01 · the cities
Honolulu
Honolulu is Waikiki's high-rises pressed against turquoise water, Diamond Head crater glowing pink at dawn, and plate lunches that mix Hawaiian, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, and Portuguese into one perfect styrofoam container. Surf the south shore in summer, the north in winter. The North Shore is a 45-minute drive into a totally different world. Aloha here is a way of moving through the day.
full dispatch→Phoenix
Phoenix is sun, saguaros, and a valley so wide you can drive 45 minutes in a straight line and still be in greater Phoenix. The Sonoran Desert blooms wildly in spring, the monsoon storms in late summer are theatrical, and the hiking on Camelback or Piestewa Peak is a sunrise ritual. Pools and shaded patios are basically infrastructure, and the locals have the rhythm of a desert day dialed.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,843/mo
$1,739/mo
$1,104/mo less than Honolulu (63%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$458k
$603k less than Honolulu
State income tax
State income tax
11.0%
2.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,574/mo
$6,386/mo
Phoenix has $1,812/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
316 days
181 days
135 fewer than Honolulu
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
133 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Phoenix has 133 more days above 95°F each year than Honolulu.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
55 / 100
66 / 100
11.0 pts ahead of Honolulu
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
51 routes
91 routes
40 more direct routes than Honolulu
Metro size
Metro size
989k metro
5.1M metro
Honolulu has 2.1x fewer events per month than Phoenix.
the verdict
2
Honolulu
categories won
6
Phoenix
categories won
Phoenix wins on money and lifestyle. Honolulu has the edge on weather.
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