Your Guide to the Aloha Life: The Top Value Neighborhoods for Renting in Honolulu

I’m Allison, your ApartmentHomeLiving.com local expert for Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. I’ve lived on Oʻahu for nearly 20 years, and my husband and I are raising a daughter here. While it’s expensive, we wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. The aloha spirit is alive and real here, and there’s nowhere more beautiful. With its mix of nature, art, medical centers, and commerce, Honolulu is the central hub of the Hawaiʻian Islands.

But that beauty comes with a high price- there is a housing shortage, so Hawaiʻi rents are sky-high, and finding the right place can be a challenge.

In this guide, I’ll share 10 of the most affordable, vibrant neighborhoods in Honolulu.

Current Rental Pricing for Apartments in Honolulu

Mānoa

My favorite Honolulu neighborhood is Mānoa, with its easy access to Waikīkī, downtown, and the H1. Mānoa is the home of the University of Hawaiʻi and Punahou School, which counts President Barack Obama as an alumnus. The neighborhood is full of students, professors, and long-time residents. Mānoa also contains an upscale assisted living facility, the Arcadia. Homes are generally single or multi-family, with some condos sprinkled in. Mānoa is located in a valley and is lush, green, and rainy, with the Mānoa Falls hike being one of the best on Oʻahu. Make an afternoon of it by taking a drive to the famous Off the Hook Poke Factory and picking up a few varieties. Then, drive out to the Tantalus Lookout, where you can eat your picnic dinner and watch the sunset over Diamond Head. Next, head over to the Mānoa Valley Theater, where you can take classes or watch a play.

Diamond Head/Kapahulu/St. Luis Heights

The Diamond Head/Kapahulu/Saint Luis Heights neighborhoods are an excellent area for families with easy access to Waikīkī or Diamond Head beaches, Kapiʻolani Park, and the Honolulu Zoo. Most of the residential homes are located in St. Luis Heights with condos sprinkled throughout the area. Kapahulu Ave is the main drag with many restaurants and shops. Kapahulu is a mix of single-family and smaller apartment buildings/multi-family homes.

Get up early and hike to the summit of the volcanic Diamond Head crater, stop for lunch at the Side Street Inn, and then hit up Leonard’s Bakery for a box of their incomparable malasadas.

Waikīkī

If you want to be in the center of Honolulu’s nightlife, you want to live in Waikīkī. Located adjacent to the Diamond Head neighborhood, rentals are primarily condos. Waikīkī offers fast access to downtown Honolulu and UH, though traffic can be intense. Many people catch The Bus rather than drive. The area is full of shops and restaurants, and the famous Waikīkī Beach is a fantastic place to people-watch. The neighborhood is a mix of people, with long-time residents and lots of newcomers. If you’re single, Waikīkī is a great place to live, but many families also make their homes there and love it.

Ala Moana/Kaka’ako

Formerly a warehouse district, artists and real estate investors have revitalized Kaka’ako. Kaka’ako is now the heart of Honolulu’s art scene, full of murals and street art, and it hosts a regular Night Market. The SALT shopping area contains many hip bars, restaurants, and shops. There’s a great record store, Hungry Ear Records, on the second floor. Kaka’ako has multiple new high-rise condo buildings with easy access to the highway or downtown.

Right next door between Kaka’ako and Waikīkī, the Ala Moana area is home to the Ala Moana Center—the largest open-air mall in the world—with both necessities like a grocery store and luxury shops like Gucci. It also contains Ala Moana Beach Park and Magic Island, where locals and visitors have potlucks and sporting events. The neighborhood provides easy access to TheBus, downtown, and the H1.

