Is Maui an Expensive Island?💸 How much does a trip to Maui cost? A majority of people who plan vacations to Hawaii have this doubt in their minds.
Many people desire to plan a vacation in Maui and explore its incredible beauty, but many have no idea how much it would cost. We will address this question in this article and also share some money-saving tips for Maui.
Maui is a pretty expensive island. It is, in fact, the most expensive of the Hawaiian islands. Not only is the accommodation on Maui relatively expensive, but so are food and transportation. For a one-week stay, the average cost of lodging on Maui is approximately $2000 more than on Oahu.
Is Maui Expensive? How much does a Trip to Maui Cost?
Table of Contents
Why is Maui So Expensive?
So, why is Maui so expensive? There are many reasons behind this, but let’s discuss some of the main reasons.
The case of Supply and Demand
Maui’s tourism industry has grown rapidly in recent years. It has grown in popularity as a vacation destination for families and honeymooners. Overtourism has put additional strain on the island’s limited resources.
In addition, the higher hotel tax rates in Maui raise the cost of lodging even further. As a result, it is a case of supply and demand.
Everything has to be shipped to Maui
You may have heard that food in Maui is quite expensive. This is due to the fact that everything from food to fuel must be shipped to Maui. Because Maui is an island surrounded by ocean, there is no direct route between Maui and the mainland USA, so everything must be shipped there, increasing the cost of fuel and food in Maui.
Restaurants and Car rentals are not operating at their full capacity
Maui became more expensive, especially after the Pandemic. Maui is overrun with tourists after COVID, but restaurants are not operating at full capacity. In addition, the supply of rental cars has decreased, making Maui more expensive.
Is Maui more expensive than Oahu?
Maui is unquestionably more expensive than Oahu. Indeed, Maui is Hawaii’s most expensive island, while Oahu is the least expensive. According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority report (November 2021), the average daily rate for hotel rooms on Maui and Oahu is $530 and $225 respectively. As you can see, Maui’s lodging expenses are significantly higher than those on Oahu.
Is it expensive to visit Maui?
Maui is without a doubt the most expensive Hawaiian island. As a result, visiting Maui will cost slightly more than visiting other Hawaiian islands.
Maui, on the other hand, is an awe-inspiringly beautiful island. It has some of Hawaii’s most beautiful landscapes, as well as insanely beautiful natural wonders like the Road to Hana and Haleakala crater, as well as beautiful beaches and a plethora of adventure activities. As a result, it has become a popular Hawaiian island for families and honeymooners.
To assist you in planning your Maui vacation, we calculated the average cost of a one-week trip to Maui for two people, taking into account all of the major variables such as flight price, lodging, food, car rental, and activities.
This article will show you how much your one-week trip to Maui will cost, as well as how expensive Maui is in comparison to other Hawaiian islands.
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The average cost of a one-week trip to Maui
So, let’s see how much a one-week trip to Maui for two people would cost you. We compared Maui to all other Hawaiian islands in detail, taking into account all important parameters such as flight price, accommodation cost, food, car rental, and activities, and eventually calculated the total cost of a one-week trip to Maui.
Flight Price To Maui
Flight price is the first parameter that significantly influences our travel budget. In the table below, we’ve analyzed the average flight prices to four major Hawaiian islands from various places throughout the United States of America.
The average flight price per person (Round Trip) from different cities of the USA to four main islands of Hawaii using KAYAK.
| City | Maui | Oahu | Kauai | Big Island |
| New York | $888 | $719 | $693 | $691 |
| Los Angeles | $483 | $410 | $449 | $442 |
| Chicago | $781 | $679 | $666 | $663 |
As you can see in the above table, the average round-trip flight price from New York (East Coast) to Maui is $888, while the average round-trip flight price from Chicago (Midwest) to Maui is $781 and from Los Angeles to Maui is $483. Because of the shorter distance, flight prices are lower from the west coast, as expected.
Furthermore, when we examine flight prices to all four islands in the above table, we find that flights to Maui are slightly more expensive than flights to the other islands.
However, keep in mind that these are only estimates, and actual flight prices may vary significantly depending on the departure location and time of the year.
For this calculation, let’s assume that you are a couple flying from Los Angeles to Maui then the average flight price for two people (Round trip) would be $966.
The Average Flight Price For Two People (Round trip) to Maui is $966
Is Accommodation Expensive in Maui?
Accommodation usually takes the lion’s share of our travel expenditure. It is a very important parameter as it can make or break our Travel budget. Now, Let’s see how much accommodation would cost for a one-week trip to Maui for two people.
According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority report, about 85% of honeymooners who came to Hawaii chose to stay in hotels whereas 62% of Family vacationers chose to stay in hotels.
Unfortunately, after the pandemic, the accommodation prices in Hawaii have increased significantly.
The below table shows, the Average Daily Rate for Hotel rooms in the four major islands of Hawaii in November 2021
| Islands | Average Daily Rate For Hotel Rooms | Average Accommodation Cost For a Week |
| Maui | $530 | $3710 |
| Oahu | $225 | $1575 |
| Kauai | $328 | $2296 |
| Big Island | $354 | $2478 |
As you can see in the above table, accommodation in Maui is far expensive as compared to other islands. Maui has seen the highest growth in accommodation prices in recent years as a result of the growing number of tourists. Whereas Oahu offers the cheapest accommodation of all Hawaiian islands.
