Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Francisco, CA
VS
Urban Honolulu, HI
🏆 Urban Honolulu leads 16 of 21 categories
San Francisco
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
117.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,689 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
157⚠ High
Population
851,036 ✓ Larger
Urban Honolulu
Hawaii
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$82,772
Violent Crime Index
49 ✓ Safer
Population
348,547
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
San Francisco, CA
Pros
Households earn $53,917 more per year on average
More college-educated — 59.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 79°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,348,700
Higher rents — median is $2,316/mo
Violent crime (596.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 117.1)
Urban Honolulu, HI
Pros
Homes cost $543k less ($805,500 vs $1,348,700)
69% less violent crime than San Francisco
Rent averages $582/mo less ($1,734 vs $2,316)
Violent crime is well below the national average (185.2 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than San Francisco
Cons
Median income trails San Francisco by $53,917/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
San Francisco
Median Income
$53,917
$136,689 vs $82,772/yr
Urban Honolulu
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 106.8 vs 117.1 (100 = US avg)
Urban Honolulu
Violent Crime
69% lower
185.2 vs 596.5 per 100k
Urban Honolulu
Median Home Value
$543k less
$805,500 vs $1,348,700
Urban Honolulu
Summer Heat
17.2°F warmer
July avg high 79.0°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Francisco, CA | Urban Honolulu, HI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 117.1⚠ High | 106.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,348,700⚠ High | $805,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,316⚠ High | $1,734⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $136,689 ✓ Higher | $82,772 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 5.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.8 min⚠ High | 22.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.4% ✓ Higher | 7.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 169⚠ High | 63 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 157⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 187⚠ High | 85 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) | B+ (108) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.0:1 | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.8% ✓ Higher | 39.2% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% | 90.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Francisco Unified | Hawaii Department of Education |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F | 76.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 61.8°F | 79.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 30.0" ✓ Drier | 31.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 851,036 ✓ Larger | 348,547 |
| Median Age | 39.3 | 42.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 38.6% | 48.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 13.6% | 16.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.7% | 21.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Francisco's cost of living index is 117.1 vs Urban Honolulu's 106.8 (US average = 100).
Urban Honolulu is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Urban Honolulu leads 16 of 21 categories. San Francisco wins 5 and Urban Honolulu wins 16. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from San Francisco to Urban Honolulu or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,348,700 vs $805,500 median home), income ($136,689 vs $82,772), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Francisco, CA and Urban Honolulu, HI are about 2,361 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.