Hilo, HI Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Hilo. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Hilo compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Hilo, Hawaii

Cost of living in Hilo research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Hilo is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Hawaii, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

136 Cost of living index 1.4x higher vs US
#2 Cheapest in Hawaii (of 52)
#5,229 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$548,367 Median home value
$1,427 Median rent
$81,779 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Hilo, HI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Hilo has an overall cost of living index of 136, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Hawaii, Hilo has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than Hawaii's index of 163.

The standard of living in Hilo ranks as #2 most affordable out of the 52 places we measured in Hawaii. By definition, that implies Hilo ranks as the #50 most expensive place in the Aloha State.

For more reading on life in Hilo, check out:

Hilo Cost Of Living Vs. Hawaii

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Hilo. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Hilo is 125.

  • The Groceries index in Hilo is 117.

  • The Health index in Hilo is 162.

  • The Housing index in Hilo is 121.

  • The Transportation index in Hilo is 131.

  • The Utilities index in Hilo is 125.

Living ExpenseHiloHawaiiNational Average
Overall136163100
Services125124100
Groceries117118100
Health162253100
Housing121123100
Transportation131132100
Utilities125128100

Hilo Cost Of Living Compared To Hawaii Averages

Services
Hilo 125
Hawaii avg 124
Groceries
Hilo 117
Hawaii avg 118
Health
Hilo 162
Hawaii avg 253
Housing
Hilo 121
Hawaii avg 123
Transportation
Hilo 131
Hawaii avg 132
Utilities
Hilo 125
Hawaii avg 128

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Hawaii, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Hilo, HI Housing Cost Breakdown

$548,367Median Home Value
$1,427Median Rent
$81,779Median Income

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Hawaii, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Hilo is $548,367.

  • The Median Rent in Hilo is $1,427.

  • The Median Income in Hilo is $81,779.

  • The Home Value To Income in Hilo is 6.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Hilo is 0.21x.

StatisticHiloHawaiiUnited States
Median Home Value$548,367$832,966$332,700
Median Rent$1,427$1,971$1,413
Median Income$81,779$100,389$80,734
Home Value To Income6.7x8.3x4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income0.21x0.24x0.21x

Hilo, HI Costs By Category

Detailed Hilo Services costs vs. Hawaii
ItemHiloHawaii
Shampoo$1.72$1.28
Movie$10.04$12.13
Bowling$13.87$18
Haircut$12.17$24.26
Beauty Salon$31.47$45.56
Detailed Hilo Groceries costs vs. Hawaii
ItemHiloHawaii
Ground Beef$4.25$5.84
Fried Chicken$2.19$1.57
Milk$3.21$4.67
Potatoes$4.25$4.93
Pizza$12.3$12.09
Beer$7.78$10.41
Toothpaste$4.08$3.7
Detailed Hilo Health costs vs. Hawaii
ItemHiloHawaii
Optometrist$136.85$125.68
Doctor$133.68$135.78
Dentist$112.79$113.29
Detailed Hilo Transportation costs vs. Hawaii
ItemHiloHawaii
Gasoline$3.16$3.46
Tire Balancing$72.96$59.92
Detailed Hilo Utilities costs vs. Hawaii
ItemHiloHawaii
All Electricity$431.66$193.99
Phone$39.39$192.25

Hilo SnackAbility

7.5Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 7/10
Housing 8.5/10
Affordability 5/10
Diversity 10/10
SafetyN/A
Amenities 8/10
Education 8.5/10
Commute 9/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Hilo

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Hilo. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Hawaiian Paradise Park, HI has a cost of living index of 132, 1.0x Hilo.

CityPopulationCost Of LivingVs. Hilo
Hawaiian Paradise Park, HI13,2031321.0x