Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Wailuku, HI: $2,600 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $28,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Wailuku, HI
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Wailuku, HI Living Index
239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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Wailuku, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,600

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Wailuku, HI and in New York, NY

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

A single person spends $2,600 per month in Wailuku, HI vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Wailuku, HI $2,600
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $3,819 per month in Wailuku, HI vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Wailuku, HI $3,819
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $5,038 per month in Wailuku, HI vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Wailuku, HI $5,038
New York, NY $9,509

Wailuku, HI is about 47% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Wailuku, HI and New York, NY sit above the global median – Wailuku, HI by 91%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$28.55 $28.55

-31.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.6 $75.6

$118 $118

-36.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.63 $11.63

$15.04 $15.04

-22.67%

Cappuccino

$5.42 $5.42

$6.53 $6.53

-17.00%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$3.96 $3.96

-32.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.01 $3.01

-34.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$8.16 $8.16

-28.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 $7.28

$9.84 $9.84

-26.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.37 $1.37

-26.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$4.97 $4.97

-29.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$7.81 $7.81

-45.45%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$5.97 $5.97

-30.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 $12.61

$18.91 $18.91

-33.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.72 $11.72

$18.04 $18.04

-35.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.12 $17.12

$19.05 $19.05

-10.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$6.76 $6.76

-24.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.27 $2.27

-32.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$6.83 $6.83

-37.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$7.09 $7.09

-34.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$4.22 $4.22

-31.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$4.65 $4.65

-35.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.87 $2.87

-26.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.60 $2.60

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.34 $9.34

$18.77 $18.77

-50.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$20.13 $20.13

-24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$3.45 $3.45

-46.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$4.02 $4.02

-16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.91 $2.91

-29.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.3 $60.3

$139 $139

-56.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.08 $3.08

1.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.12 $2.12

-19.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.66 $31.66

$41.96 $41.96

-24.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.17 $1.17

35.04%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$34.5K $34.5K

-17.30%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.9K $25.9K

0.53%

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

$197 $197

$219 $219

-10.00%

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

$62.5 $62.5

$74.2 $74.2

-15.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 $68.9

$70.2 $70.2

-1.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.71 $34.71

$112 $112

-69.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$70.2 $70.2

$74.9 $74.9

-6.28%

Cinema Ticket

$13.95 $13.95

$22.14 $22.14

-36.99%

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

$1,361 $1,361

$3,558 $3,558

-61.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$62.2K $62.2K

-62.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 $52.1

$75.6 $75.6

-31.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.19 $41.19

$51.2 $51.2

-19.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 $87.9

$123 $123

-28.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$140 $140

-19.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 $1,575

$4,499 $4,499

-64.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 $1,280

$3,078 $3,078

-58.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,539 $2,539

$9,447 $9,447

-73.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 $2,059

$5,190 $5,190

-60.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,848 $2,848

$18.1K $18.1K

-84.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,492 $2,492

$6,693 $6,693

-62.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.86

-4.23%

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

Last update for Wailuku, HI: October 26, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Wailuku, HI

$1.3K 49.2%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 141% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

Wailuku, HI

$397 15.3%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 41.8% $166

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wailuku, HI

$329 12.7%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 10.6% $35

Eating Out

Wailuku, HI

$320 12.3%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 37.6% $120

Clothing & Footwear

Wailuku, HI

$132 5.1%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 32.9% $43

Getting Around

Wailuku, HI

$80 3.1%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 105% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Wailuku, HI

$63 2.4%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 150% $94

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,575 in Wailuku, HI versus $4,499 in New York, NY. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Wailuku, HI versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 vs $563 – making Wailuku, HI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Wailuku, HI

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

00:10 12:10 AM

06:10 6:10 AM

6 h ahead of Wailuku, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,313

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Wailuku, HI New York, NY 7,890 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Wailuku, HI
New York, NY

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

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

New York, NY costs about 90% more than Wailuku, HI, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,900 per month in Wailuku, HI and $7,412 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wailuku, HI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,575 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $1,361 per month in Wailuku, HI and $3,558 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in New York, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Wailuku, HI, where all-in costs run around $2,600, than in New York, NY at $4,941. In Wailuku, HI it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wailuku, HI – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Wailuku, HI is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 90% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.