For many years, the cost of living in Hawaii has been increasing rapidly, making it super hard to make a living. Hawaii has been ranked No. 1 for the most expensive state to live in the United States. Many people who live in Hawaii struggle because of how expensive it is, and they don’t make enough money. Most times, you are paying for your utilities, making it super hard to spend money on things you want. Did you know that Hawaii also has the highest rate of homelessness throughout the United States? Tourism has played a really big part in why Hawaii has become so expensive to live in.
The majority of the high-paying jobs are located down in the resorts because that is where most tourists will spend their vacation while they are visiting. Researchers have found that most laborers and owners place a higher value on pay while giving their workers a small proportion of pay. This is a big problem for local people because, with tourism making the economy, it makes it hard for the locals to live where they grew up. The hotel industry should consider negotiating for higher wages.
One thing that plays the majority of the main reasons why Hawaii is so expensive is because of tourism. Hawaii is a super popular tourist attraction because of how beautiful it is. Approximately 59,000 people move to Hawaii every year, which is why the cost of living here is so expensive. In 2025, the average house cost $840,256, and a median home is priced around $754,700. It is very unlikely that you can purchase a home for below $700,000 and rent somewhere for less than $2000-$3000. This has become a huge concern to locals as they are having a hard time making a living in a place that they have grown up in.
Finding a place to live for cheap isn’t the only problem of living here. Utilities are also another high expense of living here. Although Hawaii is a small island, you still need gas to get from place to place. Hawaii was ranked the most expensive on gas throughout the whole nation. The average gas price is around $4.51-$5.25, while gas prices in other states are below $4. Besides everything being super expensive in Hawaii, we have been by far the best in medical costs, which comes out to $10 for every doctor visit. The most expensive state for medical care is Alaska, which comes out to $112-$172 per doctor visit.
Even if Hawaii is a very gorgeous place and a lot of people don’t get to experience this kind of life on a day-to-day basis, tourists have made it a really big issue moving to Hawaii and buying property, making locals feel kicked out of their own home. This has made living here a big problem for locals. Not everything is to be blamed on tourists. The minimum wage should be raised because, sooner or later, there will be no locals living in Hawaii. This is a huge concern statewide, hoping that locals get back their land and continue to have a home where they are from.
