We work hard. We show aloha. But the reality is, Hawaii hospitality wages are too low to afford even a basic life in our own homeland.
They keep telling us that tourism supports Hawaii’s economy. But what they don’t tell you is—most of Hawaiʻi’s hospitality jobs can barely cover the rent, let alone buy a home.
Hawaiʻi Hospitality Wages: The Harsh Truth
Four out of five Hawaiʻi residents live on Oʻahu or Maui — so I’ll use Oʻahu home prices as an example.
According to ZipRecruiter, the average tourism hospitality job in Hawaiʻi pays $51,134 a year. That comes out to roughly $3,250 take-home pay per month.
According to the Honolulu Board of Realtors, the median single-family home price on Oʻahu broke a record high of $1.19 million in February 2025.
The mortgage payment on a $1.2 million home loan (30 years at 6%) would be approximately $8000 per month.
See the problem?
You’re $4,750 short — and that’s before food, utilities, gas, kids, or anything else.
Even with two full-time tourism hospitality jobs ($3,250 x 2), that’s only $6,500 take-home pay each month. The two of you would still be $1500 short on the average single-family home mortgage.
Hawaii's Hospitality Industry Brings Jobs—But Not Livable Wages
If you didn’t know before, now you do:
Tourism hospitality jobs can’t buy kamaʻāina a home.
So the next time you hear that tourism creates jobs, ask — what kind of jobs?
Because hospitality jobs sure aren’t paying enough to help kamaʻāina afford to stay here.