California vs Hawaii: cost of living compared
Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).
Is it cheaper to live in California or Hawaii?
- Overall, living costs in Hawaii and California are within 1% of each other (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in California works out to about $74,500 in Hawaii, before taxes.
- Housing is 18.8% lower in Hawaii, goods 5.1% higher and other services 0.3% higher, which roughly cancel out.
- Utility prices (electricity, gas, water) are 19.7% higher in Hawaii.
- After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $52,272 in Hawaii and $63,028 in California (17.1% lower in Hawaii; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
- Inside each state, metro price levels run from 109.4 in Kahului, HI to 111.0 in Honolulu, HI (Hawaii) and from 95.2 in El Centro, CA to 115.6 in San Francisco, CA (California), US = 100.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (0.6%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state. Statewide averages mix cities and rural areas; taxes are not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both states against the US average (100).
Overall prices are about the same in California and Hawaii
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- California
- Hawaii
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| California | Hawaii | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 110.7 | 110.0 |
| Goods | 106.1 | 111.6 |
| Housing (rents) | 154.3 | 125.3 |
| Utilities | 158.9 | 190.2 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 102.9 |
| Category | California | Hawaii | Hawaii vs California |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 110.7 | 110.0 | −0.7% |
| Goods | 106.1 | 111.6 | +5.1% |
| Housing (rents) | 154.3 | 125.3 | −18.8% |
| Utilities | 158.9 | 190.2 | +19.7% |
| Other services | 102.6 | 102.9 | +0.3% |
| Income per person, adjusted for prices | $63,028 | $52,272 | −17.1% |
| Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* | $6.03 | $5.56 | −7.9% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in California | $75,000 | $74,500 | −0.7% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Income: BEA real personal income per person, 2017 dollars. Gas: EIA weekly retail prices. *West Coast region average (EIA has no separate Hawaii figure).
Cheapest and most expensive places in each state
California
- El Centro, CA 95.2
- Merced, CA 98.3
- Visalia, CA 99.8
- Redding, CA 100.7
- Bakersfield, CA 100.9
- Chico, CA 101.2
- Hanford, CA 101.6
- Fresno, CA 102.2
- Modesto, CA 104.1
- Yuba City, CA 104.2
- Stockton, CA 105.1
- Riverside, CA 106.4
- Sacramento, CA 106.7
- Santa Rosa, CA 107.8
- Vallejo, CA 108.5
- San Luis Obispo, CA 108.6
- Santa Maria, CA 108.8
- Salinas, CA 109.0
- Santa Cruz, CA 109.9
- San Jose, CA 110.4
- Oxnard, CA 110.5
- San Diego, CA 111.9
- Napa, CA 112.6
- Los Angeles, CA 113.6
- San Francisco, CA 115.6
Hawaii
- Kahului, HI 109.4
- Honolulu, HI 111.0
Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between California and Hawaii has been fairly stable since 2008
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- California
- Hawaii
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| California | Hawaii | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 111.2 | 109.8 |
| 2009 | 110.7 | 112.7 |
| 2010 | 109.7 | 109.6 |
| 2011 | 109.5 | 109.9 |
| 2012 | 109.7 | 108.4 |
| 2013 | 109.7 | 112.3 |
| 2014 | 109.9 | 110.6 |
| 2015 | 110.7 | 111.5 |
| 2016 | 110.0 | 109.9 |
| 2017 | 111.0 | 110.5 |
| 2018 | 111.9 | 110.9 |
| 2019 | 111.1 | 111.8 |
| 2020 | 111.9 | 113.3 |
| 2021 | 111.9 | 112.6 |
| 2022 | 112.6 | 111.1 |
| 2023 | 112.2 | 109.7 |
| 2024 | 110.7 | 110.0 |
Goods
- California
- Hawaii
