Anchorage, AK vs Honolulu, HI: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Honolulu, HI has a modeled overall cost index 54.4% higher than Anchorage, AK.

Anchorage, AK · modeled 2BR rent: $1,720 / month
Honolulu, HI · modeled 2BR rent: $2,510 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓

Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Anchorage, AK and Honolulu, HI using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Anchorage, AK

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $4,297/month in Honolulu, HI

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $201,561 in Honolulu, HI

Regional cost estimates: Honolulu, HI uses Urban Honolulu, HI Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 54.4%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$4,297

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$51.6K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Anchorage, AK

Population:292K

Cost Index:

125.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$365K

Honolulu, HI

Population:351K

Cost Index:

193.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$657K

Planning the move to Honolulu?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

Anchorage, AK

The Last Frontier

292K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Alaska, this city has a population of 292K residents.

💡 Advantage: Alaska has no state income tax!

Honolulu, HI

The Aloha State

351K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Hawaii, this city has a population of 351K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Anchorage, AK vs Honolulu, HI

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Anchorage, AK	Honolulu, HI	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,442/mo	$6,166/mo	↑ $3,725more	152.5%
Transportation	$1,153/mo	$1,458/mo	↑ $305more	26.4%
Groceries	$1,058/mo	$1,329/mo	↑ $271more	25.6%
Healthcare	$710/mo	$562/mo	↓ $148less	20.8%
All Utilities	$657/mo	$735/mo	↑ $78.32more	11.9%
Other	$1,480/mo	$1,546/mo	↑ $66.65more	4.5%

Housing

↑ 152.5%

Anchorage, AK

$2,442

Honolulu, HI

$6,166

Difference

$3,725

Transportation

↑ 26.4%

Anchorage, AK

$1,153

Honolulu, HI

$1,458

Difference

$305

Groceries

↑ 25.6%

Anchorage, AK

$1,058

Honolulu, HI

$1,329

Difference

$271

Healthcare

↓ 20.8%

Anchorage, AK

$710

Honolulu, HI

$562

Difference

$148

less

All Utilities

↑ 11.9%

Anchorage, AK

$657

Honolulu, HI

$735

Difference

$78.32

Other

↑ 4.5%

Anchorage, AK

$1,480

Honolulu, HI

$1,546

Difference

$66.65

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,230

To$1,780

↑ $550

1 Bed

From$1,325

To$1,920

↑ $595

2 Bed

From$1,720

To$2,510

↑ $790

3 Bed

From$2,340

To$3,490

↑ $1,150

Anchorage, AKZIP-level data

1BR range: $890–$1,570/mo

Honolulu, HIZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,660–$3,020/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Anchorage, AK

$11,797

Monthly in Honolulu, HI

$4,297

Difference

Home Values

Anchorage

Honolulu

$365K

Median Value

$657K

↑ +3.9%

YoY Change

↓ -1.4%

↑ +20.9%

5-Year Change

↑ +13.5%

$316K - $658K

Price Range

$472K - $1.77M

Homes in Honolulu are 80% more expensive than Anchorage

Calculate payment - Anchorage Calculate payment - Honolulu

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $11.6K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$969

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

7.8%

Rate difference

Anchorage, AK

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Alaska State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Honolulu, HI

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Hawaii State Tax

Effective: 7.8%

$11.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 32.4%

$48.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,446/month

$101.4K

Additional Tax Information

Anchorage, AK Tax Rates

Sales Tax:1.8%

Property Tax:0.9%

Honolulu, HI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:4.5%

Property Tax:0.3%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Anchorage, AK

24/100

0.6% sidewalk tags · 6.1% cycling tags

Honolulu, HI: No data yet

Environment

Anchorage

Honolulu

24 Good

Air Quality

N/A

81.1%

Good Air Days

97 High

Climate Risk

N/A

🫨

Top Hazards

Before moving from Anchorage, AK to Honolulu, HI

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Honolulu, HI for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Anchorage, AK. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Anchorage to Honolulu moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Honolulu, HI by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Anchorage, AK vs Honolulu, HI

How do the cost estimates for Anchorage, AK and Honolulu, HI compare?

Honolulu, HI has a modeled overall cost index 54.4% higher than Anchorage, AK. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Anchorage, AK, the model estimates $201,561 in Honolulu, HI. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Anchorage, AK and Honolulu, HI?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,720/month in Anchorage, AK and $2,510/month in Honolulu, HI. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Alaska and Hawaii on TaxTakeHome.com