City comparison
Urban Honolulu, HI vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 19.9% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $119,900 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 $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $6,070 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Urban Honolulu, HI to Waco, TX ($111,119 → $106,437), while prices change by −16.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.8% in real buying power.
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much pricier)
- Waco, TX: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.0 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,408 in Waco | $119,893 in Urban Honolulu |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,016/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $6,070 (HI) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,220 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Hawaii | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Urban Honolulu, HI MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Urban Honolulu, HI and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Urban Honolulu | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 135.5 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 111.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 187.3 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 102.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 111.0 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Urban Honolulu, HI → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$6,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.6%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$6,070/yr.
25 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Urban Honolulu, HI is in the State of Hawaii pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Urban Honolulu, HI to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Waco, TX | Real change, Urban Honolulu → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,438 | $61,722 | +14.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,964 | $74,678 | +14.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,445 | $89,508 | +14.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,119 | $106,437 | +14.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,310 | $125,776 | +14.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Urban Honolulu dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,080 | $59,100 | $70,857 (−3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $120,230 | $123,080 | $147,564 (+22.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,990 | $76,140 | $91,287 (+21.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,260 | $92,890 | $111,369 (−20.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.