Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Kailua, HI Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Kailua, HI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,415 in New York, NY versus $4,049 in Kailua, HI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,980 in New York, NY versus $5,926 in Kailua, HI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,544 in New York, NY versus $7,804 in Kailua, HI.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 9% more expensive than in Kailua, HI, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 230% above, Kailua, HI 203% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.48 $29.48

$20.85 $20.85

41.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 $143

$98.1 $98.1

45.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.41 $12.41

$9.38 $9.38

32.30%

Cappuccino

$6.08 $6.08

$6.67 $6.67

-8.85%

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

$3.33 $3.33

$2.95 $2.95

12.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.03 $2.03

33.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.17 $8.17

$8.23 $8.23

-0.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.04 $12.04

$8.89 $8.89

35.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.03 $2.03

-20.20%

White Bread (500g)

$5.08 $5.08

$6.75 $6.75

-24.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.12 $8.12

$7.36 $7.36

10.33%

Eggs

$6.87 $6.87

$6.84 $6.84

0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.61 $17.61

$12.91 $12.91

36.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$18.11 $18.11

-9.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.81 $19.81

$19.77 $19.77

0.20%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 $7.66

$6.98 $6.98

9.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$4.00 $4.00

-36.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$6.65 $6.65

-15.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$8.34 $8.34

-23.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.79 $3.79

1.32%

Onion (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$4.52 $4.52

-9.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 $3.08

$4.79 $4.79

-35.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$3.05 $3.05

-18.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.83 $18.83

$11.99 $11.99

57.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.67 $19.67

$13.03 $13.03

50.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.53 $2.53

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.12 $2.12

76.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.97 $3.97

-25.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$133 $133

$88.5 $88.5

50.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.46 $3.46

45.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.56 $2.56

-14.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.75 $42.75

$45.12 $45.12

-5.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.27 $1.27

-23.62%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.0K $30.0K

16.86%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$24.7K $24.7K

14.66%

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

$182 $182

$230 $230

-20.79%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$50.5 $50.5

19.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 $63.5

$68.0 $68.0

-6.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$143 $143

$68.8 $68.8

107.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.6 $63.6

$40.29 $40.29

57.93%

Cinema Ticket

$19.89 $19.89

$16.05 $16.05

23.93%

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

$3,129 $3,129

$1,482 $1,482

111.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$58.2K $58.2K

$20.2K $20.2K

188.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 $67.5

$56.6 $56.6

19.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.20 $47.20

$60.0 $60.0

-21.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$104 $104

7.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 $174

$129 $129

35.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,145 $4,145

$2,712 $2,712

52.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,369 $2,369

13.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,255 $8,255

$4,344 $4,344

90.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,298 $5,298

$3,979 $3,979

33.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K $18.5K

$12.5K $12.5K

47.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,505 $6,505

$9,972 $9,972

-34.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,520 $5,520

$4,746 $4,746

16.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.56

-1.83%

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

Last update for New York, NY: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kailua, HI: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,145 in New York, NY and $2,712 in Kailua, HI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 16% 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: $143 in New York, NY vs $98.0 in Kailua, HI. Groceries flip the comparison at $553 vs $579, with New York, NY 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

New York, NY vs Kailua, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kailua, HI is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 16% higher in New York, NY, 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: $4,145 in New York, NY versus $2,712 in Kailua, HI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kailua, HI runs roughly 50% less than in New York, NY. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $3,129 in New York, NY versus $1,482 in Kailua, HI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $4,000. Kailua, HI is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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

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