Cost of Living Comparison Between Washington, DC and Kahului, HI Cost of Living Comparison Between Washington, DC and Kahului, HI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,801 in Washington, DC versus $3,568 in Kahului, HI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,013 in Washington, DC versus $5,090 in Kahului, HI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,224 in Washington, DC versus $6,611 in Kahului, HI.

Living in Washington, DC is roughly 7% more expensive than Kahului, HI, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Washington, DC 184% above, Kahului, HI 166% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.56 $27.56

$19.17 $19.17

43.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$79.2 $79.2

51.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 $11.92

$15.48 $15.48

-23.00%

Cappuccino

$5.84 $5.84

$7.17 $7.17

-18.55%

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

$3.14 $3.14

$2.94 $2.94

6.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.55 $3.55

-24.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 $7.95

$7.20 $7.20

10.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.83 $9.83

$7.63 $7.63

28.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.66 $1.66

-30.72%

White Bread (500g)

$4.60 $4.60

$3.45 $3.45

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$4.33 $4.33

63.74%

Eggs

$4.46 $4.46

$4.07 $4.07

9.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.57 $17.57

$12.45 $12.45

41.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.15 $15.15

$11.09 $11.09

36.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.58 $19.58

$15.42 $15.42

26.98%

Apples (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$8.93 $8.93

-30.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.64 $1.64

26.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.19 $4.19

22.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$8.57 $8.57

-23.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$6.67 $6.67

-46.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$2.91 $2.91

32.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.05 $3.05

-12.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.57 $1.57

56.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.29 $12.29

$9.47 $9.47

29.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$14.10 $14.10

11.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.79 $1.79

59.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 $4.56

$4.07 $4.07

12.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.99 $1.99

36.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$44.88 $44.88

67.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.40 $3.40

16.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.64 $1.64

47.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$29.16 $29.16

1.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.25 $1.25

-29.60%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$39.2K $39.2K

-24.69%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.3K $26.3K

-0.75%

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

$212 $212

$214 $214

-0.94%

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

$60.8 $60.8

$78.4 $78.4

-22.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 $67.8

$54.1 $54.1

25.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$110 $110

$42.74 $42.74

158.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.59 $38.59

Cinema Ticket

$17.30 $17.30

$12.80 $12.80

35.16%

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

$2,652 $2,652

$1,321 $1,321

100.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.5K $39.5K

$23.3K $23.3K

69.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 $81.2

$38.80 $38.80

109.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 $50.0

$25.19 $25.19

98.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$66.1 $66.1

53.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 $146

$106 $106

37.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 $2,591

$2,454 $2,454

5.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,100 $2,100

$2,113 $2,113

-0.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,946 $5,946

$3,481 $3,481

70.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,197 $4,197

$3,455 $3,455

21.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,729 $8,729

$2,720 $2,720

220.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,298 $3,298

$2,391 $2,391

37.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,965 $6,965

$4,675 $4,675

48.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.48

6.51

-0.46%

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

Last update for Washington, DC: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kahului, HI: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,591 in Washington, DC and $2,454 in Kahului, HI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Washington, DC pays 49% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $120 in Washington, DC vs $79.0 in Kahului, HI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $501 vs $440 per month, with Kahului, HI cheaper across the board.

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

Washington, DC vs Kahului, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kahului, HI wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Washington, DC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kahului, HI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Washington, DC pays 49% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,591 in Washington, DC versus $2,454 in Kahului, HI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,652 in Washington, DC versus $1,321 in Kahului, HI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Washington, DC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Kahului, HI is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kahului, HI delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,568 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kahului, HI hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Washington, DC and Kahului, 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 Kahului, HI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Washington, DC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.