Kula, HI Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Kula, HI Summary

Cost of living in Kula 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 Kula 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:

  • The cost of living index in Kula is 227, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Kula is 2.3x higher than the national average.

  • Kula ranks as the #50 cheapest in Hawaii out of 52.

  • Kula ranks as the #6,400 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Kula is $1,338,976.

  • The median income in Kula is $91,476.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
227
Kula's Overall Cost Of Living
2.3x
Higher Than The National Average

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 227, which is 2.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Hawaii, Kula has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Hawaii's index of 171.

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

For more reading on life in Kula, check out:

50 out of 52
In Hawaii
6,400 out of 6,489
In America

Kula Cost Of Living Vs. Hawaii

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

  • The Services index in Kula is 128.

  • The Groceries index in Kula is 115.

  • The Health index in Kula is 124.

  • The Housing index in Kula is 460.

  • The Transportation index in Kula is 134.

  • The Utilities index in Kula is 149.

Living Expense Kula Hawaii National Average
Overall 227 171 100
Services 128 128 100
Groceries 115 135 100
Health 124 126 100
Housing 460 249 100
Transportation 134 144 100
Utilities 149 181 100
For more reading on cost of living around Hawaii, check out:
Kula Cost of Living Vs. HI

Kula, HI Housing Cost Breakdown

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 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Kula is $1,338,976.

  • The Median Rent in Kula is $2,208.

  • The Median Income in Kula is $91,476.

  • The Home Value To Income in Kula is 14.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Kula is 0.29x.

Statistic Kula Hawaii United States
Median Home Value $1,338,976 $826,574 $303,400
Median Rent $2,208 $1,938 $1,348
Median Income $91,476 $98,317 $78,538
Home Value To Income 14.6x 8.4x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.29x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,338,976
Median Home Value
$2,208
Median Rent
$91,476
Median Income

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

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
N/A
Amenities
6
Education
9
Commute
6

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 174, 0.8x Kula.

  • Kihei, HI has a cost of living index of 177, 0.8x Kula.

  • Wailuku, HI has a cost of living index of 172, 0.8x Kula.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Kula
Kahului, HI 27,068 174 0.8x
Kihei, HI 22,564 177 0.8x
Wailuku, HI 15,754 172 0.8x
Waihee-Waiehu, HI 11,369 167 0.7x
Haiku-Pauwela, HI 9,290 208 0.9x
Pukalani, HI 8,490 186 0.8x
Makawao, HI 7,263 177 0.8x
Wailea, HI 6,571 238 1.0x

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