Your household goods will cross the Pacific in an ocean container, and the ocean carrier's rates are public — a rate sheet effective June 2026 through May 2027 that almost no moving site ever cites. Here it is, in full, with what it does and doesn't include.
The short answer: the ocean leg for a 20-foot container (a typical 2–3 bedroom household) runs $7,070 from the West Coast to Honolulu, or roughly $9,000–$11,400 rail-included from inland cities — plus a 10% fuel surcharge and the land legs at both ends. Moving back is about 40% cheaper. These are the carrier's published rates, effective 1 June 2026 – 31 May 2027.
One container size per household is the norm: a 20-foot fits most 2–3 bedroom homes, a 40-foot a large family house. Rates include Hawaii wharfage; the 10% fuel surcharge and accessorials below are added.
| From | 20-ft | 40-ft | 45-ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Beach, CA | $7,070 | $7,840 | $8,675 |
| Oakland, CA | $7,070 | $7,840 | $8,675 |
| Tacoma, WA | $7,070 | $7,840 | $8,675 |
| Dallas, TX | $9,070 | $9,840 | $10,675 |
| Houston, TX | $9,270 | $10,040 | $10,875 |
| Detroit, MI | $9,528 | $10,753 | $11,594 |
| New Orleans, LA | $9,717 | $10,487 | $11,334 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $9,737 | $10,507 | $11,354 |
| Baltimore, MD | $10,110 | $10,880 | $11,715 |
| Charleston, SC | $10,110 | $10,880 | $11,715 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $10,110 | $10,880 | $11,715 |
| Kearny, NJ | $10,110 | $10,880 | $11,715 |
| Miami, FL | $10,110 | $10,880 | $11,715 |
| Norfolk, VA | $10,110 | $10,880 | $11,715 |
| Savannah, GA | $10,110 | $10,880 | $11,715 |
| Chicago, IL | $10,313 | $11,083 | $11,926 |
| Kansas City, KS | $10,365 | $11,135 | $11,978 |
| Denver, CO | $10,463 | $11,233 | $12,081 |
| Memphis, TN | $10,551 | $11,321 | $12,164 |
| St. Louis, MO | $10,797 | $11,567 | $12,410 |
| Columbus, OH | $10,883 | $11,653 | $12,497 |
| Cleveland, OH | $10,892 | $11,662 | $12,504 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $10,971 | $11,741 | $12,586 |
| Omaha, NE | $10,989 | $11,759 | $12,607 |
| St. Paul, MN | $11,059 | $11,829 | $12,674 |
| Charlotte, NC | $11,275 | $12,045 | $12,893 |
| Atlanta, GA | $11,383 | $12,153 | $12,995 |
Source: Matson household goods tariff, effective 1 June 2026 – 31 May 2027, published at matson.com. Rates are ocean + wharfage per container, excluding the fuel surcharge (currently 10%, adjusts with fuel costs). Inland origins include the rail leg to the West Coast. Retrieved and verified 15 August 2026.
Ships return to the mainland emptier, and the published tariff prices that in: Honolulu to Long Beach / Oakland / Tacoma runs $4,238 for a 20-foot container eastbound against $7,070 westbound. If a return is in your future, budget the asymmetry.
| Item | Published charge |
|---|---|
| Fuel surcharge (BAF) | 10% of ocean rate |
| Motor vehicle or boat inside the container | $1,145 |
| Hazardous-cargo handling for that vehicle | $425 |
| Invasive species assessment | $0.75 per 1,000 lbs |
| Port security, Honolulu | $26.14 per container |
| Port security, neighbor islands | $39.24 per container |
Same tariff document. The state has signalled security-charge adjustments from July 2026. And on top of all of it: packing, loading, trucking to the port, and delivery on the island end — the land legs a full-service quote wraps in.
The Jones Act (46 U.S.C. §55102) limits cargo between US ports to US-built, US-crewed, US-flagged ships. For Hawaii household goods that means a handful of ocean carriers — and only one of them publishes a public rate sheet, which is the one this page is built on. Everyone else quotes by request.