What does "Hawaii is expensive" mean?

Question

When people say life in Hawaii (Honolulu) is expensive, what exactly do they mean? For example if a person were willing to go without a cell phone, a car, eating in restaurants, gym memberships, expensive clothes, internet access etc..wouldn't life in Hawaii be reasonable? It's just that so often I read on the net about: "Oh, there's lots of jobs here, but they don't pay much." Maybe that's true, but they don't pay much for what exactly?
I guess my main question is this, "If a person were willing to go without a lot of things that most people take for granted, wouldn't living in Hawaii be much more affordable?"

Answer 1

The issue is that our salaries/hourly wages do not keep up with the escalating cost of living.

Isles falling behind as pay gap grows wider (12 Jan. 2007)

Hawai'i workers earned $4,100 less per year than the average U.S. employee and the pay gap is getting worse, according to a new study. The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics said yesterday employees in Hawai'i earned an average of $704 a week, or $36,608 a year. That was was well below the national average of $784 a week, or $40,768 a year, and placed Hawai'i 26th out of 50 states and the District of Columbia."We have a reputation here for being underpaid, and we feel that in all areas from entry-level jobs all the way up to professionals like doctors," said Leroy Laney, professor of economics and finance at Hawai'i Pacific University.The pay gap is disconcerting given that Hawai'i residents pay the nation's highest rent, highest gasoline prices, highest electricity rates, and home prices are far above the national average.

According to Governor Linda Lingle: ""Our residents are struggling with the high cost of living and they will continue to fall further behind unless we provide immediate and long-term tax relief."

Answer 2

I can answer this question, from experience.
In the70's we lived in Hawaii. My husband was in the Navy, and although we shopped on base, it was still outrageous! At that time a gallon of milk was 3.09, a loaf of bread 1.59....we didn't have cell phones, gym memberships, or any of the other things you mentioned.....and, because we were only a couple, base housing was out of the question! We rented, of course it was an armed forces subsidized housing, but, above and beyond our allotment we paid an extra 200 for a two bedroom.
So, can you begin to imagine how expensive it is now? And the reason? Well, most everything in the islands is shipped in from the mainland. Jobs there don't pay much more than they do here...their main industry is TOURISM! So...now maybe you understand why people say Hawaii is expensive!

Answer 3

It means high cost of living:

1/ real estate is at premium since there are more people than there is available housing inventory. Rent is high and buying even higher....

2/ it's an island so most things come from the mainland...there is a delivery cost for products which makes buying anything in Hawaii more expensive than mainland U.S.

Answer 4

You could be right. But, just so you see the difference. Say you wanted to go to Burger King and get whooper. Which here it would cost you for the deal meal. $5.29. In Hawaii it would cost you. $ 11.59. Every thing is much more expensive. But if the jobs there pay more than they do in my neck of the woods then you might could make it. It all depends on what your needs are.

Answer 5

Hawaii is said to be named for Hawaiiloa, hero of the foundation myth of the native Hawaiian people. Hawaiʻiloa is the hero of an ancient Hawaiian legend about the settling of the Hawaiian Islands. After having accidentally stumbled upon the islands, he returned to his homeland which he called Ka ʻāina kai melemele a Kane, "the land of the yellow sea of Kane". He then organized a colonizing expedition that included his family and eight other skilled navigators. They settled on what is now the Island of Hawaiʻi, named in his honor. The legend contains reference to his sons: Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, and Maui, who settled on the islands that bear their names.