Covers the six Hawaiian islands, Key West, Nantucket, Hilton Head, Fiji and Bora Bora, plus the passport rules for US citizens.
UpdatedThis page carries dated prices, schedules or seasonal facts checked on the date above, and that window has now passed. Re-check the sources at the foot of the page before you book.
No Hawaiian island is cheap, but the gap between them is large. On the same two dates, the cheapest 3-star-or-better hotel ranged from $139 a night in Waikiki to $2,642 at the only qualifying hotel on Lanai. Car rental, which you need almost everywhere except Waikiki, widens the gap further.
This ranking weights hotel price at 60% and the island's overall score at 40%, so a cheap island that is no fun cannot win. Oahu takes first place by more than a point. Maui is second on its quality, not its prices, and Kauai has cheaper rooms on average than Maui or the Big Island but drops for its hurricane closures.
Score = the island's overall score, with islands that suit this kind of trip ranked first. How we score
| # | Island | Score | Weather | Beaches | Things | Access | Value | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oahu | 6.9 | 9.7 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 6.8 | 6.3 | 3.9 |
| 2 | Maui | 5.8 | 9.7 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 6.9 | 4.3 | 5.6 |
| 3 | Big Island (Hawaii Island) | 5.6 | 8.2 | 7.0 | 9.0 | 6.9 | 4.2 | 9.1 |
| 4 | Kauai | 5.5 | 8.1 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 6.8 | 4.7 | 6.1 |
| 5 | Molokai | 4.1 | 9.7 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 5.4 | 3.2 | 10.0 |
| 6 | Lanai | 3.0 | 9.3 | 6.0 | 5.0 | 5.4 | 1.0 | 10.0 |
1Oahu wins by more than a point. Its value score, 6.3, is the best in Hawaii: Stay Hotel Waikiki was $139 on January 13, 2027 and $169 on July 14. It also has a strong overall score of 7.9, the most US nonstops (28 airports) and the only setup in Hawaii where you can skip the rental car. Pearl Harbor is free, TheBus goes around the island and Waikiki's beach is on your doorstep. The catch is crowds and small budget rooms, and resort fees and parking can add a lot in Waikiki.
2Maui is second on quality, not price. Its value score is 4.3: the cheapest Kihei hotel was $296 in January and $216 in July. Its overall score of 8.1, the best in Hawaii, carries it past the Big Island and Kauai. Budget Maui means Kihei, a summer trip and a rental car, with Haleakala at $30 per vehicle for three days. Avoid Wailea if money is tight: its cheapest 3-star option was $605 in January.
3The Big Island is third, just ahead of Kauai. Its value score is 4.2, with Pacific 19 Kona at $261 in January and $269 in July, but the overall score of 7.7 lifts it. The budget tip is the Manago Hotel in Captain Cook, a basic 3-star hotel south of Kailua-Kona at $85 on both dates. Fuel adds up, because a loop of the island is a full day of driving. The $55 Tri-Park pass covers Hawaii Volcanoes, Puuhonua o Honaunau and Haleakala.
4Kauai's rooms average less than Maui's or the Big Island's: value scores 4.7, with Kapaa at $233 in January and $236 in July. It is fourth because its overall score is 6.7. Hurricane Lowell hit on September 7 and 8, 2026, and on October 19 Koke'e Road, all camping and most state parks were still closed, so fewer of the cheap outdoor days are available. Haena State Park reopened on October 15 at $5 a person plus $10 parking. Avoid Poipu on a budget: $484 to $555.
5Molokai is fifth. Hotel Molokai was $328 in January and $356 in July, a value score of 3.2, and the overall score is 5.4, because beaches and things to do both score 4. The Castle at Molokai Shores condos were cheaper at $262. Getting there adds cost: no ferry, and Lanai Air from Honolulu is $169 one way. It is quiet, not cheap, and best as a short add-on for travelers who want Kalaupapa.
