Out

Kauai, Hawaii

$309 11.9%

Pago Pago

$42 * 2.8% 86.6% $268

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kauai, Hawaii

$307 11.8%

Pago Pago

$520 35.2% 69.7% $214

Clothing & Footwear

Kauai, Hawaii

$129 5%

Pago Pago

$134 9.1% 3.8% $5

Getting Around

Kauai, Hawaii

$75 2.9%

Pago Pago

$148 10% 97.3% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Kauai, Hawaii

$70 2.7%

Pago Pago

$67 4.6% 4.1% $2.9

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 $1,605 in Kauai, Hawaii and $327 in Pago Pago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76 in Kauai, Hawaii vs $36 in Pago Pago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $363 per month, with Pago Pago cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Kauai, Hawaii

🇦🇸 Pago Pago

🕒 Local time

12:03 12:03 PM

11:03 11:03 AM

1 h behind Kauai, Hawaii

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

73,610

11,500 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Kauai, Hawaii Pago Pago 4,220 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Kauai, Hawaii
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

Kauai, Hawaii vs Pago Pago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pago Pago wins on cost – living expenses run 43% lower than in Kauai, Hawaii. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Pago Pago the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $3,907 in Kauai, Hawaii and $2,216 in Pago Pago to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,605 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $327 in Pago Pago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kauai, Hawaii runs roughly 55% less than in Pago Pago. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $1,282 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $984 in Pago Pago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Pago Pago is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Kauai, Hawaii and Pago Pago are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.