Moving to Hawaii from Rhode Island

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Rhode Island to Hawaii — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Rhode Island to Hawaii, you would find that Hawaii is 17.2% more expensive than Rhode Island. A $75,000 salary in Rhode Island would need to be roughly $85,510 in Hawaii to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Honolulu averages 84°F vs 61°F in Providence, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Rhode Island to Hawaii.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $85,510

To maintain the same standard of living in Hawaii

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 21.5% more

Groceries

pay 52.2% more

Transportation

pay 4.2% more

Housing

pay 6.5% more

Childcare

pay 12.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 8.0% 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 Rhode Island to Hawaii.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

RI
165
HI
187
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

RI
1102
HI
1672

Rhode Island performs better than Hawaii across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

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

share of people without health insurance

RI
4.2%
HI
3.6%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

RI
31.6%
HI
25.6%

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

What about housing?

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

typical price of a home

RI
$368,800
HI
$808,200
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

RI
$1,273
HI
$1,938

Rhode Island performs 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

RI
90.8%
HI
91.2%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

RI
26 min
HI
26 min

Rhode Island generally does better on infrastructure, though Hawaii leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

RI
4.4%
HI
2.2%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

RI
$56,938
HI
$64,124

Hawaii performs significantly better than Rhode Island across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

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

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

RI
26%
HI
25%

Rhode Island 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.

Providence Rain: 47.2 in/yr (1198 mm)
61° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Providence Honolulu
Jan–Mar 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) 80°/67°F (27°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/49°F (20°/9°C) 85°/71°F (29°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/61°F (26°/16°C) 89°/74°F (31°/24°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/35°F (12°/2°C) 84°/71°F (29°/22°C)
View all months
Month Providence Honolulu
Jan 37°/21°F (3.0°/-6.1°C) 80°/66°F (26.7°/19.1°C)
Feb 40°/24°F (4.6°/-4.7°C) 80°/66°F (26.8°/18.9°C)
Mar 48°/30°F (8.8°/-1.1°C) 81°/68°F (27.3°/19.8°C)
Apr 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.2°C) 83°/69°F (28.2°/20.8°C)
May 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.2°C) 85°/71°F (29.2°/21.6°C)
Jun 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.7°C) 87°/73°F (30.6°/23.0°C)
Jul 83°/64°F (28.2°/17.9°C) 88°/74°F (31.1°/23.6°C)
Aug 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.3°C) 89°/75°F (31.5°/23.9°C)
Sep 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.9°C) 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.6°C)
Oct 63°/44°F (17.4°/6.6°C) 87°/73°F (30.4°/23.0°C)
Nov 53°/36°F (11.8°/2.1°C) 84°/71°F (28.8°/21.9°C)
Dec 42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.2°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 Rhode Island?

No — Hawaii is on average about 14% more expensive than Rhode Island. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Hawaii?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $21,378 in Hawaii on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Hawaii safe?

Rhode Island performs better than Hawaii across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Hawaii compared to Rhode Island?

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

What's the weather like in Hawaii compared to Rhode Island?

The average high temperature in Honolulu is 84°F, compared to 61°F in Providence. Honolulu receives around 17.1 in of rainfall per year, while Providence gets 47.2 in.

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