Example household · Honolulu, HI · $83,730 · same pay · 1 adult

Columbus skyline

Uprootmap

Honolulu vs Columbus

Honolulu and Columbus

Photo: PghPhxNfk / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.

Same pay in both cities. One adult, one bedroom.

Swap city

Other cities

So you know: homicide deaths in Columbus are above the US rate in this release, 20.8 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).

Why people look at Honolulu to Columbus

In 2022-2023, 53 households filed a move from Honolulu to Columbus (about 145 people, average adjusted gross income $68,604). 62 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.

A one-bedroom asking rent is about $2,116 in Honolulu and $1,063 in Columbus. Honolulu has a state tax on wages. Columbus has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Columbus is 85% of the national level for the same work, against 102% in Honolulu.

Columbus averages 222 sunny days, with July highs around 91°F and January nights around 40°F. Honolulu is 271 sunny days, 88°F in July, 66°F in January. Commutes average 22 minutes in Columbus and 28 in Honolulu.

These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.

How we figure this

+$1,731 / mo

Money left after tax and rent, by state.Columbus
LowerHigher
Columbus · this breakdownHonolulu · homeHonolulu, HI sits outside this map.

Who already made this move

In 2022-2023, 53 households moved Honolulu → Columbus (about 145 people, average AGI $68,604). 62 households went the other way.

Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.

The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Honolulu and Columbus changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.

What the move itself costs

About 5,397 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.

Full-service mover
$8,500–$15,950
Container or pod
$6,250–$11,700
Rent a truck
$4,400–$8,300

Movers in Columbus and how to hire one →

Explore more

Questions

Is Columbus cheaper than Honolulu after tax and rent?

Yes. Columbus leaves about $1,731 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $2,116 in Honolulu and $1,063 in Columbus.

Does Columbus have state income tax?

Columbus is in Georgia, which taxes wage income.

Did people actually move from Honolulu to Columbus?

Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.