Moving to Hawaii from Massachusetts

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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

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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Massachusetts to Hawaii.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MA
308
HI
187
Property crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MA
1077
HI
1672

Massachusetts generally does better on safety, though Hawaii leads in violent crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rateUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

MA
2.6%
HI
3.6%
Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MA
28.8%
HI
25.6%

Massachusetts generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Hawaii leads in adult obesity rate.

What about housing?

Median home valueUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

MA
$525,800
HI
$808,200
Median rentUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MA
$1,687
HI
$1,938

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MA
91.9%
HI
91.2%
Average commuteUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MA
29 min
HI
26 min

Massachusetts generally does better on infrastructure, though Hawaii leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MA
4.7%
HI
2.2%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MA
$87,892
HI
$64,124

Massachusetts generally does better on employment & economy, though Hawaii leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

MA
79.0 yrs
HI
80.7 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higherUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

MA
32%
HI
25%

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.

BostonRain: 43.8 in/yr (1112 mm)
59°/44°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsBostonHonolulu
Jan–Mar40°/26°F (4°/-3°C)80°/67°F (27°/19°C)
Apr–Jun66°/50°F (19°/10°C)85°/71°F (29°/22°C)
Jul–Sep78°/62°F (25°/17°C)89°/74°F (31°/24°C)
Oct–Dec51°/38°F (11°/3°C)84°/71°F (29°/22°C)
View all months
MonthBostonHonolulu
Jan36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C)80°/66°F (26.7°/19.1°C)
Feb39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C)80°/66°F (26.8°/18.9°C)
Mar45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C)81°/68°F (27.3°/19.8°C)
Apr56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C)83°/69°F (28.2°/20.8°C)
May66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C)85°/71°F (29.2°/21.6°C)
Jun76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C)87°/73°F (30.6°/23.0°C)
Jul81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C)88°/74°F (31.1°/23.6°C)
Aug80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C)89°/75°F (31.5°/23.9°C)
Sep72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C)89°/74°F (31.4°/23.6°C)
Oct61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C)87°/73°F (30.4°/23.0°C)
Nov51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C)84°/71°F (28.8°/21.9°C)
Dec41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C)81°/68°F (27.3°/20.2°C)

Data: National Weather Service 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.

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