Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Makawao, Hawaii
A $820,000 home here costs
$5,638per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $4,216. The real number is $1,422 higher every month — 34% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Makawao against Maui County and Hawaii
| Measure | Makawao | Maui County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $819,600 | $858,600 |
| Median property tax | $1,131 | $1,442 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.138% | 0.168% |
| Median gross rent | $1,699 | $1,863 |
| Population | 7,263 | 164,632 |
The weather behind that power bill
Makawao sits in Maui County, which averages a high of 90.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 63.6°F in its coldest, with 16.21" of precipitation a year and 45% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 4,423 cooling and 0 heating degree days, which is what sets the $467 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Maui County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Maui County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Makawao?
A $820,000 home in Makawao, Hawaii costs approximately $5,638 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $4,216 principal and interest, $94 property tax, $109 homeowners insurance, $535 utilities and $683 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Makawao?
Makawao has an effective property tax rate of 0.138%, based on a median home value of $819,600 and median real estate taxes of $1,131. That is lower than the Maui County average of 0.168%.
What is the average home price in Makawao?
The median owner-occupied home value in Makawao, Hawaii is $819,600, against $858,600 across Maui County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Makawao?
Median gross rent in Makawao is $1,699 a month, against $5,638 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Makawao — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Hawaii.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.