Moving to Pennsylvania from Hawaii

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Hawaii to Pennsylvania? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Hawaii to Pennsylvania, you would find that Pennsylvania is 16.1% cheaper than Hawaii. A $75,000 salary in Hawaii would need to be roughly $54,981 in Pennsylvania to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Harrisburg averages 61°F vs 84°F in Honolulu, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Hawaii and Pennsylvania.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $54,981

To maintain the same standard of living in Pennsylvania

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 27.9% less

Groceries

pay 39.7% less

Transportation

pay 14.1% less

Housing

pay 25.3% less

Childcare

pay 23.3% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 19.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Pennsylvania compared to Hawaii.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

HI
187
PA
264
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

HI
1672
PA
1567

Hawaii generally does better on safety, though Pennsylvania leads in property crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

HI
3.6%
PA
5.5%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

HI
25.6%
PA
34.4%

Hawaii generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pennsylvania leads in diabetes rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

HI
$808,200
PA
$240,500
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

HI
$1,938
PA
$1,162

Pennsylvania performs significantly better than Hawaii across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

HI
91.2%
PA
88.8%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

HI
26 min
PA
27 min

Hawaii performs better than Pennsylvania across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

HI
2.2%
PA
3.7%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

HI
$64,124
PA
$61,506

Hawaii performs better than Pennsylvania across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

HI
80.7 yrs
PA
76.8 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

HI
25%
PA
24%

Hawaii performs better than Pennsylvania across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Honolulu Rain: 17.1 in/yr (434 mm)
84° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Harrisburg Rain: 43.6 in/yr (1108 mm)
61° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Honolulu Harrisburg
Jan–Mar 80°/67°F (27°/19°C) 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/71°F (29°/22°C) 71°/50°F (22°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/74°F (31°/24°C) 81°/61°F (27°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 84°/71°F (29°/22°C) 52°/34°F (11°/1°C)
View all months
Month Honolulu Harrisburg
Jan 80°/66°F (26.7°/19.1°C) 36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C)
Feb 80°/66°F (26.8°/18.9°C) 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C)
Mar 81°/68°F (27.3°/19.8°C) 49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C)
Apr 83°/69°F (28.2°/20.8°C) 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C)
May 85°/71°F (29.2°/21.6°C) 72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C)
Jun 87°/73°F (30.6°/23.0°C) 81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C)
Jul 88°/74°F (31.1°/23.6°C) 85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C)
Aug 89°/75°F (31.5°/23.9°C) 83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C)
Sep 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.6°C) 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C)
Oct 87°/73°F (30.4°/23.0°C) 63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C)
Nov 84°/71°F (28.8°/21.9°C) 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C)
Dec 81°/68°F (27.3°/20.2°C) 40°/26°F (4.4°/-3.2°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Pennsylvania than Hawaii?

On average Pennsylvania is about 27% less expensive than Hawaii, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Pennsylvania?

Budget about $13,745 for 3 months in Pennsylvania (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Pennsylvania safe?

Hawaii generally does better on safety, though Pennsylvania leads in property crime rate.

How is healthcare in Pennsylvania compared to Hawaii?

Hawaii generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pennsylvania leads in diabetes rate.

What's the weather like in Pennsylvania compared to Hawaii?

The average high temperature in Harrisburg is 61°F, compared to 84°F in Honolulu. Harrisburg receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Honolulu gets 17.1 in.

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