Oahu vacation costs: stay, eat, get around (2026)

Budget

• The Equus Kuhio, often about $160–250 a night before Hawaii’s 17.75% lodging tax. A kitchenette beats resort breakfast.
• Holiday Inn Express Waikiki one block back, often about $180–280. Same beach.
• Hampton Inn & Suites Honolulu/Waikiki often about $190–300. Walk to the sand.
• Shoreline Hotel Waikiki often about $180–280. You do not need a car for this grid.

Mid-range

• Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort walk to the beach, often about $310–420 a night before the 17.75% tax.
• Hilton Hawaiian Village a big campus, often about $280–400. You came for the lagoon.
• Hyatt Regency Waikiki Kalakaua, often about $300–430.
• Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk a kitchenette in the mid band, often about $300–420, if you will grocery dinner.

Splurge

• Halekulani often about $600–1,100 a night. The room is the treat.
• The Royal Hawaiian often about $450–800. You can still walk Kalakaua.
• The Kahala Hotel & Resort east of Waikiki, often about $700–1,200. This one assumes a car.
• Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina the west side, often $800 and up. Waikiki did not require that drive.

Budget

• Rainbow Drive-In a plate lunch often about $14–18.
• L&L Hawaiian Barbecue often about $12–16. The same idea.
• A grocery run for the kitchenette breakfast often about $8–12 a person.
• Leonard’s a malasada about $2. It is not a meal.

Mid-range

• Marukame Udon often about $12–18. One sit-down that is still a counter.
• Helena's Hawaiian Food poi and pipikaula, often about $20–35 a person, a bus ride from Kalakaua.
• A poke bowl often about $15–20, not a nightly Kalakaua restaurant row.
• Grocery breakfast the next day about $10 — after the one dinner out.

Splurge

• Sen of Japan or a Halekulani counter one, often about $100 and up a person, then grocery breakfast.
• Alan Wong’s or Senia often about $80–150 a person. One night.
• A resort breakfast often $25–40 a person — for a view you can eat under with a $15 plate lunch.
• Five fish dinners at $80 and up repeat the Splurge. One is the treat.

Budget

• Waikiki beach $0.
• A walk on Kalakaua $0.
• TheBus with a HOLO card $3 a ride, transfer window included, day cap near $7.50. Cash is also $3 and does not include that transfer.
• Diamond Head if you have the reservation about $5 a person, plus parking if you drove.

Mid-range

• Hanauma Bay about $25 for non-residents, parking about $3, reservation required. The day the car earns its place.
• USS Arizona timed and free. The Missouri is the paid ship, often about $30.
• A North Shore afternoon on TheBus the day cap is near $7.50, not a walk from Kuhio.
• Waikiki parking for a rental about $40–55 a night whether or not the car moved.

Splurge

• Both Hanauma (about $25) and a Missouri ticket (often about $30) in one week two timed tickets. Pick one. The Arizona memorial is $0.
• A neighbor-island hop often about $80–150 one way. Five Oahu nights do not contain Maui.
• A catamaran off Waikiki often about $40–70 a person. The beach was already in the room.
• A rental from the airport on a Waikiki-only week the garage fee, about $40–55 a night, is the cost.