City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Urban Honolulu, HI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 21.3% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $121,300 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 $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $6,070 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Urban Honolulu, HI ($106,437 → $111,119), while prices change by +21.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −13.9% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Urban Honolulu, HI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 111.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $121,317 in Urban Honolulu | $82,429 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $2,016/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $6,070 (HI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $57,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | State of Hawaii |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Urban Honolulu, HI MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Urban Honolulu, HI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 135.5 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 111.6 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 187.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 102.9 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 111.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.6%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$6,070/yr.
25 Weak offer
Urban Honolulu, HI → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$6,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Urban Honolulu, HI is in State of Hawaii. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Urban Honolulu, HI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Urban Honolulu, HI | Real change, Chattanooga → Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,438 | −13.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,964 | −13.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,445 | −13.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,119 | −13.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,310 | −13.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Urban Honolulu, HI | Urban Honolulu pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $73,080 | $60,239 (+0.7%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $120,230 | $99,104 (−7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $74,990 | $61,813 (−19.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $139,260 | $114,791 (+43.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.