Cost of Living in Hawaii vs. Detroit, MI
A side-by-side look at how Honolulu compares with Detroit on overall prices, rent, home values, wages and electricity. Use it as an orientation guide, not a price quote: every figure is a published measurement from a federal agency or Zillow, and each row shows its own source and date.
Overall prices: Honolulu vs. Detroit
Regional price parities compare each metro’s price level with the U.S. average, which is set at 100. A metro at 110 is about 10% more expensive than the country as a whole. The first row covers everything a household buys; the rest break it into goods, housing, utilities and other services.
| Measure | Detroit | Honolulu | Difference | % Difference | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All itemsSource: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024. Released February 19, 2026. | 100.3 | 111.0 | +10.7 points | +10.7% | Honolulu higher: costs more in Hawaii |
| GoodsSource: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024. Released February 19, 2026. | 98.8 | 111.6 | +12.8 points | +13.0% | Honolulu higher: costs more in Hawaii |
| Housing (rents)Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024. Released February 19, 2026. | 94.7 | 135.5 | +40.8 points | +43.1% | Honolulu higher: costs more in Hawaii |
| UtilitiesSource: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024. Released February 19, 2026. | 107.0 | 187.3 | +80.3 points | +75.0% | Honolulu higher: costs more in Hawaii |
| Other servicesSource: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024. Released February 19, 2026. | 102.6 | 102.9 | +0.3 points | +0.3% | About the same |
Rent: Honolulu vs. Detroit
HUD fair market rents are gross rents (rent plus basic utilities) for a modest unit, set at the 40th percentile of local rents. Zillow’s observed rent index is the typical market rent across homes and apartments. The HUD rents for Detroit cover the Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD area; Honolulu’s cover all of Oahu.
| Measure | Detroit | Honolulu | Difference | % Difference | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio, HUD fair market rentSource: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents, FY2027. Released August 26, 2026. | $1,047/mo | $1,836/mo | +$789/mo | +75.4% | Honolulu higher: costs more in Hawaii |
| 1 bedroom, HUD fair market rentSource: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents, FY2027. Released August 26, 2026. | $1,167/mo | $1,951/mo | +$784/mo | +67.2% | Honolulu higher: costs more in Hawaii |
| 2 bedrooms, HUD fair market rentSource: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents, FY2027. Released August 26, 2026. | $1,459/mo | $2,542/mo | +$1,083/mo | +74.2% | Honolulu higher: costs more in Hawaii |
| 3 bedrooms, HUD fair market rentSource: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents, FY2027. Released August 26, 2026. | $1,777/mo | $3,520/mo | +$1,743/mo | +98.1% | Honolulu higher: costs more in Hawaii |
| 4 bedrooms, HUD fair market rentSource: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents, FY2027. Released August 26, 2026. | $1,929/mo | $4,249/mo | +$2,320/mo | +120.3% | Honolulu higher: costs more in Hawaii |
| Typical market rent, ZillowSource: Zillow Observed Rent Index, September 2026. Released October 16, 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group. | $1,514/mo | $3,015/mo | +$1,501/mo | +99.1% | Honolulu higher: costs more in Hawaii |
Home values: Honolulu vs. Detroit
Zillow’s home value index is the typical value of homes in the middle third of the market, single-family homes and condos together. It is a value, not a monthly cost: what a purchase costs each month depends on the down payment and the mortgage rate.
| Measure | Detroit | Honolulu | Difference | % Difference | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, ZillowSource: Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026. Released October 16, 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group. | $264,316 | $855,973 | +$591,657 | +223.8% | Honolulu higher: costs more in Hawaii |
Wages: Honolulu vs. Detroit
Annual wages across all jobs in each metro, from the federal Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. For wages, "Honolulu higher" means jobs in Hawaii pay more.
| Measure | Detroit | Honolulu | Difference | % Difference | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean annual wage, all jobsSource: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Released May 15, 2026. | $69,210/yr | $71,940/yr | +$2,730/yr | +3.9% | Honolulu higher: pays more in Hawaii |
| Median annual wage, all jobsSource: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Released May 15, 2026. | $52,080/yr | $57,220/yr | +$5,140/yr | +9.9% | Honolulu higher: pays more in Hawaii |
Electricity: Honolulu vs. Detroit
The average residential price per kilowatt hour over the latest 12 months (total residential revenue divided by total sales). These are statewide averages for Michigan and Hawaii, not city rates. Hawaii’s figure includes the neighbor islands, where rates run higher than on Oahu.
| Measure | Detroit | Honolulu | Difference | % Difference | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential electricity, 12-month averageSource: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861M, 12-month average through July 2026. Released September 24, 2026. | 21.05¢/kWh | 43.51¢/kWh | +22.46¢/kWh | +106.7% | Honolulu higher: costs more in Hawaii |
Sources and what these figures can tell you
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities: 2024, released February 19, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents: FY2027, released August 26, 2026.
- Zillow Observed Rent Index: September 2026, released October 16, 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
- Zillow Home Value Index: September 2026, released October 16, 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: May 2025, released May 15, 2026.
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861M: 12-month average through July 2026, released September 24, 2026.
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