Is private school cheaper in Honolulu or Meridian?

Meridian has lower average private school tuition at $7,800/year vs $20,200/year in Honolulu. That's $12,400/year less, or $161,200 over a K-12 career.

How much can I save on private school by choosing Meridian over Honolulu?

Average tuition in Meridian is $12,400/year less than Honolulu. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $161,200 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $12,900/year in Honolulu, $5,300/year in Meridian.

How do Honolulu and Meridian private school costs compare to the national average?

The national average private school tuition is $12,350/year. Honolulu averages $20,200/year ($7,850 above average). Meridian averages $7,800/year ($4,550 below average).

Private School Cost: Honolulu vs Meridian

Meridian averages $12,400/year less for private school (159% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $161,200 per child.

Bottom Line

Meridian is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $7,800/year vs $20,200/year in Honolulu. Religious schools run $5,300/year on the low end.

Honolulu

$20,200

avg tuition/year

$7,850 above national avg

Meridian

$7,800

avg tuition/year

$4,550 below national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Honolulu	Meridian	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$20,200/yr	$7,800/yr	+$12,400
Religious Schools	$12,900/yr	$5,300/yr	+$7,600
Independent/Prep	$37,600/yr	$15,100/yr	+$22,500
Elementary (K-5)	$17,200/yr	$6,600/yr	+$10,600
Middle School (6-8)	$20,200/yr	$7,800/yr	+$12,400
High School (9-12)	$24,200/yr	$9,400/yr	+$14,800

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Honolulu

$262,600

Meridian

$101,400

Choosing Meridian saves $161,200 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $322,400.

Sample Schools

Honolulu

Punahou School

Independent · K–12 · $27,400/yr

Iolani School

Independent (Episcopal) · K–12 · $24,800/yr

Saint Louis School (Honolulu)

Catholic · 9–12 · $13,800/yr

Meridian

Nampa Christian Schools

Christian · K–12 · $9,200-$11,400/yr

Victory Charter School (Meridian)

Independent · K–12 · $8,400-$10,400/yr

Full Honolulu breakdown → Full Meridian breakdown →

Hawaii private school costs Idaho private school costs

About This Comparison

This comparison uses NCES Private School Universe Survey data, adjusted for metro-level cost-of-living differences. "Average tuition" blends religious schools (Catholic, Christian) and independent day/prep schools. Religious schools typically cost 60-70% less than independent schools in the same city.

Grade-level estimates (elementary, middle, high) are derived from the city average using national grade-level multipliers. High school tuition typically runs 15-25% above the city average; elementary runs 10-20% below.