How much does it cost to vacation in Maui?

The cost of a Maui vacation will vary depending on the time of year you go, the length of your stay, and your budget. However, in general, you can expect to spend more on a Maui vacation than you would on a vacation to other parts of Hawaii.

Here is a breakdown of some of the costs you can expect to incur on a Maui vacation:

• Flights: $500-1,000 per person

• Accommodation: $100-500 per night total

• Rental car: $50-100 per day total

• Activities: $100-200 per day

• Food: $50-100 per day

Looking at those numbers, you may be thinking Maui's expensive, and you're be right. But don't let that burst your bubble. Let me break each of the budget line items down a bit more so you can see where you can come in a lot cheaper or a lot more extravagant. (Remember, those are just average numbers, they don't have to be YOUR numbers.)

• Flights: this is the only one without a lot of wiggle room, except to go up, meaning to upgrade to First Class, which is going to cost you more than $1000 on average. However, I have seen some flights from the West Coast to Maui for about $300. And yes, that's roundtrip. Those are extreme discounts, but they happen on occasion, typically on Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest, and even Alaskan.

• Accomodations: Your cheapest options are usually going to be vacation rentals (AirBnb or VRBO or the like). But there are a few hotels that are quite competitive in pricing like Kaanapali Beach Hotel ($300/night), and there are all-inclusive resorts like Sheraton Maui or Grand Wailea. One thing to be aware of: not all accommodations have air conditioning. That may be uncomfortable, especially if you're not used to the humidity. Contact your host or hotel before to find out about that. Speaking of hosts, I am one and my condo has air conditioning throughout. Feel free to book on VRBO.

• Rental car: your cheapest, reliable option is likely going to be Kihei Car Rental. Next, you can do Turo, which is like AirBnb but for cars, so make sure you pick someone with a good track record of customer service and a Rental vehicle license from Maui County in the Turo listing (which looks like this: RV-542-648-7894-03 ). Finally, there are the usual rental car places at the airport, which are often the most expensive but most convenient. Check your tires before you leave the airport, though, there have been reports of bald tires and blow outs because the rental car tires are bad.

• Activities: This is one that is going to vary widely, because so much of the fun on Maui is FREE. It doesn't cost to surf all day, snorkel, boogie board, hang on the beach, swim, hike, etc unless you have to rent gear. But there are so many awesome activities you can do that do cost like helicopter rides, scuba lessons, whale watching, tours, luaus, and more.

• Food: Many people come to Maui and get groceries for the week and save loads of money by cooking for themselves. But there are many great restaurants on Maui, too, and those vary from cheap to luxurious. The top dollar spots on Maui are probably Merriman's and Mama's Fish House. However, I swear Paia Fish Market does fish as good as anyone and they're fast casual.

As usual, some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I get a commission if you end up booking from that link. It doesn't increase the cost of the booking, but it may offer a discount if explicitly stated here. These links help support this site so I can continue to offer helpful tips and information in the future.