I want to move to Hawaii and am wondering if I can afford to live there?

Question

I live in New England and I know this is a hypothetical question but one that I am entertaining because I am tired of long cold winters.

Has anyone been to Hawaii? What is the rate of inflation and the pay rates? Obviously they need people there to run the place like the hotels and every other non tourist job. Is it an idea that can come true or do you need to know people and have 10 roommates to buy milk which I heard costs 5 bucks a quart. What is the price of gas there? Thanks for everyone's response.

Answer 1

You might be able to afford it it all depend on what you want to do. Hotel and Resort jobs are easier to get if you know somebody. The cheapest rent is $600-$800 for a one bedroom or studio. Some people like the weather,pretty much summer all year long. Some prefer a change of season.
Also it is culturally different here. Hawaii is a blending of several different cultures. Each with it own set of rules and practices and if you live here you will have to learn thes rules and practices. Some have had a difficulty with this.
Lastly if you need to fly home; back to New England for and emergency there is the extra cost of flying over the Pacific Ocean.

It you can handle this then you can live in Hawaii.

Answer 2

Hawaii has long hot summers, all year long. It does not get below 70 degrees in Hawaii. The pay rate is low in Hawaii, the cost of living is high, they have jobs but I believe they need more people to help in the tourist industry (hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, etc.) where they work your butt off but don't pay you enough. And NO you don't need 10 roommates to buy milk. We lived in Hawaii due to my husband being in the Military. And the Military pays us a lot. Every thing was cheap & discounted for us in Hawaii. Even our apartment & utilities in Honolulu was cheap! So, life was good for us. Our milk did not cost $5 bucks a quart. It cost $2 bucks a quart. I am given the privilage to shop at any Exchange or Commissary where it's cheap. If you want to live cheap. Try getting a job on a Military base so you can get privileges to shop at the Exchange & The Commissary, where you will pay 50% less than locals do at Safeway or Foodland. OR get a job at the Exchange, The Commissary. OR you can work in the Medical Field, they pay is a little better than tourism. I think you will get by with just 1 job, just make sure you got a job lined up & money in the bank saved up before actually moving there. Average price of gas in Hawaii is currently 3.67 a gallon. Here's the link:

http://www.hawaiigasprices.com/prices_nationally.aspx

scroll down to the very bottom of that page for current Hawaii gas rates.

I hope you will like Hawaii. Having to live there for 3 years easily, I'm glad I got the opportunity to experience island life, but I found that I like Mainland better. It has better opportunities career wise & more of other things you need, even the weather. I feel that Hawaii is just a place you will like to go vacation in. Living there is a different story. Every one is entitled to an opinion. But this is my opinion.

Good luck to you!

Answer 3

Oh the price to live so close to heaven.....
Okay you want the truth right? Lets say you live in any town mainland and compare that to rent in hawaii. The mainland rent will be so much cheaper then hawaii's and thats for the same house.
Milk for a gallon is over $5.00, gas is around $3.40 and up. Most people have to work two or more jobs just to make it here in the islands. It cost a heck of a lot to live in Hawaii...
BUT..
we do not have to pay HUGE prices for "heaters" as 90% of houses do not have ANY kind of heaters in their homes. If you get cold you just put on another blanket, it doesn't get that cold that goodness. Nor do we have to buy Winter, Spring, or Fall clothes, so that saves money too.
Another thing I have found out, either you can live in Hawaii or you can't. People are so different, food will blos you away lol, and depending on which island you pick you are going to have to learn a brand new language as the locals have their own.
I have lived here for over 30 years, (moved from So. Cali) and can't ever see me living any where else!
Have you ever been to Hawaii???

Answer 4

I moved to Hawaii from MA > 30 years ago because I hated the cold. I am actually shocked at how expensive real estate is back in MA. Milk runs a bit over $6/gallon. Good bread (not Wonder bread) is > $4 loaf. Gas is~ $3.40/gal. But we have an excellent bus system. If you have a profession, it is possible to make it, but if you are pulling minimum wage or a bit more, then expect to work a couple of jobs to keep afloat.

Answer 5

I say that's purely too early interior the courting to flow all a thank you to Hawaii. additionally Hawaii is truthfully high priced because of the fact maximum products are shipped there and consequently each and every thing is lots extra high priced. i replace into in Kauai some weeks in the past and a gallon of milk replace into priced at $9.fifty 9 in some locations. additionally early on in a courting you do not see any flaws in the different guy or woman because of the fact you're so deeply in love. in an prolonged time interior the courting do the guy's faults and imperfections pop out. i comprehend an prolonged distance courting isn't the suited factor the two because of the fact you does not be consisting of your boyfriend yet i does not advise going there yet. perchance you may fly out to Hawaii to flow to each so oftentimes and he can come back to flow to you.

Answer 6

It IS quite costly to live here, but lots of people move here and have found jobs and became part of the community.
Gas is over $3, but that doesn't keep anyone off the roads. :)
Inflation? Everything goes up. That's life.

There are lots of opportunity in the Visitor Industry. Also the medical field offers lots of positions (administrative).
Restaurants too.
Google, google, google.

My Austrian friend has now lived here for 20 years. She hasn't missed the winters, that's for sure.
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