Thus, if we calculate the average cost of lodging for a week in Maui, it is $3710, whereas, on Oahu, it is $1575. As you can see, Maui is approximately $2000 more expensive than Oahu for a one-week stay. This is a big difference.
The Average Accommodation Cost for a Week (for a couple) in Maui is $3710
Is Food Expensive in Maui?
Food prices in Hawaii are quite expensive. It doesn’t matter where you are in Hawaii, Food is expensive. Especially, on Maui, which is the most expensive island of Hawaii, you have to spend a good chunk of money on food.
Average Cost of Food per person in Maui
| Type of Meal | Average Cost of Food Per Person |
| Breakfast | $17 |
| Lunch | $25 |
| Dinner | $55 |
| Beer | $6.55 |
As seen in the above table, breakfast in Maui costs approximately $10 to $20 per person, lunch costs approximately $18 to $25 per person, and dinner costs approximately $30 to $55 per person.
These are the average food prices in Maui; however, they can vary considerably depending on the type of restaurant and beverage you choose.
According to the data above, the average cost of food in Maui is $97 per person. So, the average weekly cost of food for two persons in Maui is $1358.
Is Car Rental Cheap in Maui?
Do you need to rent a car in Maui? It depends. If you intend to spend your entire trip in one particular location of Maui, you will not require a rental car. However, if you wish to explore the entire Maui and take in everything the island has to offer, you will undoubtedly require a car.
There are many must-see locations in Maui like Road to Hana and Haleakala park where you would need a car. Maui is a big island. Indeed, it is Hawaii’s second-largest island.
That’s why you will need a car to get around Maui. Maui also has a reasonably priced bus service, but it is limited and will not take you everywhere. Thus, it is worthwhile to rent a car in Maui.
Now, let’s compare the average car rental prices in the four major islands of Hawaii.
Average Car Rental Prices in four major islands of Hawaii using KAYAK
| Islands | Average Car Rental Price |
| Maui | $50 |
| Oahu | $51 |
| Kauai | $49 |
| Big Island | $51 |
As you can see, the average car rental price in Maui is $50, and there’s not much of a difference in car rental prices across Hawaii’s four major islands.
However, there has been a severe shortage of rental cars on Maui recently. So, if you are going to Maui, it is better to book a rental car in advance.
Thus, based on the data above, the average cost of a week’s car rental in Maui would be $350
How Expensive are the Activities and Tourist Attractions in Maui?
Maui is all about beauty and adventure. There are endless things to do in Maui. So, it depends from person to person how much anyone wants to spend on outdoor activities. However, let’s take a look at the prices of Maui’s most popular activities.
- Molokini Snorkeling adventure: $130 per person
- Snorkeling Gear Rental: $15 per day or $35 per week
- Whale watch cruise from Lahaina: $50 per person
- Maui and Molokai Helicopter Tour: $255 per person
- Haleakalā Sunrise Tour: $207 per person
- Surf lessons: $75 per person
- Maui Horseback Riding Tour: $150 per person
- Maui ocean Center Admission Ticket: $39 per person
I only mentioned popular activities above. There are numerous activities available on Maui.
However, for this calculation, assume you are going snorkeling in Molokini, renting snorkeling equipment for two days, taking surf lessons, going on a whale-watching trip, and visiting the Maui Ocean Center.
The total cost of these activities would be $324 per person and $648 for two persons.
How much does a 7 day Trip to Maui cost?
Until now, in this article, we have separately calculated the costs associated with key parameters such as flight price, food, lodging, car rental, and activities. Now, let’s calculate the total cost of a week-long trip to Maui for two people:
| Variables | Total Cost For a One Week Trip for Two People |
| Flight Price | $966 |
| Accommodation | $3437 |
| Food | $1358 |
| Car Rental | $350 |
| Activities | $648 |
| Total Cost | $6759 |
So, the average cost of a one-week trip to Maui for two people would cost about $6759. But keep in mind that this is the average cost, the prices of your trip may go down or up depending upon your choice of accommodation, restaurant, and flight. But, the average one-week Maui trip budget for two people is $6759.
Fortunately, there are a few simple tips that, if followed, can help you save hundreds of dollars on your Maui vacation.
Check out the Following Tips for saving money on your Trip to Maui
Save Hundreds of Dollars on Flight price and Lodging in Maui
As you can see from the above data, the primary expenses for your Maui vacation will be lodging and flights. Thus, if you can find reasonably priced lodging and flights to Maui, you can save hundreds of dollars on your vacation.
The most effective way to do so is to visit Maui during the off-season. During peak season, you’ll encounter high hotel and flight prices, as well as a large crowd on Maui.
That’s why if you are on the budget avoid Maui during peak holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. However, if you travel to Maui during the off-season, you will find that everything from lodging to flights to food is relatively cheaper. Especially, April and May are the cheapest months to travel to Maui.
Cook for yourself to save money on food
Maui’s restaurants are quite expensive. Thus, if you dine in Maui’s restaurants, you will undoubtedly spend a substantial amount of money on food. Therefore, the best way to save money on food is to rent a condo with a kitchen and cook for yourself. Shop at neighborhood grocery stores and prepare meals for yourself. This will save you big bucks on food in Maui.
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