Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Waikiki, HI and Pago Pago

For one person, living is cheaper in Pago Pago: $1,477 a month against $2,891 in Waikiki, HI, rent and utilities included – about $17,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

144

Cost of Living Index in Waikiki, HI
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Waikiki, HI Living Index
71

Cost of Living Index in Pago Pago
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Pago Pago Living Index

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Waikiki, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,891

/mo nomad

Pago Pago

🇦🇸 American Samoa

$1,477

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,891 in Waikiki, HI versus $1,477 in Pago Pago.

Waikiki, HI $2,891
Pago Pago $1,477

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,468 in Waikiki, HI versus $2,274 in Pago Pago.

Waikiki, HI $4,468
Pago Pago $2,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,044 in Waikiki, HI versus $3,071 in Pago Pago.

Waikiki, HI $6,044
Pago Pago $3,071

Living in Waikiki, HI is roughly 96% 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: Waikiki, HI 112% above, Pago Pago 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.77 $24.77

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 $142

$35.62 $35.62

298.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.28 $15.28

$9.90 $9.90

54.34%

Cappuccino

$5.92 $5.92

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

$5.02 $5.02

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$0.98 $0.98

257.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.46 $10.46

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.64 $11.64

$3.95 $3.95

194.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$2.53 $2.53

-58.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.85 $2.85

28.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$10.20 $10.20

$4.19 $4.19

143.44%

Eggs

$8.59 $8.59

$4.63 $4.63

85.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.38 $12.38

$10.13 $10.13

22.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.60 $19.60

$9.98 $9.98

96.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.55 $21.55

$11.55 $11.55

86.58%

Apples (1kg)

$8.24 $8.24

$5.89 $5.89

39.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.98 $0.98

61.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.99 $6.99

$2.94 $2.94

137.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.67 $9.67

$3.94 $3.94

145.43%

Potato (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.93 $3.93

25.45%

Onion (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.97 $3.97

22.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.27 $5.27

$2.04 $2.04

158.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.97 $1.97

48.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.32 $13.32

$11.66 $11.66

14.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.12 $18.12

$14.74 $14.74

22.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.02 $1.02

162.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 $5.87

$2.87 $2.87

104.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.05 $2.05

3.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.9 $58.9

$125 $125

-52.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 $3.45

$5.13 $5.13

-32.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.04 $2.04

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.16 $44.16

$29.67 $29.67

48.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.29 $1.29

10.85%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$30.3K $30.3K

18.51%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$20.0K $20.0K

31.41%

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

$259 $259

$415 $415

-37.48%

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

$67.1 $67.1

$29.55 $29.55

126.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 $65.7

$75.9 $75.9

-13.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.31 $43.31

$49.77 $49.77

-12.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.03 $10.03

Cinema Ticket

$19.72 $19.72

$8.84 $8.84

123.08%

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

$2,113 $2,113

$984 $984

114.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K $27.0K

$9,831 $9,831

174.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 $62.8

$70.8 $70.8

-11.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.75 $46.75

$49.70 $49.70

-5.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$78.7 $78.7

29.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$98.7 $98.7

35.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 $1,570

$327 $327

380.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 $1,162

$203 $203

472.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,347 $2,347

$911 $911

157.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,991 $1,991

$691 $691

188.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,836 $2,836

$18.2K $18.2K

-84.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,996 $1,996

$10.9K $10.9K

-81.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,183 $1,183

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

123.33%

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

Last update for Waikiki, HI: October 24, 2026

Last update for Pago Pago: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Waikiki, HI

$1.2K 40.2%

Pago Pago

$203 13.7% 82.5% $959

Groceries & Markets

Waikiki, HI

$591 20.4%

Pago Pago

$363 24.6% 38.6% $228

Eating Out

Waikiki, HI

$425 14.7%

Pago Pago

$42 * 2.8% 90.2% $383

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waikiki, HI

$392 13.6%

Pago Pago

$520 35.2% 32.7% $128

Clothing & Footwear

Waikiki, HI

$155 5.4%

Pago Pago

$134 9.1% 13.6% $21

Getting Around

Waikiki, HI

$84 2.9%

Pago Pago

$148 10% 77.1% $65

Sport & Entertainment

Waikiki, HI

$83 2.9%

Pago Pago

$67 4.6% 18.5% $15

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 $1,570 in Waikiki, HI and $327 in Pago Pago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $142 in Waikiki, HI vs $36 in Pago Pago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $591 vs $363 per month, with Pago Pago cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waikiki, HI

🇦🇸 Pago Pago

🕒 Local time

11:49 11:49 AM

10:49 10:49 AM

1 h behind Waikiki, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,862

11,500 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Waikiki, HI Pago Pago 4,200 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Waikiki, HI
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

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

Pago Pago wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Waikiki, 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 $4,337 in Waikiki, HI 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: $1,570 in Waikiki, HI 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 Waikiki, HI runs roughly 53% less than in Pago Pago. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $2,113 in Waikiki, HI 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, Waikiki, HI and Pago Pago are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.