Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Pahala, Hawaii
A $217,000 home here costs
$1,884per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,116. The real number is $768 higher every month — 69% 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.
Pahala against Hawaii County and Hawaii
| Measure | Pahala | Hawaii County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $216,600 | $486,400 |
| Median property tax | $274 | $1,392 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.127% | 0.286% |
| Median gross rent | $650 | $1,411 |
| Population | 1,785 | 203,684 |
The weather behind that power bill
Pahala sits in Hawaii County, which averages a high of 57.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 34.3°F in its coldest, with 14.3" of precipitation a year and 32% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 0 cooling and 6,919 heating degree days, which is what sets the $467 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Hawaii County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Hawaii County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Pahala?
A $217,000 home in Pahala, Hawaii costs approximately $1,884 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,116 principal and interest, $23 property tax, $29 homeowners insurance, $535 utilities and $181 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Pahala?
Pahala has an effective property tax rate of 0.127%, based on a median home value of $216,600 and median real estate taxes of $274. That is lower than the Hawaii County average of 0.286%.
What is the average home price in Pahala?
The median owner-occupied home value in Pahala, Hawaii is $216,600, against $486,400 across Hawaii County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Pahala?
Median gross rent in Pahala is $650 a month, against $1,884 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 Pahala — 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.