City comparison
Springfield, MO 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 25.3% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $125,300 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 $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,307 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Springfield, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Springfield, MO to Urban Honolulu, HI ($106,437 → $111,119), while prices change by +25.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −16.7% in real buying power.
- Springfield, MO: price level 88.6 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Springfield, MO | Urban Honolulu, HI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.6 | 111.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $125,259 in Urban Honolulu | $79,834 in Springfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $883/mo | $2,016/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $73,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $6,070 (HI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,780 | $57,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | State of Hawaii |
Rent areas: Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area and Urban Honolulu, HI MSA. Metro areas: Springfield, MO and Urban Honolulu, HI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Springfield | Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 65.6 | 135.5 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 111.6 |
| Utilities | 85.8 | 187.3 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 102.9 |
| Overall | 88.6 | 111.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Springfield, MO → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −20.2%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$2,307/yr.
25 Weak offer
Urban Honolulu, HI → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +25.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$2,307/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Springfield, MO 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 Springfield, MO to Urban Honolulu, HI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Springfield, MO | Urban Honolulu, HI | Real change, Springfield → Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,438 | −16.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,964 | −16.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,445 | −16.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,119 | −16.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,310 | −16.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Springfield, MO | Urban Honolulu, HI | Urban Honolulu pay in Springfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,380 | $73,080 | $58,343 (+18.2%) |
| Software Developers | $102,350 | $120,230 | $95,985 (−6.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,020 | $74,990 | $59,868 (−18.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,370 | $139,260 | $111,177 (+40.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.