Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wailuku, HI and Pago Pago

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.

130

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

Cost of Living Index in Pago Pago
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Pago Pago Living Index

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Wailuku, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,662

/mo nomad

Pago Pago

🇦🇸 American Samoa

$1,457

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Living in Wailuku, HI is roughly 83% 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: Wailuku, HI 96% above, Pago Pago 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 $19.70

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$36.24 $36.24

109.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.52 $11.52

$10.16 $10.16

13.39%

Cappuccino

$5.21 $5.21

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

$2.74 $2.74

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.02 $1.02

92.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 $6.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 $7.30

$3.94 $3.94

85.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.61 $2.61

-60.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.81 $2.81

27.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$4.20 $4.20

0.71%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$4.40 $4.40

-6.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.22 $12.22

$10.35 $10.35

18.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.72 $11.72

$9.96 $9.96

17.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.91 $16.91

$11.17 $11.17

51.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$5.84 $5.84

-16.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.98 $0.98

67.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.96 $2.96

46.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$3.99 $3.99

18.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$4.06 $4.06

-29.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.95 $3.95

-26.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.04 $2.04

7.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.96 $1.96

13.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.64 $10.64

$11.31 $11.31

-5.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 $15.02

$14.90 $14.90

0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.02 $1.02

68.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.91 $2.91

13.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.98 $1.98

-0.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 $120

$123 $123

-2.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 $3.11

$4.99 $4.99

-37.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.95 $1.95

-12.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.35 $29.35

$29.48 $29.48

-0.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.33 $1.33

14.29%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$29.5K $29.5K

-6.23%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$20.4K $20.4K

26.70%

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

$197 $197

$403 $403

-51.05%

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

$56.8 $56.8

$30.31 $30.31

87.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 $71.0

$73.9 $73.9

-3.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.32 $43.32

$49.91 $49.91

-13.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$71.0 $71.0

$10.15 $10.15

599.01%

Cinema Ticket

$14.18 $14.18

$8.84 $8.84

60.41%

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

$1,379 $1,379

$993 $993

38.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$9,975 $9,975

135.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$69.9 $69.9

-24.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.76 $41.76

$49.11 $49.11

-14.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 $87.1

$79.5 $79.5

9.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$98.0 $98.0

16.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,574 $1,574

$320 $320

392.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 $1,278

$198 $198

545.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,551 $2,551

$912 $912

179.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,168 $2,168

$690 $690

214.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,735 $2,735

$17.7K $17.7K

-84.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,250 $2,250

$10.8K $10.8K

-79.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,178 $1,178

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

119.00%

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

Last update for Wailuku, HI: October 18, 2026

Last update for Pago Pago: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Wailuku, HI

$1.3K 48%

Pago Pago

$198 13.6% 84.5% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Wailuku, HI

$396 14.9%

Pago Pago

$362 24.9% 8.5% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wailuku, HI

$325 12.2%

Pago Pago

$507 34.8% 56% $182

Eating Out

Wailuku, HI

$319 12%

Pago Pago

$42 * 2.9% 86.7% $276

Getting Around

Wailuku, HI

$140 5.2%

Pago Pago

$146 10% 4.5% $6.3

Clothing & Footwear

Wailuku, HI

$133 5%

Pago Pago

$133 9.2% 0.4% $0.6

Sport & Entertainment

Wailuku, HI

$72 2.7%

Pago Pago

$68 4.6% 5.7% $4.1

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

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

Good to know

🇺🇸 Wailuku, HI

🇦🇸 Pago Pago

🕒 Local time

08:06 8:06 AM

07:06 7:06 AM

1 h behind Wailuku, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,313

11,500 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

Wailuku, 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

Wailuku, HI vs Pago Pago: 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 $3,992 in Wailuku, HI and $2,185 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: $1,574 in Wailuku, HI versus $320 in Pago Pago. 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 $1,379 in Wailuku, HI versus $993 in Pago Pago. 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, Wailuku, HI and Pago Pago 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.