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Hawaii consistently tops cost‑of‑living rankings, driven by its geographic isolation and reliance on imported goods.
- Hawaii’s cost‑of‑living index ≈ 193.3, nearly double the national average.
- Housing, groceries, and utilities are especially pricey.
- A minority of rankings (e.g., CNBC 2024) list California first.
- Hawaii is identified as the most expensive state in the United States.
- Its high cost of living is driven by import reliance and geographic isolation.
- Some rankings, notably CNBC’s 2024 list, place California ahead of Hawaii.
Most Expensive State in the U.S.
Hawaii is widely recognized as the most expensive state to live in. Its cost‑of‑living index hovers around 193.3, almost twice the national average, making everyday expenses—housing, food, utilities—significantly higher than elsewhere in the country6.
Why Hawaii Is So Costly
- Geographic isolation: Almost all goods must be shipped from the mainland, adding transport costs.
- Limited local production: The islands rely heavily on imports for food, building materials, and consumer products.
- Housing scarcity: Land is finite and demand from tourism and residents drives up real‑estate prices.
Conflicting Rankings
While the majority of sources place Hawaii at the top, CNBC’s July 2024 list ranks California first, with Hawaii tied for third2. This discrepancy likely stems from differing methodologies (e.g., weighting of housing vs. other categories) or the specific year of data used.
Supporting Sources
- Hawaii #1 in multiple 2025 rankings, including World Population Review6, Debtwave4, Stacker9, and Bungalow10.
- Cost‑of‑living index of 193.3 cited by several analyses134.
- CNBC (2024) lists California first, Hawaii third2.
Overall, the preponderance of evidence points to Hawaii as the most expensive state, with the exception of a single notable outlier.