City comparison
Urban Honolulu, HI vs Vallejo, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 2.3% higher than in Vallejo, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Vallejo, CA would need about $102,300 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 $1,705 in Vallejo, CA. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 28% in Vallejo, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $999 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Vallejo, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +19.7% moving from Urban Honolulu, HI to Vallejo, CA ($111,119 → $133,060), while prices change by −2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +22.5% in real buying power.
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much pricier)
- Vallejo, CA: price level 108.5 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Vallejo, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.0 | 108.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,763 in Vallejo | $102,288 in Urban Honolulu |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,016/mo | $1,705/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $6,070 (HI) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,220 | $58,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Hawaii | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Urban Honolulu, HI MSA and Vallejo, CA MSA. Metro areas: Urban Honolulu, HI and Vallejo, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Urban Honolulu | Vallejo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 135.5 | 142.0 |
| Goods | 111.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 187.3 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 102.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 111.0 | 108.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Urban Honolulu, HI → Vallejo, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$999/yr.
72 Strong offer
Vallejo, CA → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$999/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Urban Honolulu, HI is in the State of Hawaii pay area; Vallejo, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Urban Honolulu, HI to Vallejo, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Vallejo, CA | Real change, Urban Honolulu → Vallejo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,438 | $77,161 | +22.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,964 | $93,358 | +22.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,445 | $111,896 | +22.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,119 | $133,060 | +22.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,310 | $157,236 | +22.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Vallejo, CA | Vallejo pay in Urban Honolulu dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,080 | $100,790 | $103,096 (+41.1%) |
| Software Developers | $120,230 | $136,930 | $140,063 (+16.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,990 | $95,800 | $97,992 (+30.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,260 | $203,290 | $207,941 (+49.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.