Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Hilo, HI?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24.6% of gross income.
Hilo rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Hawaii state estimate).
About rent and a registered nurse salary
Rent is the single largest fixed cost most renters carry, and the rent-to-income ratio is the simplest measure of whether a city is livable on a given salary. For renters earning a typical registered-nurse income, the 30% rule supports about $2,360 a month in rent. That margin covers comfortable one-bedroom rent in the vast majority of US metros but tightens significantly in the highest-rent coastal cities, where rent can claim 40% or more of an RN paycheck. The per-city pages below show the local rent, the local nurse-pay estimate, and where that combination sits on the affordability scale.
Cheaper rent nearby
These Hawaii cities have lower median rent than Hilo, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Hilo
View full rent data for Hilo, HI →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Hilo, HI?
Median rent in Hilo is $2,095 a month. A typical registered nurse in Hawaii earns about $102,038 a year, which makes that rent 24.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Hilo?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Hawaii (~$102,038/yr) supports up to $2,551 a month in rent. Hilo's current median rent is $2,095/mo, which leaves a $456/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Hilo?
At an hourly equivalent of about $49 an hour, a registered nurse in Hawaii works roughly 42.7 hours a month to cover Hilo's median rent of $2,095.
Where is rent cheaper than Hilo for a registered nurse?
Nearby Hawaii cities with lower median rent include Wahiawa ($2,093/mo), Wahiawa ($2,087/mo), Waianae ($2,086/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.