City comparison
Fayetteville, AR 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 21.5% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $121,500 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 $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,383 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Fayetteville, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Urban Honolulu, HI ($106,437 → $111,119), while prices change by +21.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −14.0% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (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
| Fayetteville, AR | Urban Honolulu, HI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 111.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $121,464 in Urban Honolulu | $82,329 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $2,016/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $73,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $6,070 (HI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $57,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | State of Hawaii |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Urban Honolulu, HI MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Urban Honolulu, HI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 135.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 111.6 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 187.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 102.9 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 111.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.7%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$2,383/yr.
25 Weak offer
Urban Honolulu, HI → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$2,383/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR 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 Fayetteville, AR to Urban Honolulu, HI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Urban Honolulu, HI | Real change, Fayetteville → Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,438 | −14.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,964 | −14.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,445 | −14.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,119 | −14.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,310 | −14.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Urban Honolulu, HI | Urban Honolulu pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $73,080 | $60,166 (−1.4%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $120,230 | $98,984 (−5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $74,990 | $61,738 (−20.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $139,260 | $114,651 (+47.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.