Cost of Living in Kapaa
Kapaa's cost of living runs genuinely high by national standards, inheriting Hawaii's real, statewide highest-in-the-nation cost of living, though comparatively more accessible than Kauai's resort-oriented markets.
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Learn moreHousing runs above the national figure
Kapaa/Kawaihau's district single-family median (~$1,025,000, Q2 2026) runs well above the roughly $355,000-$375,000 national comparison range, though condos offer a more accessible ~$574,500 median entry point.
A real, lowest-in-Hawaii property-tax rate
Kauai County's owner-occupied nominal property-tax rate ($2.59/$1,000 assessed) helps offset Kapaa's otherwise elevated costs.
Hawaii's statewide cost-of-living context
Hawaii's real, current cost-of-living index runs approximately 193 (nearly double the national baseline), driven by elevated housing, grocery, electricity, and gas costs statewide.
Key takeaways
- Kapaa's housing costs run above national figures but below Kauai's more resort-oriented markets.
- Kauai County's low property-tax rate offers a real, partial offset to otherwise high costs.
- Hawaii's statewide cost-of-living index runs nearly double the national baseline.
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