Cost of living answer

Cost of Living in Kailua CDP (Honolulu County), HI

Cost of Living in Kailua CDP (Honolulu County), HI has an overall index of 225, 125% above the U.S. baseline of 100. The typical home value is $1,239,000; typical monthly rent is $3,068; and median household income is $146,615.

Cost index: committed city housing/rent inputs and BEA 2024 state nonmetro price parities. Home value: Census ACS 2023 fallback place estimate. Rent: Census ACS 2023 fallback place estimate. A place-level signal, not a personal affordability decision or financial recommendation.

Cost vs U.S.125% aboveOverall modeled index 225
Typical rent$3,068/moCensus ACS
Typical home value$1,239,000Census ACS
Median household income$146,615Census ACS place estimate
Market PressureHigh

Home prices are the main source of pressure. This describes the local market, not your household.

Rent pressure
25%
Typical annual rent divided by local median household income.
Buy pressure
8.5x
Typical home value divided by local median household income.
Your Household Fit

Can your household carry the housing cost?

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Your household inputs
Are you renting or buying?
Advanced assumptions
Initial rent input: $3,068 from ACS. Edit it to match the housing option you are considering.
Mortgage benchmark: 6.11% 30-year fixed, Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey via FRED, as of 2026-03-12. Not a lender quote or approval.
Property-tax input: State-level effective owner-occupied property-tax proxy Not a parcel or individual tax-bill estimate.

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Your Household FitNot calculated yet

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City details

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Overall cost index225100 = U.S. baseline
Goods964% below baseline
Services982% below baseline
Utilities8812% below baseline
Frequently asked questions about Kailua CDP (Honolulu County)

Living in Kailua CDP (Honolulu County)

Is Kailua CDP (Honolulu County), HI an expensive place to live?+

Yes — Kailua CDP (Honolulu County) is about 125% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 225. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $1,239,000, and monthly rents average roughly $3,068. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run closer to the national norm.

How does Kailua CDP (Honolulu County) fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $3,068, while local median household income is $146,615. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 25% before utilities and other costs. Use that as a planning signal for whether the place looks manageable under your own household assumptions.

How much are taxes in Kailua CDP (Honolulu County), HI?+

Hawaii uses an approximate state-income-tax planning model; 11% is top marginal-rate context from the tax snapshot. Applying the 0.28% state-level effective owner-occupied proxy to a home worth $1,239,000 gives a planning estimate near $3,469 per year; it is not a city, county, parcel, or individual tax bill. State plus average local sales-tax context is around 4.44%.

How much does it cost to rent in Kailua CDP (Honolulu County), HI?+

The typical monthly rent in Kailua CDP (Honolulu County) is around $3,068. That's about 128% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $1,239,000, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

How much does a house cost in Kailua CDP (Honolulu County), HI?+

The typical home value in Kailua CDP (Honolulu County) is $1,239,000. With 20% down and the committed 6.11% national 30-year fixed benchmark as of 2026-03-12, principal and interest are roughly $6,013/month before property tax and insurance. This is a planning estimate, not a local lender quote. About 74% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Kailua CDP (Honolulu County)?+

Grocery prices in Kailua CDP (Honolulu County) are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 96, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are below average (index: 88). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.

What is Kailua CDP (Honolulu County), HI like to live in?+

Kailua CDP (Honolulu County) is a smaller city with a population of about 39,762. The median age of residents is 43.1, skewing somewhat older — common in established suburban communities. The local poverty rate is 4.12%, well below the national average of 12.4%.