Sod installation cost in Honolulu, HI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,750 – $3,850
- Per sq ft
- $1.20 – $2.35
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +17%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #3
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to lay sod in Honolulu, plan on $1,750 to $3,850 for 1,500 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $1.20 to $2.35 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 17% higher than the national one. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of $21.41 an hour in the Honolulu area, 14% above the US median of $18.82.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Honolulu, HI, 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 | $1,200 | $1,600 |
| Permits and fees | $100 | $230 |
| Total | $2,400 | $3,250 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Honolulu, HI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $840 | $1,250 | $1,650 | 45% |
| Labor | $930 | $1,400 | $1,850 | 50% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $170 | $330 | 6% |
| Total | $1,750 | $2,800 | $3,850 | 100% |
What is behind the Honolulu number
The wage side of the estimate leans on landscaping and groundskeeping workers, who do 80% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $21.41 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Honolulu is 1.24 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 50% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Honolulu metro is 111.6 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 1,500 sq ft comes to $1,250, compared with $1,150 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (111.0) and land at $0 to $330.
How Honolulu compares
Same job, same size (1,500 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Kahului is the priciest of the group at $2,900. Santa Cruz is the cheapest at $2,700.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HIthis page | $1,750 – $3,850 | $2,800 | |
| Kahului, HI110 miles | $1,850 – $4,000 | $2,900 | +4% |
| Santa Rosa, CA2395 miles | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 | −4% |
| Santa Cruz, CA2415 miles | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 | −5% |
| San Francisco, CA2415 miles | $1,800 – $3,900 | $2,850 | +1% |
| Napa, CA2425 miles | $1,700 – $3,800 | $2,750 | −2% |
| Hawaii (statewide) | $1,800 – $3,900 | $2,850 | +1% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | −15% |
Across 300 US metros, Honolulu comes in at #3 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $2,900; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $2,000 (midpoints, 1,500 sq ft). Statewide, Honolulu is 1% below the Hawaii figure.
Other Hawaii metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului, HI | 73,750 jobs | $1,850 – $4,000 | $2,900 | +4% |
Cities with a workforce like Honolulu's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Honolulu against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany, NY | 449,410 jobs | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,450 | −12% |
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,200 | −22% |
| Tulsa, OK | 458,730 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −20% |
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $1,400 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −19% |
Honolulu labor market for sod lawn
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Honolulu is 1.24 times the national level.
For landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011, weighted 80%) the local median is $21.41 an hour, which is 14% above the national $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $17.64 and $24.25 an hour. BLS counts 3,330 of them working in the area, 74.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 61.3), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $37.48 an hour, 65% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $24.21 and $41.41 an hour. About 3,040 work in the metro. That is 68.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the landscaping and groundskeeping workers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($24.25 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $140. At the 25th percentile ($17.64) it shrinks by about $180. The total moves by 4.8% or 6.4%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 446,380 jobs in the Urban Honolulu area. That makes it the 56th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.29% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $17.64 | $21.41 | $24.25 | $18.82 | 1.14 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $24.21 | $37.48 | $41.41 | $22.66 | 1.65 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.24 | |||||
Pick a size, pick a tier: sod installation pricing in Honolulu
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Honolulu wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$1,750 to $2,600
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$2,400 to $3,250
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$3,050 to $3,850
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) | $1,750 – $2,600 | $2,400 – $3,250 | $3,050 – $3,850 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $4,700 – $6,750 | $6,250 – $8,250 | $7,750 – $9,750 |
Specs and site conditions that change a Honolulu bid
Permit
Sodding permits cost $40-$300 where required, mostly for large lawns or those next to a public road.
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.
Related projects, priced for Honolulu
Because every project leans on different trades, Honolulu's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, gravel driveway runs +46% and retaining wall +31%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $830 – $2,900 | +38% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $5,400 – $13,500 | +35% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $9,650 – $17,200 | +31% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $3,700 – $14,800 | +46% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $50,200 – $156,500 | +39% |
Climate in Honolulu: timing your sod lawn job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Honolulu Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
Weather is not a serious constraint for digging, grading and setting material in the ground in Honolulu: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F)) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
Honolulu gets about 16 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are March, November and December (2.4 inches in March). The station averages about 32 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 81 | 67 | 1.8 | Workable |
| Feb | 81 | 67 | 1.9 | Workable |
| Mar | 81 | 68 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Apr | 83 | 70 | 0.8 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 72 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Jun | 87 | 74 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Jul | 88 | 75 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Aug | 89 | 76 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Sep | 88 | 75 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Oct | 87 | 74 | 1.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 84 | 72 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Dec | 82 | 69 | 2.2 | Workable |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $2,400 to $3,250 for Honolulu, HI is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
Multi-page report for Honolulu, HI: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. 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 Honolulu: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Honolulu?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,750 to $3,850 in the Honolulu area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,400 to $3,250. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for sod lawn in Honolulu?
About $1.20 to $2.35 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $330 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $1 to $2.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in Honolulu or Kahului?
Kahului is 110 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,900, which is 4% more than Honolulu ($2,800). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Honolulu?
About 50% at the midpoint, or $1,400 out of $2,800. Materials are 45% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 47%.
+What would average yard (1,500 sq ft) cost in Honolulu?
$1,750 to $3,850. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in Honolulu?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $330 for fees in the Honolulu area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Honolulu expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of Hawaii?
Honolulu is 1% below the Hawaii statewide estimate ($2,850 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in Hawaii; see the state page to compare them.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Honolulu?
The BLS median is $21.41 an hour in the Honolulu area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.64 to $24.25.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Honolulu?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,750 to $2,600 and premium work $3,050 to $3,850. Basic means: basic grass on cleared, level ground. Premium means: premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes.
+Is there a bad season to lay sod in Honolulu?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
Sod installation near Honolulu
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.