City comparison
Urban Honolulu, HI vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 11.2% higher than in Visalia, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Visalia, CA would need about $111,200 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 $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $999 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Visalia, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.7% moving from Urban Honolulu, HI to Visalia, CA ($111,119 → $106,973), while prices change by −10.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.0% in real buying power.
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much pricier)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.0 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,964 in Visalia | $111,156 in Urban Honolulu |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,016/mo | $1,123/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,220 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Hawaii | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Urban Honolulu, HI MSA and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Urban Honolulu, HI and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Urban Honolulu | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 135.5 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 111.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 187.3 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 102.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 111.0 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Urban Honolulu, HI → Visalia, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$999/yr.
100 Strong offer
Visalia, CA → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.0%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$999/yr.
25 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Urban Honolulu, HI is in the State of Hawaii pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Urban Honolulu, HI to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Visalia, CA | Real change, Urban Honolulu → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,438 | $62,033 | +7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,964 | $75,055 | +7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,445 | $89,959 | +7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,119 | $106,973 | +7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,310 | $126,410 | +7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Urban Honolulu dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,080 | $98,430 | $109,410 (+49.7%) |
| Software Developers | $120,230 | $126,170 | $140,245 (+16.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,990 | $79,400 | $88,257 (+17.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,260 | $125,180 | $139,144 (−0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.