| Index | Waimalu | Hawaii | National |
| Cost of living | 155 | 163 | 100 |
| Groceries | 127 | 126 | 100 |
| Health care | 120 | 119 | 100 |
| Housing | 229 | 252 | 100 |
| Transportation | 120 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 126 | 131 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 127 | 127 | 100 |
| Household Items | 116 | 115 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 131 | 132 | 100 |
Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Waimalu? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Waimalu stands at 155, making it 55% 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 affordability is among your top priorities when searching for a new place to live, this area may not be the ideal fit, as the cost of living in Waimalu is among the most expensive in the United States. Just a minority of areas exhibit a cost of living at least 20% higher than the national average, and unfortunately, Waimalu falls into this category, which may not align with your goal of finding a budget-friendly living environment.
Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Waimalu, and they usually eat into a large part of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, both buying a home and renting one costs 129% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.
Household expenses make up 8% of the total cost of living index score and cover the everyday essentials needed to keep your home running smoothly. These items may include cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, toiletries, clothing basics, and kitchen essentials. In Waimalu, you can expect to pay 15.9% more than average for these everyday necessities, making it a more expensive place to live.
The surge in grocery costs is indeed alarming, especially when groceries make up a large portion of your monthly expenditures. Over the past two years, there has been an inflation of over 10% in grocery prices. Unfortunately, Waimalu does not fare better, with grocery expenses coming in at 27.1% higher than the national average.
Is Waimalu affordable? This is a pivotal question, especially when mulling over a move, as affordability carries substantial weight in your decision-making process. Factors such as the cost of living index (discussed earlier), housing expenses and income levels all contribute to a location's affordability. For instance, in Waimalu, the median home price is 148.5% higher than the national average and monthly rent prices are 83.3% higher than the typical rates. Additionally, the median income levels play a role in affordability, with Waimalu boasting a median household income of $110,359, 35.7% higher than the national average.
Groceries: Grocery prices have seen substantial hikes in the last 2-3 years, with some markets witnessing food cost increases of over 20% during this period. Conversely, certain markets have experienced only moderate upticks. These variations in food expenses can have a substantial impact on the overall cost of living in any locality. In Waimalu, the groceries index is 27.1% higher than the national average.
Urbanization: Urban areas with extensive amenities and job opportunities tend to have a higher cost of living due to increased demand for services and relocation, resulting in higher home prices and higher rents. Less densely populated rural areas, or areas with less demand tend to have fewer amenities and slower job growth, which results in a lower cost of living.
Utilities: As with the prices of anything else, utility costs can exhibit significant variations, contingent on factors like climate, energy source availability, geographic location and state regulations. The expenses associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can fluctuate, either upward or downward, depending on the particular city or state. In Waimalu, the utilities index registers 25.9% higher than the national average.
The Waimalu cost of living data displayed above uses a U.S. average baseline of 100 to provide a practical way to compare living expenses across cities. Housing estimates incorporate U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all other values are generated using AI-assisted models based on everyday expense expectations, regional pricing trends, climate, transportation patterns, and local economic conditions. These values are designed for directional city-to-city comparisons.
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| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
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| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $124,394 | $10,366 | $2,902 | $3,732 |
| Renters | $106,321 | $8,860 | $2,481 | $3,190 |
| 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. |
| Kailua CDP (Hawaii County), HI | 14,062 | 142 | 42.2% |
| 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% |
| Waimalu, HI | 14,084 | 155 | 55.3% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Forest City, FL | 14,081 | 117 | 16.7% |
| Andrews, TX | 14,081 | 98 | 1.8% |
| Royse City, TX | 14,081 | 108 | 8.3% |
| Chelsea, AL | 14,088 | 106 | 5.8% |
| St. Helens, OR | 14,078 | 114 | 14.0% |
| Waimalu, HI | 14,084 | 155 | 55.3% |
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