Median rent is 26% lower in Urban Honolulu ($1,823/mo vs $2,476/mo). Buying is cheaper in Urban Honolulu, where the median home runs $843,400 versus $1,394,500. Households earn more in San Francisco ($140,970 vs $86,504 a year).
City A
San Francisco, CA
City B
Urban Honolulu, HI
How much would you need to earn in Urban Honolulu, HI to maintain your standard of living from San Francisco, CA?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
San Francisco
California
Urban Honolulu
Hawaii
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Renters will find significantly cheaper housing in Urban Honolulu — median rent of $1,823/mo versus $2,476/mo in San Francisco, a 26% difference. Home buyers face a steeper market in San Francisco: the median home is $1,394,500 versus $843,400 in Urban Honolulu — 40% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
San Francisco
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Urban Honolulu
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for Urban Honolulu (avg AQI 18.0) but not yet for San Francisco.
Pick San Francisco if you prioritize higher median household income ($140,970/yr).
Pick Urban Honolulu if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,823/mo median).
Is San Francisco cheaper than Urban Honolulu?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in San Francisco vs Urban Honolulu?
Median rent is $2,476/mo in San Francisco, CA and $1,823/mo in Urban Honolulu, HI. Urban Honolulu, HI has the lower rent by about 26%.
Which has higher salaries — San Francisco or Urban Honolulu?
Median household income is $140,970 in San Francisco, CA and $86,504 in Urban Honolulu, HI. San Francisco, CA has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Which has lower taxes — San Francisco or Urban Honolulu?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Urban Honolulu to match my San Francisco income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
