| Index | Makaha | Hawaii | National |
| Cost of living | 143 | 163 | 100 |
| Groceries | 124 | 126 | 100 |
| Health care | 116 | 119 | 100 |
| Housing | 191 | 252 | 100 |
| Transportation | 117 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 131 | 131 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 126 | 127 | 100 |
| Household Items | 112 | 115 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 132 | 132 | 100 |
Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Makaha? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Makaha stands at 143, making it 43% higher than the national average. The cost of living directly affects the affordability of one's desired lifestyle. Knowing the cost of housing, transportation, groceries and other essentials in the new area allows people to gauge whether they can maintain their preferred standard of living.
If you value affordability in your search for a new place to live, Makaha may not be the most suitable option, as it stands out as one of the priciest areas in the entire United States. Only a small fraction of regions have a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and regrettably, Makaha falls into this category, which may not align with your desire for an affordable place to call home.
When it comes to the cost of living in Makaha, housing costs are a real heavyweight, often hogging a significant chunk of your earnings. Sadly, in this area, housing expenses for both buying and renting were 90.7% more expensive compared to your average city. That means you'll be shelling out more for homes, rents, mortgage rates and insurance.
Household expenses account for 8% of the cost of living index and include the products people rely on every week, from toiletries and detergent to clothing and kitchen essentials. In Makaha, household essentials are 12.2% more expensive than the U.S. average, which can leave less room in your monthly budget.
The substantial and relentless rise in grocery prices definitely warrants some attention. Over the past two years, grocery expenses have escalated by more than 10%. Having said that, the situation in Makaha is even less favorable, with grocery prices here being 24% higher than the national average.
Is Makaha an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Makaha, the median home price is 103.1% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 61.7% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Makaha come in at $77,371, which is 4.9% lower than the national average.
Transportation: In cities with limited or no public transportation, residents may find it necessary to own and maintain vehicles, thereby elevating the cost of living. Monthly expenditures include fuel, insurance, routine maintenance and potential lease or financing commitments. In Makaha, the transportation index stands at 17.1% higher than the national average.
Taxes: Regions that impose higher taxes, including sales and income taxes, can contribute to an increased cost of living. Higher taxes for everyday necessities such as clothing, utilities and food inevitably leads to higher expenditures. Additionally, a higher income tax rate can also play a role in elevating the overall cost of living. In Makaha, the prevailing sales tax rate starts at 4%, and income tax rates kick off at 1.4%.
Subsidies: Some areas might offer government subsidies or assistance programs that help lower cost of living for residents. These programs can include anything from Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and crop subsidies. Areas that offer less subsidies, could see an increase in their cost of living.
The Makaha cost of living estimates above use a normalized U.S. average of 100 as the baseline for comparison. Housing values incorporate local home price and rental information from the U.S. Census, while all other estimates are AI-assisted and modeled using expected everyday expenses, local market trends, climate, and transportation-related cost pressures. The results are intended for practical city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $117,358 | $9,780 | $2,738 | $3,521 |
| Renters | $53,375 | $4,448 | $1,245 | $1,601 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Hawaii | 4% | 4.712% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Hawaii | 1.4% | 11% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Waianae, HI | 13,612 | 141 | 40.9% |
| Nanakuli, HI | 11,830 | 145 | 45.1% |
| Waipio Acres, HI | 5,724 | 154 | 53.8% |
| Kalaeloa, HI | 2,475 | 164 | 63.6% |
| Wahiawa, HI | 16,989 | 165 | 64.9% |
| Makaha, HI | 10,411 | 143 | 42.7% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Bel Air, MD | 10,411 | 117 | 17.0% |
| Manville, NJ | 10,409 | 123 | 22.6% |
| Mono, ON | 10,413 | n/a | |
| Cavan Monaghan, ON | 10,407 | n/a | |
| Purcellville, VA | 10,402 | 144 | 44.0% |
| Makaha, HI | 10,411 | 143 | 42.7% |
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