Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Urban Honolulu, Hawaii
A $834,000 home here costs
$5,933per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $254,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $4,620. The real number is $1,313 higher every month, 28% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Honolulu County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Urban Honolulu against Honolulu County and Hawaii
| Measure | Urban Honolulu | Honolulu County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $834,100 | $873,000 |
| Median property tax | $2,416 | $2,482 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.290% | 0.284% |
| Median gross rent | $1,783 | $2,054 |
| Population | 346,323 | 1,003,666 |
The weather behind that power bill
Urban Honolulu sits in Honolulu County, which averages a high of 85.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 64.4°F in its coldest, with 21.78" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 3,609 cooling and 0 heating degree days, which is what sets the $238 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Honolulu County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Honolulu County
Full Honolulu County cost breakdown · Every county in Hawaii
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Urban Honolulu averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Urban Honolulu every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Urban Honolulu I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Urban Honolulu?
A $834,000 home in Urban Honolulu, Hawaii costs approximately $5,933 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $4,620 principal and interest, $202 property tax, $111 homeowners insurance, $306 utilities and $695 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Urban Honolulu?
Urban Honolulu has an effective property tax rate of 0.290%, based on a median home value of $834,100 and median real estate taxes of $2,416. That is in line with the Honolulu County average of 0.284%.
What is the average home price in Urban Honolulu?
The median owner-occupied home value in Urban Honolulu, Hawaii is $834,100, against $873,000 across Honolulu County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Urban Honolulu?
Median gross rent in Urban Honolulu is $1,783 a month, against $5,933 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Urban Honolulu?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Urban Honolulu, Hawaii at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $254,500 a year. That covers the full $5,933 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Urban Honolulu, 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.