Sod installation cost in Hawaii
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,800 – $3,900
- Per sq ft
- $1.20 – $2.40
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +18%
- US $2,400
- Metros covered
- 2
Hawaii prices for sod lawn: $1,800 to $3,900 for 1,500 sq ft, or $1.20 to $2.40 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 18% above the national one. Local wages for landscaping and groundskeeping workers are $22.08 an hour.
Inside Hawaii, the metros we cover range from $2,800 (Honolulu) to $2,900 (Kahului) at the midpoint.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Hawaii (statewide), standard level
$2,400 to $3,250
About $1.55 to $2 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 50% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,100 | $1,400 |
| Labor | $1,250 | $1,600 |
| Permits and fees | $100 | $230 |
| Total | $2,400 | $3,250 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Hawaii
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $840 | $1,250 | $1,650 | 44% |
| Labor | $950 | $1,400 | $1,900 | 50% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $160 | $330 | 6% |
| Total | $1,800 | $2,850 | $3,900 | 100% |
Sod installation cost by metro in Hawaii
1 of the 2 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $2,850, and the top-to-bottom gap is 4%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (1,500 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului, HI | $1,850 – $4,000 | $2,900 | +3% |
| Honolulu, HI | $1,750 – $3,850 | $2,800 | −1% |
If you are planning more than one job in Hawaii
Each project weights the trades differently, so Hawaii's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, gravel driveway is +45% and retaining wall +30%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $820 – $2,850 | +37% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $5,350 – $13,300 | +33% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $9,550 – $17,100 | +30% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $3,650 – $14,700 | +45% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $49,700 – $155,000 | +37% |
How Hawaii compares with nearby states
Hawaii ranks 1 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for sod lawn, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $2,850 and the cheapest Mississippi at $2,100, both for 1,500 sq ft at the midpoint. Hawaii sits at $2,850. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 2530 miles away | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 | −5% |
| Oregon | 2590 miles away | $1,650 – $3,600 | $2,600 | −8% |
| Washington | 2710 miles away | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 | −5% |
| Nevada | 2730 miles away | $1,450 – $3,250 | $2,350 | −17% |
| Alaska | 2850 miles away | $1,700 – $3,750 | $2,700 | −4% |
Why two Hawaii quotes can differ
Old grass removal
Removing an old lawn first adds $0.50-$2.00 per sq ft, and a full remove-and-resod runs $1.50-$4.00 per sq ft (HomeGuide).
Sod type
Sod alone costs $0.30-$0.80 per sq ft, or $130-$360 per pallet; delivery is $50-$250 per load.
Site prep
The cost listed here assumes leveled, cleared ground. Grading and soil amendments are extra.
Permit
Sodding permits cost $40-$300 where required, mostly for large lawns or those next to a public road.
Weather windows across Hawaii
Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen, and Hawaii is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Honolulu has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Hawaii at 12 months; Kahului has the shortest at 10 (October through July). Rainfall runs from 16 inches a year in Kahului to 16 inches in Honolulu.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu | 67 | 88 | 16 | 12: all year |
| Kahului | 64 | 89 | 16 | 10: October through July |
What landscaping and groundskeeping workers and the other trades earn in Hawaii
Hawaii's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 1.27 times the national level.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $22.08 an hour, 17% above the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $18.14 and $24.25 an hour. About 7,040 work in the state. That is 112.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 61.3 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $37.07 an hour, which is 64% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $25.13 and $42.19 an hour. BLS counts 4,580 of them working in the state, 73.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for landscaping and groundskeeping workers ($24.25 an hour) would add about $100 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($18.14) would take off about $190. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 627,530 jobs across Hawaii (May 2025), which is 0.4% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $18.14 | $22.08 | $24.25 | $18.82 | 1.17 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $25.13 | $37.07 | $42.19 | $22.66 | 1.64 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.27 | |||||
Basic, standard or premium: Hawaii prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from small yard (1,000 sq ft) to large yard (4,000 sq ft).
Basic
$1,800 to $2,650
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$2,400 to $3,250
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$3,050 to $3,900
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $1,200 – $1,800 | $1,650 – $2,250 | $2,100 – $2,700 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,800 – $2,650 | $2,400 – $3,250 | $3,050 – $3,900 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $4,750 – $6,800 | $6,300 – $8,350 | $7,800 – $9,850 |
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Detailed sod installation report for Hawaii, $9
The report lays out the sod installation numbers for Hawaii line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Sod installation in Hawaii: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Hawaii?
$1,800 to $3,900 for 1,500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Hawaii can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Hawaii is cheapest for sod lawn?
Honolulu at about $2,800 (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft). The priciest is Kahului at $2,900.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in Hawaii than the US average?
It is 18% more expensive: $2,850 against $2,400 for 1,500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Hawaii?
About 50% ($1,400). Materials are 44%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.27x the national wage level.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Hawaii?
The BLS statewide median is $22.08 an hour, against $18.82 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.14 to $24.25.
+Where does Hawaii rank for sod lawn costs?
1st most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $2,850 for 1,500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Hawaii?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,800 to $2,650 and premium work $3,050 to $3,900. Basic means: basic grass on cleared, level ground. Premium means: premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes.
+Does the season matter for sod lawn in Hawaii?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Hawaii metros we cover, Honolulu has the most comfortable months (12 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
Sod installation by city in Hawaii
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.