Cost of living in Wailea 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 Wailea 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 Wailea is 238, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Wailea is 2.4x higher than the national average.
Wailea ranks as the #52 cheapest in Hawaii out of 52.
Wailea ranks as the #6,416 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Wailea is $1,394,704.
The median income in Wailea is $89,375.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Wailea has an overall cost of living index of 238, which is 2.4x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Hawaii, Wailea has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than Hawaii's index of 171.
The standard of living in Wailea ranks as #52 most affordable out of the 52 places we measured in Hawaii. By definition, that implies Wailea ranks as the #0 most expensive place in the Aloha State.
For more reading on life in Wailea, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Wailea. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Wailea is 129.
The Groceries index in Wailea is 115.
The Health index in Wailea is 124.
The Housing index in Wailea is 495.
The Transportation index in Wailea is 136.
The Utilities index in Wailea is 150.
| Living Expense | Wailea | Hawaii | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 238 | 171 | 100 | |
| Services | 129 | 128 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 115 | 135 | 100 | |
| Health | 124 | 126 | 100 | |
| Housing | 495 | 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 Wailea is $1,394,704.
The Median Rent in Wailea is $2,485.
The Median Income in Wailea is $89,375.
The Home Value To Income in Wailea is 15.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Wailea is 0.33x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Wailea. 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, 0.7x Wailea.
Kihei, HI has a cost of living index of 177, 0.7x Wailea.
Wailuku, HI has a cost of living index of 172, 0.7x Wailea.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Wailea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului, HI | 27,068 | 174 | 0.7x |
| Kihei, HI | 22,564 | 177 | 0.7x |
| Wailuku, HI | 15,754 | 172 | 0.7x |
| 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 | 0.7x |
| Kula, HI | 6,557 | 227 | 1.0x |