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| California | Hawaii | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 107.4 | 106.8 |
| 2009 | 104.7 | 108.9 |
| 2010 | 103.0 | 108.6 |
| 2011 | 103.6 | 108.5 |
| 2012 | 104.1 | 106.2 |
| 2013 | 104.3 | 109.0 |
| 2014 | 104.3 | 109.1 |
| 2015 | 105.5 | 110.7 |
| 2016 | 104.4 | 112.3 |
| 2017 | 104.5 | 112.6 |
| 2018 | 105.5 | 116.6 |
| 2019 | 106.2 | 115.3 |
| 2020 | 106.7 | 112.4 |
| 2021 | 108.1 | 110.1 |
| 2022 | 108.4 | 112.0 |
| 2023 | 106.8 | 110.3 |
| 2024 | 106.1 | 111.6 |
Housing (rents)
- California
- Hawaii
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| California | Hawaii | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 161.4 | 146.8 |
| 2009 | 160.4 | 145.9 |
| 2010 | 158.0 | 143.1 |
| 2011 | 157.1 | 143.0 |
| 2012 | 156.2 | 137.6 |
| 2013 | 155.7 | 153.5 |
| 2014 | 157.9 | 146.5 |
| 2015 | 158.0 | 153.7 |
| 2016 | 160.1 | 139.3 |
| 2017 | 162.5 | 149.7 |
| 2018 | 163.8 | 143.0 |
| 2019 | 164.6 | 142.6 |
| 2020 | 166.3 | 136.4 |
| 2021 | 165.0 | 140.3 |
| 2022 | 160.1 | 132.3 |
| 2023 | 157.8 | 128.7 |
| 2024 | 154.3 | 125.3 |
Utilities
- California
- Hawaii
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| California | Hawaii | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 111.4 | 210.6 |
| 2009 | 112.8 | 180.3 |
| 2010 | 117.2 | 161.4 |
| 2011 | 115.3 | 214.6 |
| 2012 | 117.1 | 209.7 |
| 2013 | 121.4 | 210.0 |
| 2014 | 128.3 | 195.3 |
| 2015 | 129.3 | 176.9 |
| 2016 | 129.5 | 168.7 |
| 2017 | 130.7 | 170.0 |
| 2018 | 125.1 | 195.3 |
| 2019 | 131.0 | 203.8 |
| 2020 | 133.5 | 189.8 |
| 2021 | 144.2 | 182.0 |
| 2022 | 152.3 | 196.4 |
| 2023 | 147.3 | 191.7 |
| 2024 | 158.9 | 190.2 |
Other services
- California
- Hawaii
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| California | Hawaii | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 101.9 | 99.2 |
| 2009 | 102.0 | 103.5 |
| 2010 | 101.7 | 99.4 |
| 2011 | 101.6 | 99.5 |
| 2012 | 101.9 | 99.1 |
| 2013 | 101.8 | 100.9 |
| 2014 | 101.9 | 99.7 |
| 2015 | 102.8 | 99.8 |
| 2016 | 101.9 | 99.1 |
| 2017 | 103.3 | 98.3 |
| 2018 | 104.3 | 98.3 |
| 2019 | 102.4 | 100.2 |
| 2020 | 101.9 | 104.0 |
| 2021 | 102.1 | 104.4 |
| 2022 | 103.9 | 102.8 |
| 2023 | 104.4 | 102.1 |
| 2024 | 102.6 | 102.9 |
What incomes buy in each state
Income per person after adjusting for prices: $52,272 in Hawaii, $63,028 in California
Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).
- California
- Hawaii
- United States
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.
Show the numbers
| California | Hawaii | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $43,788 | $42,828 | $45,816 |
| 2009 | $42,377 | $41,102 | $44,204 |
| 2010 | $43,503 | $41,904 | $44,808 |
| 2011 | $44,844 | $41,967 | $45,957 |
| 2012 | $46,162 | $42,532 | $46,796 |
| 2013 | $45,826 | $40,531 | $46,358 |
| 2014 | $47,472 | $42,363 | $47,661 |
| 2015 | $50,054 | $43,533 | $49,396 |
| 2016 | $51,802 | $45,054 | $49,828 |
| 2017 | $52,569 | $45,829 | $51,006 |
| 2018 | $53,523 | $45,636 | $52,242 |
| 2019 | $55,931 | $46,712 | $53,683 |
| 2020 | $59,993 | $48,228 | $56,514 |
| 2021 | $63,373 | $50,046 | $59,365 |
| 2022 | $59,126 | $49,022 | $57,104 |
| 2023 | $60,100 | $50,923 | $58,088 |
| 2024 | $63,028 | $52,272 | $59,195 |
More
- Cost of living in California
- Cost of living in Hawaii
- Reverse: moving from Hawaii to California
- All states ranked
Related state comparisons
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State income, sales and property taxes differ a lot between states and are not included.
- Where you live inside the state. Statewide figures average cities and rural areas; the metro lists above show the spread.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider if housing is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels and incomes are for 2024; gas prices are weekly.