F
77%
Overall NAT. AVG.
27%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
188%
Housing NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Waipahu Hawaii National
Cost of living177173100
Goods & Services127130100
Groceries117137100
Health care123126100
Housing288250100
Transportation135143100
Utilities151180100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Waipahu, HI

The cost of living in Waipahu affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Waipahu is 177, which is 77% higher than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.

If affordability is among your top priorities when searching for a new place to live, this area may not be the ideal fit, as the cost of living in Waipahu is among the most expensive in the United States. Just a minority of areas exhibit a cost of living at least 20% higher than the national average, and unfortunately, Waipahu falls into this category, which may not align with your goal of finding a budget-friendly living environment.

Housing costs significantly influence the Waipahu cost of living index, typically accounting for a substantial portion of one's post-tax income. Regrettably, within this particular region, expenses related to both residential ownership and renting exceeded those observed in an average city by 188%. This entails elements such as housing and rental prices, mortgage interest rates and insurance costs.

Goods and services make up 33% of the total cost of living index score and are a large part of your everyday expenses. These items could include things like haircuts, salons, toothpaste, shampoo, clothes, movies, bowling, gym memberships or yoga. In Waipahu, you can expect to pay 26.8% more than average for these items, making it a more expensive place to live.

The relentless increase in grocery prices is a noteworthy trend. In the last two years, grocery costs have experienced an upward trajectory of over 10%. Unfortunately, Waipahu is no exception, where grocery prices are 16.7% above the national average.

Is Waipahu Affordable?

Wondering if Waipahu is affordable? It's a question that often comes up when you're thinking about a new city since affordability can really shape your decisions. The cost of living index (covered earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a part in the affordability equation. In Waipahu, for example, the median home price is 250.9% higher than what folks pay nationally, and monthly rent is 41% higher than the usual rates. Plus, income levels matter too, with Waipahu boasting a median household income of $78,351, which is 41.6% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Waipahu?

Housing: High demand for housing in desirable locations can drive up property prices and rental rates. This can be a primary contributor to a higher cost of living. While low demand for housing, especially in undesirable locations, can have the reverse effect and drive prices down, resulting in a lower cost of living. The housing index in Waipahu, is 188% higher than the national average.

Healthcare: The costs associated with healthcare and insurance premiums can exhibit notable disparities based on the city or state of residence. Access to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for medical appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs and specialized medical care expenses all contribute to variations in the cost of living. In Waipahu, healthcare costs are 23.1% higher than the national average.

Urbanization: Urban areas with extensive amenities and job opportunities tend to have a higher cost of living due to increased demand for services and relocation, resulting in higher home prices and higher rents. Less densely populated rural areas, or areas with less demand tend to have fewer amenities and slower job growth, which results in a lower cost of living.

Where is the Data From?

The Waipahu cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Waipahu is 2% higher than the Hawaii average
  • The cost of living in Waipahu is 77% higher than the national average
  • Waipahu housing is 188% higher than the national average
  • Hawaii general sales tax is 22% lower than the national average
  • Hawaii state income tax is 46% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Waipahu

See all the best places to live around Waipahu

Compare Waipahu, HI Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$97,973$8,164$2,286$2,939
      Renters$54,271$4,523$1,266$1,628
      A good indicator of the general affordability of housing in Waipahu, HI, is the percentage of monthly income that should be spent on housing expenses, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Generally speaking, no more than 28 percent of your total gross income should be spent on your housing expenses and not more than 36 percent of your gross income on total expenses, including debts. In Waipahu, the median monthly income is $97,973 for those who own their own homes. Under the standard rule, that income level would allow for $2,286 to be budgeted for housing expenses each month, at the most. Renters, on the other hand, earn about $54,271, per the median income in the area. That would allow for renters to spend up to $1,266 on monthly rental expenses.

      Hawaii Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Hawaii 4% 4.712%

      Hawaii Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Hawaii 1.4% 11%

      Goods & Services

      Item Waipahu National avg. Difference
      Haircut $19.47$24.2619.8%
      Beauty Salon $76.67$45.5668.3%
      Toothpaste $3.68$3.700.6%
      Shampoo $1.73$1.2834.8%
      Movie $15.08$12.1324.3%
      Bowling $25.33$18.0040.7%

      Groceries

      Item Waipahu National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.42$5.847.2%
      Fried Chicken $2.85$1.5781.0%
      Milk $5.38$4.6715.1%
      Potatoes $5.94$4.9320.4%
      Pizza $14.99$12.0924.0%
      Beer $12.01$10.4115.4%

      Health Care

      Item Waipahu National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $236.67$125.6888.3%
      Doctor $191.36$135.7840.9%
      Dentist $114.44$113.291.0%
      Ibuprofen $11.35$10.656.6%
      Lipitor $573.90$468.6022.5%

      Housing

      Item Waipahu National avg. Difference
      Home Price $648,200.00$184,700.00250.9%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $8,008.77$2,346.69241.3%
      Apartment Rent $1,338.00$949.0041.0%

      Transportation

      Item Waipahu National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $4.80$3.4638.8%
      Tire Balancing $75.37$59.9225.8%

      Utilities

      Item Waipahu National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $359.53$193.9985.3%
      Phone $184.47$192.254.0%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Waianae, HI13,19214545.1%
      Makaha, HI10,08714646.3%
      Nanakuli, HI11,37915049.9%
      Waipio Acres, HI5,55615757.2%
      Waimalu, HI13,71415958.8%
      Waipahu, HI38,27617777.0%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Olive Branch, MS38,270982.1%
      Tupelo, MS38,2518614.0%
      Stanton, CA38,31714242.2%
      Brighton, CO38,35512121.2%
      Pahrump, NV38,390963.8%
      Waipahu, HI38,27617777.0%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.