Moving to Hawaii from Massachusetts
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Massachusetts to Hawaii — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Massachusetts to Hawaii, you would find that Hawaii is 14.9% more expensive than Massachusetts. A $75,000 salary in Massachusetts would need to be roughly $85,900 in Hawaii to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Honolulu averages 84°F vs 59°F in Boston, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Massachusetts to Hawaii.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $85,900
To maintain the same standard of living in Hawaii
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 23.9% more
Groceries
pay 70.0% more
Transportation
pay 17.9% more
Housing
pay 7.7% more
Childcare
pay 28.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.1% more
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Massachusetts to Hawaii.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Massachusetts generally does better on safety, though Hawaii leads in violent crime rate.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Massachusetts generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Hawaii leads in adult obesity rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Massachusetts performs better than Hawaii across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Massachusetts generally does better on infrastructure, though Hawaii leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Massachusetts generally does better on employment & economy, though Hawaii leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Massachusetts generally does better on family life, though Hawaii leads in life expectancy.
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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Boston | Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) | 80°/67°F (27°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 85°/71°F (29°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) | 89°/74°F (31°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) | 84°/71°F (29°/22°C) |
View all months
| Month | Boston | Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) | 80°/66°F (26.7°/19.1°C) |
| Feb | 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) | 80°/66°F (26.8°/18.9°C) |
| Mar | 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) | 81°/68°F (27.3°/19.8°C) |
| Apr | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) | 83°/69°F (28.2°/20.8°C) |
| May | 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) | 85°/71°F (29.2°/21.6°C) |
| Jun | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) | 87°/73°F (30.6°/23.0°C) |
| Jul | 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) | 88°/74°F (31.1°/23.6°C) |
| Aug | 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) | 89°/75°F (31.5°/23.9°C) |
| Sep | 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.6°C) |
| Oct | 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) | 87°/73°F (30.4°/23.0°C) |
| Nov | 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) | 84°/71°F (28.8°/21.9°C) |
| Dec | 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C) | 81°/68°F (27.3°/20.2°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Hawaii than Massachusetts?
No — Hawaii is on average about 15% more expensive than Massachusetts. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Hawaii?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $21,475 in Hawaii on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Hawaii safe?
Massachusetts generally does better on safety, though Hawaii leads in violent crime rate.
How is healthcare in Hawaii compared to Massachusetts?
Massachusetts generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Hawaii leads in adult obesity rate.
What's the weather like in Hawaii compared to Massachusetts?
The average high temperature in Honolulu is 84°F, compared to 59°F in Boston. Honolulu receives around 17.1 in of rainfall per year, while Boston gets 43.8 in.
