Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pago Pago and Wailuku, HI

For one person, living is cheaper in Pago Pago: $1,457 a month against $2,662 in Wailuku, HI, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

71

Cost of Living Index in Pago Pago
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Pago Pago Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Wailuku, HI
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Wailuku, HI Living Index

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Pago Pago

🇦🇸 American Samoa

$1,457

/mo nomad

Wailuku, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,662

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,457 in Pago Pago versus $2,662 in Wailuku, HI.

Pago Pago $1,457
Wailuku, HI $2,662

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Pago Pago versus $3,969 in Wailuku, HI.

Pago Pago $2,255
Wailuku, HI $3,969

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,054 in Pago Pago versus $5,276 in Wailuku, HI.

Pago Pago $3,054
Wailuku, HI $5,276

Living in Pago Pago costs roughly 45% less than in Wailuku, HI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Pago Pago 7% above, Wailuku, HI 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 $19.70

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.24 $36.24

$76.1 $76.1

-52.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 $10.16

$11.52 $11.52

-11.81%

Cappuccino

$5.21 $5.21

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

$2.74 $2.74

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.96 $1.96

-47.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 $6.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 $3.94

$7.30 $7.30

-46.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.04 $1.04

150.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.58 $3.58

-21.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$4.23 $4.23

-0.71%

Eggs

$4.40 $4.40

$4.11 $4.11

7.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 $10.35

$12.22 $12.22

-15.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.96 $9.96

$11.72 $11.72

-15.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 $11.17

$16.91 $16.91

-33.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$4.90 $4.90

19.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.64 $1.64

-40.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$4.33 $4.33

-31.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$4.74 $4.74

-15.82%

Potato (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.86 $2.86

41.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.89 $2.89

36.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.19 $2.19

-6.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.22 $2.22

-11.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.31 $11.31

$10.64 $10.64

6.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 $14.90

$15.02 $15.02

-0.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.72 $1.72

-40.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.30 $3.30

-11.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.97 $1.97

0.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$123 $123

$120 $120

2.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 $4.99

$3.11 $3.11

60.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.71 $1.71

14.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.48 $29.48

$29.35 $29.35

0.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.52 $1.52

-12.50%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$27.6K $27.6K

6.64%

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

$20.4K $20.4K

$25.8K $25.8K

-21.08%

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

$403 $403

$197 $197

104.29%

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

$30.31 $30.31

$56.8 $56.8

-46.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.9 $73.9

$71.0 $71.0

4.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.91 $49.91

$43.32 $43.32

15.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.15 $10.15

$71.0 $71.0

-85.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 $8.84

$14.18 $14.18

-37.66%

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

$993 $993

$1,379 $1,379

-28.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,975 $9,975

$23.5K $23.5K

-57.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.9 $69.9

$52.6 $52.6

32.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.11 $49.11

$41.76 $41.76

17.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 $79.5

$87.1 $87.1

-8.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.0 $98.0

$114 $114

-13.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 $320

$1,574 $1,574

-79.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 $198

$1,278 $1,278

-84.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$912 $912

$2,551 $2,551

-64.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 $690

$2,168 $2,168

-68.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.7K $17.7K

$2,735 $2,735

545.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.8K $10.8K

$2,250 $2,250

380.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,178 $1,178

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

-54.34%

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

Last update for Pago Pago: October 17, 2026

Last update for Wailuku, HI: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pago Pago

$507 34.8%

Wailuku, HI

$325 12.2% 35.9% $182

Groceries & Markets

Pago Pago

$362 24.9%

Wailuku, HI

$396 14.9% 9.3% $34

Accommodation & Living

Pago Pago

$198 13.6%

Wailuku, HI

$1.3K 48% 546% $1.1K

Getting Around

Pago Pago

$146 10%

Wailuku, HI

$140 5.2% 4.3% $6.3

Clothing & Footwear

Pago Pago

$133 9.2%

Wailuku, HI

$133 5% 0.4% $0.6

Sport & Entertainment

Pago Pago

$68 4.6%

Wailuku, HI

$72 2.7% 6.1% $4.1

Eating Out

Pago Pago

$42 * 2.9%

Wailuku, HI

$319 12% 651% $276

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 $320 in Pago Pago and $1,574 in Wailuku, HI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Pago Pago vs $76.0 in Wailuku, HI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $362 vs $396 per month, with Pago Pago cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇸 Pago Pago

🇺🇸 Wailuku, HI

🕒 Local time

06:08 6:08 AM

07:08 7:08 AM

1 h ahead of Pago Pago

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,500 Capital

15,313

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Pago Pago Wailuku, HI 4,210 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Pago Pago
Wailuku, HI

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

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

Pago Pago wins on cost – living expenses run 83% lower than in Wailuku, HI. 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 $2,185 in Pago Pago and $3,992 in Wailuku, HI 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: $320 in Pago Pago versus $1,574 in Wailuku, HI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pago Pago runs roughly 3% less than in Wailuku, HI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $993 in Pago Pago versus $1,379 in Wailuku, HI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,457 in Pago Pago versus $2,662 in Wailuku, HI, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pago Pago but tight or insufficient in Wailuku, 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, Pago Pago and Wailuku, 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 Pago Pago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Wailuku, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.