Chinatown

A 15-minute drive from Waikīkī, Chinatown Historic District is a mix of commercial and residential spaces, such as lofts and apartments. It’s full of art galleries, night life and hip restaurants, but still retains it’s old charm (and it’s grit) with lei makers and Asian veggie markets mixed in. (Word to the wise- allow the vendors to select your produce. The first time I went, I grabbed an eggplant and the proprietor snatched it back and gave me a nicer one.) Located in high-rise buildings, rents are generally less expensive than in the surrounding areas. Parking can be very tricky, but you can find garages with monthly fees at places like the Chinatown Cultural Plaza.

Financial District

The Financial District is located in downtown Honolulu, bordered by Chinatown and Vineyard Boulevard. It includes Bishop Street and the Fort Street Mall area, home to Hawai’i’s financial and commerce center, which contains multiple banks and other businesses. Housing is primarily high-rise apartments and condos. The area boasts easy access to TheBus and is very walkable. Many people in the area do not own a car since parking can be difficult and traffic can get pretty intense. There is easy access to multiple hospitals.

McCully/Mōʻiliʻili

McCully and Mōʻiliʻili are centered between Waikīkī and UH and are very close to downtown. Many Japanese immigrants made their home in the area. Attend the Mōʻiliʻili Summer Fest at the Japanese Cultural Center featuring the largest Bon Dance in Hawaiʻi. There’s also the ʻIolani Palace and the Honolulu Museum of Art. The commercial district has many small shops and restaurants, and Ala Wai Park is close by. It’s a diverse, great place to raise kids, and the neighborhood is walkable. Check out the Mōʻiliʻili Community Center’s Senior Center program and their Japanese Language school for keiki (children) in elementary school. There’s also a dog park at Kalo Place. Rentals vary from condos to apartments, as well as single and multi-family homes. The area has fewer tourists compared to other spots in Honolulu.

Makiki/Lower Punchbowl/Tantalus

Tantalus is full of expensive, luxurious homes, and the drive up Makiki street can lead you to the summit of lush Mount Tantalus with its expansive views of the island. The other direction on Makiki Street takes you to the Lower Punchbowl and Makiki neighborhoods, with much less expensive rentals. The area boasts easy bus and highway access and short commutes to UH, downtown, and the beach. It’s full of families and close to many highly-rated schools with both older single-family homes and high-rise condos. Prices can be lower than those in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Kuliʻouʻou-Kalani Iki

An excellent place for nature lovers who want both mountains and the ocean, the area is home to the Paikō Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary, Maunalua Bay, and Kuliʻouʻou Valley and Ridge Trails, with access to hunting grounds where locals hunt boar. Take the Ridge Trail and enter the Kuliʻouʻou Forest Reserve with many endangered endemic species, such as the scarlet red Hawaiʻian Honeycreeper, the ‘Apapane bird. The neighborhood is about 8 miles from downtown, and the homes are free from highway noise. Kalani High School has a Great Schools rating of 10/10.

Moanalua

This neighborhood is home to the famous pink Tripler Army Medical Center and Kaiser Medical Center. It is close to Fort Shafter and Pearl Harbor, making it an excellent area for military families and people in the medical field. While centrally located, Moanalua is in a valley, which can make the hustle of the city seem far away. Leisure activities include the Moanalua Gardens, which contain the 100+ year old Hitachi tree, as well as both the Moanalua Golf Course and Honolulu Country Club. For shopping and dining options, including Koa Pancake House, try the Moanalua Shopping Center.

Liliha-Kapālama

Liliha-Kapālama, 4 miles north of downtown, is near Honolulu Community College and Kamehameha School, making it ideal for families. It has a lot of single-family and large multi-generational homes and some condos. Stop by Liliha Bakery before work and buy a box of mochi donuts and Coco Puffs to share with your coworkers, or stop for dinner at Helena’s Hawaiʻian Food for fried butterfish or short ribs. Take the kids to the Bishop Museum, bring a book to the Lili’uokalana Botanical Gardens, and walk down to the waterfall, or visit Foster Botanical Gardens with its butterfly garden. The airport is only 3 miles west of the neighborhood, and there is access to TheBus.