Route comparison
San Diego, CA vs Honolulu, HI: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between San Diego, CA and Honolulu, HI. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
San Diego, CA
CA
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 114.5
- Housing RPP
- 183.9
- Goods RPP
- 108.2
- 2-BR median rent
- $2,833/mo
California income tax 1%-13.3%. No city income tax.
Honolulu, HI
HI
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 112.9
- Housing RPP
- 148.4
- Goods RPP
- 111.8
- 2-BR median rent
- $2,252/mo
Hawaii income tax 1.4%-11.0%. Highest goods prices outside mainland due to shipping.
Equivalent salary
Honolulu, HI is cheaper than San Diego, CA by about 1.4% (RPP 114.5 to 112.9).
$60,000 in San Diego, CA
-> $59,162
in Honolulu, HI
$100,000 in San Diego, CA
-> $98,603
in Honolulu, HI
$150,000 in San Diego, CA
-> $147,904
in Honolulu, HI
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
Migration signal: San Diego, CA vs Honolulu, HI
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022San Diego, CA
- Net people
- −26,865
- Net rank
- #57 of 65
- Top origin share
- 9%
- Top destination share
- 11%
Largest source: Los Angeles County, CA. Largest destination: Riverside County, CA.
Honolulu, HI
- Net people
- −8,970
- Net rank
- #46 of 65
- Top origin share
- 4%
- Top destination share
- 5%
Largest source: San Diego County, CA. Largest destination: Clark County, NV.
Rent delta: Honolulu, HI is $581/mo lower for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than San Diego, CA. Housing RPP moves from 183.9 to 148.4.
Migration figures are derived from IRS SOI county-to-county migration data for 2021-2022, mapped to metros via Census CBSA delineation. Small county-to-county flows are IRS-suppressed, so per-metro totals are lower bounds. Source: IRS SOI migration data.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Honolulu, HI cheaper or more expensive than San Diego, CA?
- Honolulu, HI (RPP 112.9) is cheaper than San Diego, CA (RPP 114.5) by about 1.4%.
- What salary do I need in Honolulu, HI if I earn $100,000 in San Diego, CA?
- You would need approximately $98,603 in Honolulu, HI to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in San Diego, CA. Formula: $100,000 x (112.9 / 114.5).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, San Diego, CA or Honolulu, HI?
- For 2021-2022, San Diego, CA had a net loss of 26,865 people, while Honolulu, HI had a net loss of 8,970 people. IRS small-flow suppression means these are lower-bound research signals, not complete population-change totals.