Kula, HI Cost Of Living Report: Home Prices, Incomes, and Items

What is the cost of living in Kula, HI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Kula has an overall cost of living index of 228, which is 2.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Hawaii, Kula has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than Hawaii's index of 163.

The standard of living in Kula ranks as #51 most affordable out of the 52 places we measured in Hawaii. By definition, that implies Kula ranks as the #1 most expensive place in the Aloha State.

For more reading on life in Kula, check out:

Living In Kula

Kula Cost Of Living Vs. Hawaii

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

The Services index in Kula is 125.
The Groceries index in Kula is 117.
The Health index in Kula is 467.
The Housing index in Kula is 122.
The Transportation index in Kula is 128.
The Utilities index in Kula is 126.

Living Expense	Kula	Hawaii	National Average
Overall	228	163	100
Services	125	124	100
Groceries	117	118	100
Health	467	253	100
Housing	122	123	100
Transportation	128	132	100
Utilities	126	128	100

Kula Cost Of Living Compared To Hawaii Averages

Services

Kula 125

Hawaii avg 124

Groceries

Kula 117

Hawaii avg 118

Health

Kula 467

Hawaii avg 253

Housing

Kula 122

Hawaii avg 123

Transportation

Kula 128

Hawaii avg 132

Utilities

Kula 126

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:

Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Kula Get matched →

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

Kula, HI Housing Cost Breakdown

$1,320,089Median Home Value

$2,240Median Rent

$100,433Median 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 Kula is $1,320,089.
The Median Rent in Kula is $2,240.
The Median Income in Kula is $100,433.
The Home Value To Income in Kula is 13.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Kula is 0.27x.

Statistic	Kula	Hawaii	United States
Median Home Value	$1,320,089	$832,966	$332,700
Median Rent	$2,240	$1,971	$1,413
Median Income	$100,433	$100,389	$80,734
Home Value To Income	13.1x	8.3x	4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income	0.27x	0.24x	0.21x

Kula, HI Costs By Category

Detailed Kula Services costs vs. Hawaii

Item	Kula	Hawaii
Shampoo	$1.73	$1.28
Movie	$15.08	$12.13
Bowling	$25.33	$18
Haircut	$19.47	$24.26
Beauty Salon	$76.67	$45.56

Detailed Kula Groceries costs vs. Hawaii

Item	Kula	Hawaii
Ground Beef	$5.42	$5.84
Fried Chicken	$2.85	$1.57
Milk	$5.38	$4.67
Potatoes	$5.94	$4.93
Pizza	$14.99	$12.09
Beer	$12.01	$10.41
Toothpaste	$3.68	$3.7

Detailed Kula Health costs vs. Hawaii

Item	Kula	Hawaii
Optometrist	$236.67	$125.68
Doctor	$191.36	$135.78
Dentist	$114.44	$113.29

Detailed Kula Transportation costs vs. Hawaii

Item	Kula	Hawaii
Gasoline	$4.8	$3.46
Tire Balancing	$75.37	$59.92

Detailed Kula Utilities costs vs. Hawaii

Item	Kula	Hawaii
All Electricity	$359.53	$193.99
Phone	$184.47	$192.25

Kula SnackAbility

7Overall SnackAbility

Jobs 8/10

Housing 9.5/10

Affordability 4/10

Diversity 10/10

SafetyN/A

Amenities 6/10

Education 9/10

Commute 6/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Kula

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

Kahului, HI has a cost of living index of 170, 0.7x Kula.
Kihei, HI has a cost of living index of 177, 0.8x Kula.
Wailuku, HI has a cost of living index of 170, 0.7x Kula.

City	Population	Cost Of Living	Vs. Kula
Kahului, HI	28,288	170	0.7x
Kihei, HI	21,567	177	0.8x
Wailuku, HI	16,926	170	0.7x
Waihee-Waiehu, HI	10,988	165	0.7x
Haiku-Pauwela, HI	9,178	203	0.9x
Pukalani, HI	8,679	179	0.8x
Makawao, HI	7,353	175	0.8x
Wailea, HI	6,352	236	1.0x