By Benjamin Finnerty (S), REALTOR® (RS-83812) with Keller Williams Realty Maui · Kīhei, Maui · 808-481-9748

Quick Answer: In Aloha United Way’s 2024 ALICE data, 53% of Maui County households were below the ALICE Threshold, meaning their income didn’t cover basic costs, compared with 40% statewide. On Oct. 19, 2026, Maui United Way opened applications for a $12 million county-funded Kamaʻāina Credit pilot paying $500 or $800 a month for 12 months. Applications close Nov. 20, 2026.

I’m Benjamin Finnerty, a REALTOR® in Kīhei with Keller Williams Realty Maui. When people ask me about the Maui cost of living before a move, I want them to see the full budget, not just the price of a home. The newest data on how far paychecks stretch here is sobering, and the County has just launched a pilot program in response. Here’s what the numbers show and how I’d use them to plan.

What is the ALICE Threshold?

ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed: households that earn more than the federal poverty level but less than what it takes to cover basic costs like housing, child care, food, transportation, health care and technology. Aloha United Way publishes the Hawaiʻi data; its most recent statewide survey was fielded from June to August 2024 and released in January 2025.

How does the Maui cost of living compare with the rest of Hawaiʻi?

Maui County has the highest share of households below the ALICE Threshold of any county in the state’s 2024 data. Here’s how the numbers line up:

Measure (Aloha United Way, 2024 data)	Maui County	Hawaiʻi statewide
Households below the ALICE Threshold	53% (43% ALICE + 10% in poverty)	40%
Change since 2022	Up from 47%	Maui was the only county where the share rose
Residents without savings to cover three months of expenses	40%	n/a

Aloha United Way also reports a statewide Household Survival Budget of $39,384 a year for a single adult, about $3,282 a month, based on 2022 cost data. That’s a bare-bones budget for every expense, not just housing. It doesn’t include savings.

Among Maui County households below the threshold, 45% said someone had considered leaving Hawaiʻi in the past year, and most of those cited cost of living and housing, according to the data reported by Maui Now.

What is Maui County’s Kamaʻāina Credit, and who can apply?

The Kamaʻāina Credit for ALICE Households is a 12-month pilot funded by a $12 million Maui County grant and run by Maui United Way. About 910 working households on Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi will receive monthly payments, according to Maui United Way and Maui Now:

• $500 a month for households of one to three people
• $800 a month for households of four or more
• Applications: Oct. 19 through Nov. 20, 2026, free, at muwalicecredit.aidkit.org
• Selection: a computer-generated randomized process run by AidKit, not first-come, first-served
• Not a loan: payments don’t need to be repaid

Eligibility requires living full time in Maui County, meeting household-income limits, and having at least one household member with earned income, among other program rules. Applicants need ID, 2025 income documentation and proof of a Maui County address. If you’re moving here, note that this pilot is for current full-time residents; check the program’s rules directly.

What does housing cost compared with a basic Maui budget?

Housing is usually the biggest line in a Maui budget, and for buyers, the mortgage alone can exceed the entire single-adult survival budget. As of September 2026, RAM reported a countywide condo median of $660,000 and a single-family median of $1,150,000. Freddie Mac’s 30-year average was 7.32% on Oct. 22, 2026.

Example (20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32%)	Loan amount	Monthly principal and interest
$660,000 condo (September median)	$528,000	about $3,627
$1,150,000 single-family home (September median)	$920,000	about $6,320

Illustrative math only, before HOA dues, property tax, insurance and maintenance. Your rate and payment will depend on your loan.

For context on rents, see my post on renting on Maui before you buy.

How should I budget for a move to Maui?

Build your budget from real quotes, not national averages. I suggest pricing these before you commit:

• Housing: purchase payment plus HOA dues, property tax and insurance, or a realistic rent
• Electricity, water and internet for the specific property
• A vehicle, since most of Maui depends on driving
• Health insurance through your employer or the marketplace
• Moving, shipping and a cushion of several months of expenses

My cost of living on Maui guide and my look at Pew’s 2026 study on Hawaiʻi housing costs break down more line items.

My Take: What I’m Telling People Planning a Move

The ALICE numbers aren’t a reason to rule out Maui, but they’re a reason to plan with real figures. If 40% of Maui County residents couldn’t cover three months of expenses in 2024, a newcomer arriving without a cushion is taking on the same risk. I’d aim to arrive with a job or income source lined up and several months of expenses set aside.

On housing, I’d run the numbers both ways: what it costs to rent for the first year, and what it costs to buy at today’s rates. With the condo median at $660,000 and rates at 7.32%, a condo can make sense for some buyers who want ownership at a lower price point, but HOA dues and insurance vary widely by building, so I always get those figures before comparing payments.

If you’re already living on Maui and your household fits the program’s rules, the Kamaʻāina Credit deadline is Nov. 20, 2026. Selection is random, so applying early doesn’t improve your odds, but missing the deadline rules you out.

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of Maui households are ALICE?

In Aloha United Way’s 2024 data, 53% of Maui County households were below the ALICE Threshold: 43% ALICE and 10% in poverty.

How much is the Maui Kamaʻāina Credit?

$500 a month for households of one to three people and $800 a month for four or more, for 12 months.

When is the Kamaʻāina Credit application deadline?

Nov. 20, 2026. Applications opened Oct. 19 at muwalicecredit.aidkit.org.

Is Maui more expensive than the rest of Hawaiʻi?

By the ALICE measure, Maui County had the highest share of households below the threshold in 2024: 53%, versus 40% statewide.

Ask Benjamin

Planning a move to Maui and want help comparing what it really costs to rent or buy in different parts of the island? I’m Benjamin Finnerty, and I’m happy to run the numbers with you. Call or text 808-481-9748 or email benjamin@the808team.com.

Sources: Aloha United Way (2024 ALICE Facts and Figures report, January 2025; Maui County 2024 Facts and Figures; ALICE 2024 update, May 2024); Maui Now (Oct. 9 and Oct. 20, 2026); Hawaiʻi Public Radio (Oct. 16, 2026); REALTORS® Association of Maui (September 2026 report); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (Oct. 22, 2026).