Popular cities
Maui vs San Francisco cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐บ๐ธ Maui
๐บ๐ธ San Francisco
At a glance
- Where San Francisco is clearly cheaper: Half-day tour (46%โ), Scooter rental (36%โ), Laundry (29%โ)
- Where Maui is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (33%โ), Transit (30%โ), Local meal (28%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Maui 2 vs San Francisco 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Maui | San Francisco | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | $ 18$18 | $ 25$25 | Maui โ28% |
| Street food1 item | $ 15$15 | $ 15$15 | similar |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | $ 45$45 | $ 55$55 | Maui โ18% |
| Coffeeone cup | $ 5.5$5.5 | $ 6.5$6.5 | Maui โ15% |
| Beerone bottle | $ 8$8 | $ 9$9 | Maui โ11% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | $ 16$16 | $ 17$17 | Maui โ6% |
| Bottled water | $ 2.5$2.5 | $ 2.5$2.5 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | $ 3$3 | $ 3$3 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | $ 20$20 | $ 16$16 | San Francisco โ20% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | $ 15$15 | $ 11$11 | San Francisco โ27% |
| Transitone ride | $ 2$2 | $ 2.85$2.85 | Maui โ30% |
| Scooter rentalper day | $ 70$70 | $ 45$45 | San Francisco โ36% |
| Hotel night3-star | $ 250$250 | $ 200$200 | San Francisco โ20% |
| Studio rent (month) | $ 2,200$2,200 | $ 3,300$3,300 | Maui โ33% |
| Laundry | $ 7$7 | $ 5$5 | San Francisco โ29% |
| SIM card1 week data | $ 25$25 | $ 25$25 | similar |
| Haircutcut | $ 35$35 | $ 38$38 | Maui โ8% |
| Massage1 hour | $ 130$130 | $ 110$110 | San Francisco โ15% |
| Half-day tourper person | $ 130$130 | $ 70$70 | San Francisco โ46% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | $ 30$30 | $ 35$35 | Maui โ14% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Maui or San Francisco?
Maui is 8% cheaper than San Francisco. Daily budget $420 vs $391; a month $8,357 vs $10,400.
Which is easier to travel, Maui or San Francisco?
About the same: Maui 1.8/5, San Francisco 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Maui and San Francisco?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Maui is about $8,357 and San Francisco about $10,400 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.