6Lanai is last, and by a distance. The only 3-star-or-better hotel Kayak could price was the Four Seasons Resort Lanai, at $2,642 on January 13, 2027 and $1,959 on July 14, a value score of 1 of 10. Hotel Lanai in town, rated 2 stars, was $423 in January. On a budget, Lanai is a day trip: the Expeditions ferry from Maalaea on Maui starts at $30, and Hulopoe Bay is a public beach a short walk from the harbor.
In this guide
The budget score is 60% value and 40% the island's overall score out of 10. Value comes from the average of two Kayak prices for the cheapest 3-star-or-better double in the main visitor area, on January 13 and July 14, 2027, taxes and fees in, scored on a log scale: an average of $60 a night scores 10 and $600 scores 1. The overall score blends weather, beaches, things to do, access, value and crowds, with 0.4 points off for a conditional verdict. Full method: how we score islands.
| Island (area) | January 13, 2027 | July 14, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Oahu (Waikiki) | $139 | $169 |
| Kauai (Kapaa) | $233 | $236 |
| Big Island (Kailua-Kona) | $261 | $269 |
| Maui (Kihei) | $296 | $216 |
| Molokai (Kaunakakai) | $328 | $356 |
| Lanai (Manele Bay) | $2,642 | $1,959 |
Two things stand out. Maui was $80 cheaper in July than in January, so summer is its budget season. Oahu was the other way round, $30 cheaper in January. A week at these rates for two would be about $973 to $1,183 in Waikiki and $1,512 to $2,072 in Kihei.
Many of Hawaii's best sights cost little. Pearl Harbor National Memorial on Oahu is free; parking is $7 a day. Diamond Head is $5 a person plus $10 parking for non-residents. Haleakala charges $30 per vehicle for three days, plus $1 for a sunrise reservation, and Hawaii Volcanoes $30 per vehicle for seven days. If you visit both, the $55 Hawaii Tri-Park annual pass also covers Puuhonua o Honaunau ($20 on its own). Kauai's Haena State Park is $5 a person plus $10 parking for non-residents.
Since January 1, 2026 the state Transient Accommodations Tax is 11%, up from 10.25%, under Act 96, the so-called green fee. County lodging tax and general excise tax come on top. Our Kayak prices include those, but many hotels add daily resort fees and parking that do not show up until checkout, especially in Waikiki and on Maui. Compare final totals before you book. On flights, arrive with a REAL ID-compliant license or a passport: TSA charges $45 for ConfirmID without one. For cheap islands beyond Hawaii, see the best cheap islands to visit.
A snack and water are included but lunch is not, and Dole train or maze tickets are extra. It is a large-coach tour; a rental car covers the same loop at your own pace.
Rating as shown on Viator
Breakfast, a deli lunch and water are included; tips are not. It is a long day in a van on a narrow road, and the sign-up page lists pickup at hotels or a Kahului meeting point, so check which applies to you.
Rating as shown on Viator
Lunch and park entry are included; tips are not, and vacation rentals are not picked up. With a rental car the park pass is $15 to $30, but the round trip from Kona is long, which is what this tour saves you.
Rating as shown on Viator
Booking through these links supports this site at no cost to you. Prices move by date, so we do not print them here; the official prices we checked are in the page above.
Oahu. The cheapest 3-star-or-better hotel in Waikiki was $139 for January 13, 2027 and $169 for July 14, 2027, taxes and fees in, and you can get around without a rental car.
Oahu, clearly. Waikiki was $139 to $169 a night on our dates, Kihei on Maui $216 to $296, and Maui needs a rental car. Maui's cheapest season on our dates was summer.
It depends on the island. On our dates, Maui and Lanai were cheaper in mid-July than mid-January, while Waikiki and Molokai were cheaper in January. December to April is whale season and generally the busiest.
The state Transient Accommodations Tax is 11% from January 1, 2026, up from 10.25%. County lodging tax and general excise tax are added, and many hotels charge a resort fee on top.
For hotels, yes on our dates: $233 to $236 in Kapaa against $216 to $296 in Kihei, cheaper than Maui in January but not in July. Kauai ranks lower overall because Hurricane Lowell closures left Koke'e Road and most state parks shut on October 19, 2026.
Further reading
