Anyone here from Hawaii?? Have a few questions?

Question

My husband and I are planning to move to Hawaii next year. We will be working in the center of Honolulu by Waikiki beach. We don't want to live in the big city.
Question:
1) what are the good neighborhoods to live? and most affordable? We will have a car so we don't mind driving to work for no longer than 20 minutes.
2) Can I find one bedroom apartment for less than $1,000 per month? Is it realistic?
3) What's the transportation like there, subways, buses?
4) any good website to find a home there? besides craigslist. We would prefer a furnished apartment.

Thank you.

Thank you so much for all your answers and I just want to clarify a few things... I am from New York city where traffic is everywhere and a parking place cost $400 per month! We live in Manhattan but in Hawaii I don't care to live outside the big town I actually want to avoid big cities (I am from the biggest city in the US). My husband and I also have our own business so we don't have time to start working... I have been checking craigslist and it looks like there are a few places for $1,000 or less (we don't need a big place) but something clean and affordable... Any other advises will be really appreciate... and tell me a bit about the life in hawaii... for those who said about traffic in Hawaii is the traffic compared to Los Angele's and NYCity traffic???

Answer 1

1)Any of the leeward neighborhoods such as pearl city, aiea, kapolei, ewa beach, waipio are all great and safe places to live that is no more than 20 minutes away from almost anything since they are located in the middle of the island.

2)Yes, finiding a place for less than a $1,000 is possible. Check out www.craiglist.com for ads.

3) We don't have subways but we do have a great bus system called TheBus. They have very frequent route all over the island and some routes run 24 hours. See www.thebus.org

4) See www.honoluluadvertiser.com and click on apartments/homes

Answer 2

Tons of traffic during rush hour 6-8am & 4-6 pm. Depending on what time you start work, the only place within 20 min of Honolulu is Honolulu. Anywhere outside of Honolulu during rush hour is 30 min - 1 1/2 hours one way.
Parking in Waikiki is hard to find & is expensive
1 bdrm apt ~ $1000+ minimum (some charge $100/mo extra for parking)
Try Kaneohe if u like being out of town ~ affordable.
Award winning bus system thebus.org ~$2 fare or weekly passes available. No subway but bus system is very good. There is also a vanpool system.
craigslisthawaii is the best rental site
honoluluadvertiser.com & honolulustarbulletin.com ~ the 2 daily papers, more listings
Aloha, good luck
Oh by the way did I mention the rush hour traffic?

Some good neighborhoods to live in close to Waikiki: Manoa, St.Loius Heights, Kaimuki, Moiliili, McCully, Kapahulu & Kapiolani ~ all affordable. These areas are very convienient & have studios & 1 bdrms for rent around $950 - $1200/mo.
Waikiki is actually 5 miles south from "Downtown" Honolulu.

Answer 3

I am not as confident as the other fellow that you will be able to find an ap't for < $1,000/mo. Especially if you want to live 20 minutes from town (I am thinking 20 min. during rush hour, which is a whole 'nuther thing). Maybe Salt Lake might work out price & time wise, but there are a lot of high rises there, so it probably wouldn't be what you are looking for. I would suggest maybe Aiea or Kaneohe, which is on the windward side. Other places will be too far or too expensive.

OK... you asked for more details re traffic. If you don't need to commute during rush hour (6-8am & 4-6pm), it isn't really an issue. I live about 12 miles from downtown. If I leave home at 6:30, it takes about 40 minutes to get into work. Leaving at 7, it is more likely to take an hour. Coming from Central Oahu, however, the rush starts earlier & is much worse. I haven't lived on the mainland in 30 years, so I don't know how to compare traffic to other cities.

I like the windward side very much. Kaneohe is less expensive than Kailua. It is very green & pretty & the views when you commute over the mountains are wonderful. I haven't priced rents for a one bedroom, but I do think you will have to do some looking to find a place for $1,000/ mo, unless you are going fairly far towards the western side of the island - I'm thinking Pearl City & west.

Answer 4

- It is NOT realistic to find a decent one-bedroom apartment that is furnished for under $1000 a month. And, it would not be in the "good neighborhoods." You might find a small apartment in Makiki, from which you can take the bus to Waikiki. Parking is at a premium throughout Honolulu as well. No subways, all busses which are pretty good as long as you aren't going far. BTW Honolulu is 20 miles long, and Waikiki is not downtown Honolulu. Waikiki is the densest area on Oahu population-wise.

I think you should visit here first--the cost if living is very high and the salaries are lower than in most of the mainland. Many people come here and are disillusioned by the prices--lots of people here work two jobs to make ends meet.

Answer 5

Good Luck! Also, please keep in mind that Parking is a PREMIUM, so be very thankful if you can find a place with at least one parking space. Also, there's no such thing as a tweny minute drive especially during rush hour. It's possible to find 1BR for under a $1000 but don't expect much. $1000 on the mainland goes much further than $1000 in HI.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

ok no subways.you are on a island.they have a wonderful bus line.it is called the bus.i think you can get it online at the bus .com the rent is super expensive.i lived there for 12 years.lots of nice neighborhoods,but waikiki is real expensive.good luck for under 1,000 a month for furnished.good luck to you