Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Waikiki, HI and Los Angeles, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Waikiki, HI: $2,891 a month against $4,060 in Los Angeles, CA, rent and utilities included – about $14,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

144

Cost of Living Index in Waikiki, HI
Learn more

Waikiki, HI Living Index
195

Cost of Living Index in Los Angeles, CA
Learn more

Los Angeles, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Waikiki, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,891

/mo nomad

Los Angeles, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,060

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Waikiki, HI and in Los Angeles, CA

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,891 in Waikiki, HI versus $4,060 in Los Angeles, CA.

Waikiki, HI $2,891
Los Angeles, CA $4,060

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,468 in Waikiki, HI versus $6,104 in Los Angeles, CA.

Waikiki, HI $4,468
Los Angeles, CA $6,104

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,044 in Waikiki, HI versus $8,148 in Los Angeles, CA.

Waikiki, HI $6,044
Los Angeles, CA $8,148

Living in Waikiki, HI costs roughly 29% less than in Los Angeles, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waikiki, HI 112% above, Los Angeles, CA 198% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.77 $24.77

$27.02 $27.02

-8.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 $142

$121 $121

17.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.21 $15.21

0.46%

Cappuccino

$5.92 $5.92

$5.78 $5.78

2.42%

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

$5.02 $5.02

$3.79 $3.79

32.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.69 $2.69

30.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.46 $10.46

$7.76 $7.76

34.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.64 $11.64

$9.98 $9.98

16.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.29 $1.29

-18.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 $3.66

$4.68 $4.68

-21.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$10.20 $10.20

$4.58 $4.58

122.71%

Eggs

$8.59 $8.59

$5.35 $5.35

60.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.38 $12.38

$11.27 $11.27

9.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.60 $19.60

$16.16 $16.16

21.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.55 $21.55

$19.42 $19.42

10.97%

Apples (1kg)

$8.24 $8.24

$5.24 $5.24

57.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.33 $2.33

-32.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.99 $6.99

$4.62 $4.62

51.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.67 $9.67

$5.56 $5.56

73.92%

Potato (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.38 $3.38

45.86%

Onion (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.93 $2.93

66.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.27 $5.27

$1.95 $1.95

170.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.43 $2.43

20.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.32 $13.32

$11.99 $11.99

11.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.12 $18.12

$15.05 $15.05

20.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.94 $2.94

-8.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 $5.87

$2.71 $2.71

116.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.72 $1.72

23.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.9 $58.9

$105 $105

-43.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.05 $3.05

13.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.87 $1.87

36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.16 $44.16

$32.19 $32.19

37.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.57 $1.57

-8.92%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$34.5K $34.5K

4.10%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$27.0K $27.0K

-2.33%

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

$259 $259

$280 $280

-7.42%

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

$67.1 $67.1

$78.4 $78.4

-14.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 $65.7

$79.1 $79.1

-16.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.31 $43.31

$71.2 $71.2

-39.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.21 $12.21

Cinema Ticket

$19.72 $19.72

$18.32 $18.32

7.64%

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

$2,113 $2,113

$1,722 $1,722

22.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K $27.0K

$31.7K $31.7K

-14.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 $62.8

$91.6 $91.6

-31.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.75 $46.75

$65.7 $65.7

-28.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$117 $117

-13.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$210 $210

-36.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 $1,570

$2,547 $2,547

-38.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 $1,162

$2,295 $2,295

-49.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,347 $2,347

$5,372 $5,372

-56.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,991 $1,991

$4,158 $4,158

-52.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,836 $2,836

$7,171 $7,171

-60.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,996 $1,996

$6,923 $6,923

-71.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,204 $4,204

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

6.86

-2.33%

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

Last update for Waikiki, HI: October 24, 2026

Last update for Los Angeles, CA: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Waikiki, HI

$1.2K 40.2%

Los Angeles, CA

$2.3K 56.5% 97.5% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Waikiki, HI

$591 20.4%

Los Angeles, CA

$462 11.4% 21.8% $129

Eating Out

Waikiki, HI

$425 14.7%

Los Angeles, CA

$416 10.2% 2.1% $8.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waikiki, HI

$392 13.6%

Los Angeles, CA

$438 10.8% 11.6% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Waikiki, HI

$155 5.4%

Los Angeles, CA

$218 5.4% 40.5% $63

Getting Around

Waikiki, HI

$84 2.9%

Los Angeles, CA

$124 3.1% 48.1% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Waikiki, HI

$83 2.9%

Los Angeles, CA

$108 2.7% 30.4% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,570 in Waikiki, HI and $2,547 in Los Angeles, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $142 in Waikiki, HI vs $121 in Los Angeles, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $591 vs $462 per month, with Los Angeles, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waikiki, HI

🇺🇸 Los Angeles, CA

🕒 Local time

13:11 1:11 PM

16:11 4:11 PM

3 h ahead of Waikiki, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,862

4,030,904

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Waikiki, HI Los Angeles, CA 4,120 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Waikiki, HI
Los Angeles, CA

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

Waikiki, HI vs Los Angeles, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waikiki, HI is about 29% cheaper overall, especially in clothing, transport, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $4,337 in Waikiki, HI and $6,090 in Los Angeles, CA 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: $1,570 in Waikiki, HI versus $2,547 in Los Angeles, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Waikiki, HI runs roughly 44% less than in Los Angeles, CA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $2,113 in Waikiki, HI versus $1,722 in Los Angeles, CA. 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. Waikiki, HI 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.