City comparison
No. Honolulu's crime index is 80 versus 138 in Las Vegas, and its violent crime index is 57 versus 122, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Las Vegas is cheaper. Median rent is $1,563 a month versus $1,823 in Honolulu.
Safety is where Las Vegas and Honolulu split most clearly. Honolulu scores 58 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,563 in Las Vegas and $1,823 in Honolulu.
This is a genuine split. Las Vegas wins on cost of living and Honolulu wins on the job market and safety. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
The crime gap is citywide. Honolulu has rougher pockets and Las Vegas has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Las Vegas and Honolulu are 2,758 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,563 a month in Las Vegas to $1,823 a month in Honolulu, up $260 a month (17%).
Median household income goes from $73,877 in Las Vegas to $86,504 in Honolulu, up $12,627 (17%).
The crime index goes from 138 in Las Vegas to 80 in Honolulu, down 58 points (42%).
The move
Honolulu and Las Vegas are 2,758 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,823 a month in Honolulu to $1,563 a month in Las Vegas, down $260 a month (14%).
Median household income goes from $86,504 in Honolulu to $73,877 in Las Vegas, down $12,627 (15%).
The crime index goes from 80 in Honolulu to 138 in Las Vegas, up 58 points (73%).
Las Vegas, NV
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Honolulu, HI
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Las Vegas and Honolulu? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
14% cheaper
Las Vegas rent is 14% cheaper than Honolulu
Las Vegas
Winner$1,563/mo
Honolulu
$1,823/mo
Typical rent runs $1,563 a month in Las Vegas versus $1,823 in Honolulu, so Las Vegas is 14% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $3,120, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Las Vegas still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Honolulu.
Planning to buy in Honolulu? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
17% higher
Honolulu's median income is 17% higher than Las Vegas
Las Vegas
$73,877
Honolulu
Winner$86,504
Median household income is $86,504 in Honolulu versus $73,877 in Las Vegas, so typical pay runs 17% higher in Honolulu (about $12,627 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Honolulu is the stronger labor market on paper. Las Vegas can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
42% lower crime
Honolulu's crime index is 42% lower than Las Vegas
Las Vegas
138 (100 = avg)
Honolulu
Winner80 (100 = avg)
Honolulu's crime index is 80 versus 138 in Las Vegas (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 42% lower in Honolulu. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Honolulu is the easier city. Las Vegas can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Las Vegas and Honolulu are about even on typical weather.
Las Vegas
71°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
Honolulu
77°F avg · 82°F highs · comfort 100/100
Las Vegas averages about 71°F (76°F highs); Honolulu averages about 77°F (82°F highs). Las Vegas sits near 71°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Honolulu sits near 77°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Las Vegas
Las Vegas is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 14% cheaper here at about $1,563 a month. Choose Las Vegas if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Honolulu is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 17% higher here ($86,504). Start with Honolulu if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Honolulu is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 42% lower than Las Vegas (80 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
Neither city is a free pass on neighborhood choice, but Honolulu leads on safety (67/100 vs 50/100 in Las Vegas). Typical rent is $1,823 in Honolulu and $1,563 in Las Vegas; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
Honolulu still pays more locally ($86,504 median income vs $73,877), which can offset the lease if your field pays Honolulu rates.
Median income is $86,504 in Honolulu versus $73,877 in Las Vegas.
Most movers who prioritize safety land in Honolulu; Las Vegas only makes sense when you have walked the Las Vegas ZIP you would rent and accept the trade for $1,563 rent.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Las Vegas and Honolulu, plus other cities in NV and HI.
