Priced out: New report highlights gap between Hawaii’s wages and cost of living

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A new analysis puts Hawaii’s high cost of living in perspective.

The report ― from online careers website Lensa ― ranks Hawaii “the least affordable” state in the nation.

It also puts the difference between a “living wage” and the average wage in Hawaii at more than 20%.

And the costs for just about all necessities in Hawaii, including housing, groceries, utilities and transportation, were higher than any other place. Oregon came in second in the ranking, while Maine rounded out the top three “least affordable” states.

“There’s a high price to pay for living in paradise as Hawaii,” the report’s authors said.

“The state’s high rates of taxation and the high cost of transporting essential goods to the islands have driven up the cost of living so much it has caused a net loss in migration.”

The report also said that grocery bills in Hawaii are nearly 60% more expensive than the national average.

The average resident spends about $11,500 a year on food in Hawaii, the analysis said.

The most affordable state for groceries is Michigan. But the most affordable states overall were Virginia, Illinois and Texas.

In Virginia, the average works takes home nearly double the cost of living.

To view the study, click here.

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