Rents are 3% above what Kailua's 10-year trend predicts — running hotter than its own history.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $3,753 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Kailua usually run 1.2% below trend in December and 1.3% above it in May, about $94 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Kailua is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in December 2015.
Rent in Kailua changed +6.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 15 Hawaii cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +5.1%.
Rent in Kailua is 47.7% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
Honolulu, 7 miles away, rents for 28% less ($2,715/mo), about $12,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Kailua. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series.
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How Kailua, HI has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Kailua, HI has increased from $2,654 to $3,753, a 41.4% change over five years. Taken together, the five-year picture in Kailua, HI reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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At $3,753/mo, how Kailua rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Kailua rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Kailua. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Kailua
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Kailua is $3,753/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,580/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,680/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,810/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $5,160/mo.
At 63% of estimated US median household income ($72,000/yr), Kailua ranks as expensive compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $3,753/mo, rent takes ~63% of US median household income ($72,000/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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