Uprootmap
Honolulu vs Rochester
Honolulu and Rochester
Photo: Patrick Ashley / Wikimedia, CC BY 2.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Rochester are close to the US rate in this release, 6.9 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Honolulu to Rochester
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Honolulu to Rochester above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $2,116 in Honolulu and $1,208 in Rochester. Honolulu has a state tax on wages. Rochester has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Rochester is 96% of the national level for the same work, against 102% in Honolulu.
Rochester averages 163 sunny days, with July highs around 81°F and January nights around 17°F. Honolulu is 271 sunny days, 88°F in July, 66°F in January. Commutes average 21 minutes in Rochester and 28 in Honolulu.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Honolulu → Rochester pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
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 Rochester changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 5,709 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $8,900–$16,700
- Container or pod
- $6,550–$12,250
- Rent a truck
- $4,650–$8,700
Explore more
Dig into Rochester
Questions
Is Rochester cheaper than Honolulu after tax and rent?
Yes. Rochester leaves about $1,645 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $2,116 in Honolulu and $1,208 in Rochester.
Does Rochester have state income tax?
Rochester is in New York, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Honolulu to Rochester?
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.