Cost of living in Makawao 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 Makawao 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 Makawao is 177, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Makawao is 1.8x higher than the national average.
Makawao ranks as the #22 cheapest in Hawaii out of 52.
Makawao ranks as the #6,155 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Makawao is $1,108,673.
The median income in Makawao is $96,116.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Makawao has an overall cost of living index of 177, which is 1.8x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Hawaii, Makawao has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Hawaii's index of 171.
The standard of living in Makawao ranks as #22 most affordable out of the 52 places we measured in Hawaii. By definition, that implies Makawao ranks as the #30 most expensive place in the Aloha State.
For more reading on life in Makawao, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Makawao. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Makawao is 125.
The Groceries index in Makawao is 116.
The Health index in Makawao is 123.
The Housing index in Makawao is 283.
The Transportation index in Makawao is 136.
The Utilities index in Makawao is 150.
| Living Expense | Makawao | Hawaii | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 177 | 171 | 100 | |
| Services | 125 | 128 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 116 | 135 | 100 | |
| Health | 123 | 126 | 100 | |
| Housing | 283 | 249 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 136 | 144 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 150 | 181 | 100 | |
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 Makawao is $1,108,673.
The Median Rent in Makawao is $1,699.
The Median Income in Makawao is $96,116.
The Home Value To Income in Makawao is 11.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Makawao is 0.21x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Makawao. 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, 1.0x Makawao.
Kihei, HI has a cost of living index of 177, 1.0x Makawao.
Wailuku, HI has a cost of living index of 172, 1.0x Makawao.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Makawao |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului, HI | 27,068 | 174 | 1.0x |
| Kihei, HI | 22,564 | 177 | 1.0x |
| Wailuku, HI | 15,754 | 172 | 1.0x |
| Waihee-Waiehu, HI | 11,369 | 167 | 0.9x |
| Haiku-Pauwela, HI | 9,290 | 208 | 1.2x |
| Pukalani, HI | 8,490 | 186 | 1.1x |
| Wailea, HI | 6,571 | 238 | 1.3x |
| Kula, HI | 6,557 | 227 | 1.3x |