Is Hawaii an expensive place to live?

You have been given alot of great information already...but I thought I would add a few other thoughts...

I am not sure where you live but if you in California or Florida etc..it will basically be a lateral move for you. Other than that, yep you will think its expensive in some ways. There are good jobs for those who have degrees... its more of a problem with people who do not have specific skills to get one job that will support them, hence working two jobs mostly in tourism (basically because that’s what keeps the islands afloat). Its true there is excellent public transportation and alot of it depends where you live on the island on whether you need a car.

Personally before I made the jump..I made many trips over at all times of the year so I could see exactly what I was in for...I investigated (probably over investigated) where I wanted to live...because even though your in Hawaii each town has its own "feel".......I decided on the North Shore because I wanted the country feel...but am still able to drive to the city in 40 minutes when I want to. We have lots of "chain" stores now.. Costco. and Costco prices are basically the same everywhere.. so if you a huge milk drinker buy it at Costco! There is also Safeway or on the mainland its Von's.. it always has specials. There are many farmers markets..and lots of roadside fruit stands. Gas is cheaper than in California (I was just there)..I can't speak for the other states. Clothing is not the same issue as the mainland.. you just don't dress the same..period! And don't need the same kind of clothes or amounts. We have "Ross for Less" here, so you can find clothes reasonable and even a Macy's , Sears, Home Dept, Lowe's, Kmart, Walmart...so see..its ver "civilized" here .

Everyday I walk up even going to work...I am in paradise..I take my board to work and change clothes on the way home I surf!! Can it get better....ummmmmmm.. not sure where!

I wish you all the best.. but do your homework!!

And.. you will meet friends!!!

Aloha!!

Honolulu is an expensive locale. Maui & Oahu are expensive to buy a home. Honolulu has investors from Japan & Korea buying condos up and leaving buildings half-empty because they use the condos (2 bedrooms!) empty most of the year until they have a vacation. There are condohotels, but they are overpriced and often Leasholds (which means the unit on the property loses value every second, hour, day.... until the property owner decides whether or not to sell to replace a tower with a bigger tower)... etc.

Nobody cleans the streets over here. Traffic on Oahu is really awful. If you live out of the city and actually expect to see your spouse or partner, your screwed. Divorce rates are high.

Everybody is a realtor here and 87% of the buildings here in Honolulu are rented out as a business transaction.

Yes. The answer is yes. The quality of life sucks here. Check out www.oahure.com

They give you a great view of the housing situation and the "flips" that take place yielding 100K generally.

It can be. If you expect to move there and live like tourists generally do, in luxury resorts with all the ammenities etc. it will be expensive. But I would guess that is not how you are living now. So if you strived to maintain your same socio-economic strata there, as you have here on the mainland, it could be do-able with only a modest increase in cost of living.

When you go on vacation now, where ever you live, you expect to spend more than you normally do when at home. Right? So you save up a bit for it before going becasue you know it is going to be more expensive to do those things you are not doing now at home in your daily living routine. That's part of what makes it a vacation.

Yes, but we pay the price to live in Paradise! Gas & auto Ins. highest in the US. Median price of a home or condo: %30,000 & $250,000 respectively. But we don't need any suits or cold weather clothes, just shorts & tee shirt or aloha shirt. We don't get salt on the undercarraiges of our autos, (we do get salt from the sea air) we don't need heating oil or gas every year, even air conditioning is a luxury, we usually just go outside, sit under the Mango tree in the shade & drink a couple of ice cold beers & BBQ lunch or dinner, the 10 - 25 mph tradewinds cool us off, or we jump in the ocean 2-3 times a day to cool off. I wouldn't live anywhere else no matter how much money you gave me. The people & the Aloha they posess are unique to the Islands. Aloha!

Yes, very much so! It is a beautiful, warm, friendly place but so hard to live there expense wise! That is why my Hubby & I took our family to live in Indy. More opportunities are here & much lower cost of living.

well honolulu was rated as #7 as most expensive place to live. so i would have to say yes. a friend lives right next to harbour island and rent is alot, You probably cant live on your own without a very good job

Yes..

No my house is twelve hundred!

Yes. When I run out of hope please give me a yard of rope.