City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Urban Honolulu, HI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 9.2% higher than in Eugene, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Eugene, OR would need about $109,200 in Urban Honolulu, HI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,016 a month in Urban Honolulu, HI versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,851 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Urban Honolulu, HI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Eugene, OR to Urban Honolulu, HI ($106,437 → $111,119), while prices change by +9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.4% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Eugene, OR | Urban Honolulu, HI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 111.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,248 in Urban Honolulu | $91,535 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $2,016/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $73,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $6,070 (HI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $57,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | State of Hawaii |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Urban Honolulu, HI MSA. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Urban Honolulu, HI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 135.5 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 111.6 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 187.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.9 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 111.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$1,851/yr.
30 Weak offer
Urban Honolulu, HI → Eugene, OR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,851/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Urban Honolulu, HI is in State of Hawaii. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to Urban Honolulu, HI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Urban Honolulu, HI | Real change, Eugene → Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,438 | −4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,964 | −4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,445 | −4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,119 | −4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,310 | −4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Urban Honolulu, HI | Urban Honolulu pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $73,080 | $66,894 (+4.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $120,230 | $110,052 (−9.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $74,990 | $68,642 (−14.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $139,260 | $127,471 (+12.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.