Here’s some things you should know if you’re thinking about moving to Hawaii. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition the average rent for a 2 bedroom apartment is $1,509 per month in the state of Hawaii. – This was true in 2009-2010, now in 2012 I don’t think so.
Based on what I read in the local paper, rents have dropped some. Not a huge amount, but not the gouging that was going on previously.
This is an average of the whole state which includes Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Kauai, and the island of Hawaii. To be able to afford that much rent you need to be making about $30 per hour or $60K per year.
Which island should you move to?
It depends on which island you might prefer. Each has it’s own flavor so to speak. Oahu is called the gathering place. They got that right, there’s about 1.2 million of them “gathered” over there. If you like the big city, then you may want to consider moving there.
Oahu kind of reminds me of L.A. with water around it, but it’s a whole lot safer. Besides all the amenities of a big city, Oahu does have some very cool things about it which would make it a nice place to move to.
Even though the average 2 bedroom rent is $1509 for the whole state you could probably find a pretty cheap apartment down in Waikiki for a lot less than $1500 per month.
Then There Is The Garden Isle
Kauai is small and similar to Kona in someways, but has some of the best beaches in Hawaii. Back in 2009 when the vog was really bad, I was looking at possibly moving there.
It’s really pretty. It’s also really expensive. If I was a serious surfer I’d probably live here because of the great surfing.
Maui
Has some great beaches like Kauai. But it also has too many people for my taste and it helps to be rich as it’s probably the most expensive of all the islands to live on.
The Island of Hawaii
The big island is more rural compared to the other islands. And more affordable if you’re moving to Hawaii on a budget.
The further away you get from Oahu the further you get from civilization in some ways. It is the major hub of all the islands.
But if you’re looking for a more laid back way of life by moving to Hawaii, then one of the outer islands is probably the way to go. Read this blog post about living the Kona lifestyle.
Below I’ll share tips for moving to Hawaii. How to ship a car to Hawaii. And other tid bits about living on the island that are important to know about. Like:
- Schools
- Moving Pets
- Medical Care
- Jobs
Should you ship your vehicles? Or buy them here?
If you have a truck. I’d consider shipping it to Hawaii because trucks sell for a premium here. If you have an average no frills car. I’d sell it and buy one when you get here. Matson, Pasha and Horizon all ship vehicles from the west coast. Just visit my moving resource page for more info. The cost is around a $1000 for the average vehicle.
Pasha only ships vehicles, Matson ships everything. Horizon I’m not sure about.
And while we are talking about vehicles, if you decide to ship yours, it better be something that is popular here on the island. Why? Because let’s say you own a Ranger Rover, all of the sudden you’ve just been limited to about one shop that works on them here. And forget buying parts for it locally.
But let’s say you’re a Toyota, Nissan, Chevy, Ford, Dodge car or truck owner. No problem. Everybody has parts for those and there is a lot of different shops here that repair it for you.
If you just have to bring your yuppy mobile with you, go ahead, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Shipping Household Stuff
If I was moving to Hawaii again, I’d sell all my stuff on the mainland before moving to Hawaii and just show up with clothes and a tooth brush.
Nice used stuff is cheap to buy here from folks moving back to the mainland. Such as cars furniture and other household items.
There are lots of furnished vacation rentals here that rent for almost the same as unfurnished places so you really don’t need to even buy furniture if you don’t want to. Now that I think about it, it’s a great way to move here short term to see if you even like it.
Matson will rent you various sizes of containers to ship yourstuff to Hawaii if you just can’t part with it.
Pets
In the old days moving a pet to Hawaii required quarantine of theanimal for 90 days. And the reason for this is Hawaii is rabies free and the state would like to keep it that way. The state has since removed the requirement for the quarantine if you jump through the hoops correctly. This means if you do the paper work properly you can bring your pet home with you straight from the airport on arrival.
- Here are some of the requirements.
- Your dog will require 2 rabies shots 90 days apart and you can’t ship fido here till after 90 days has passed since the last rabies shot.
- Dogs and cats will require micro chips
- OIE-FAVN rabies blood test.
After the OIE-FAVN blood test you have to wait 120 days before moving your pet to Hawaii if you don’t want to have them in 90 day quarantine after they arrive here. All the rules and forms are available from the state websitefor complete animal info.
If the paperwork doesn’t scare you that the state requires, you can handle it yourself. But if you would rather turn it over to an expert, you might try this pet relocation service to Hawaii if you don’t want to deal withthe paperwork.
Jobs In Hawaii
If you’re thinking about moving to Hawaii and then finding a job. Think again. There are none. You need to make $50K per year minimum to afford to live here. If you want to eat too that is.
You can live here on less, people do. But when I say 50K, I’m talking living comfortably.
Moving To Hawaii Update Sept. 2012
The job market on the big island seems to have turned the corner in a good kind of way. There are a lot of jobs listed in the local Sunday paper compared to a year ago.
There is a new website with local job listings and more. If I was looking for a job I’d definitely bookmark their site. Hawaiijobengine.com
I still think starting your own business here is the best strategy if you want to live here long term. Or figure out a way to telecommute to your current job on the mainland. It’s not uncommon for people to hold 2 or 3 jobs here just to make ends meet.
I never said this was easy. As a matter of fact I work harder here than I ever did living on the mainland. The price to stay warm… Above I said you should think about starting your own business, just know that Hawaii requires all employers to provide health insurance for all employees that work over 20 hours per week.
And don’t expect the local work force to have the same work ethic you have. Because they don’t. It’s a cultural thing. You either adapt or go insane. I choose to work alone. There are some good workers that live here I’m sure. But they’re few and far between.
Food
Buying fruit at the local grocery store the first time will be a shocking experience. A bag of grapes, some bananas and a couple of nectarines is almost $20. Shopping for food here is not for the faint of heart.
If you shop at Costco you can save a lot of money on your grocery bills. Another tip is if you shop at Safeway or Sack and Save make sure to join their customer discount programs. You’ll save a lot of money.
If you don’t have your Makai or Safeway card when you go shopping… you’ll pay the tourist rates. Ouch!
The good news is eating out seems to be about the same as most places in California. Go to Costco here and buy their rotisserie chicken. You can’t buy it at the grocery store and cook it yourself for less money.
Housing Costs
You can rent a nice 2 bedroom condo for around $1000 per month give or take $100. Houses rent starting around $1000 and go as high as you care to spend. For something nice you’ll probably pay around $1600 per month.
Electricity cost is the highest in the nation. Last time I looked it’s between 25 or 30 cents per kilowatt. That translates into a minimum $300 electric bill for a house like mine that has just 2 adults living there. It’s over $400 in the summer when we run the air conditioning. The water bill is about $60 per month, used to be over $100 till I cut back on landscape water. Still want to move to Hawaii?
The upside is property taxes are cheap compared to Ca. for example.
Schools
If you have children that you can’t afford to put in private school, you might reconsider moving to Hawaii. The schools here are severely underfunded and right now have the least teaching days annually than any other state in the country.
Medical Care
If you have serious health issues. Again, I would reconsider moving to Hawaii. If you have to go to the Kona hospital you just about have to take your own nurse with you. Really.
A lot of doctors have been run out of Hawaii due to the high cost of liability insurance and the low reimbursement from health insurance companies. It’s pretty much a revolving door of specialists moving to Hawaii for a year or two and then moving back to the mainland. Doctors don’t like being poor. I don’t blame them. I don’t care for it either. If you’re seriously injured here, you need to be able to live long enough to be flown to Honolulu as our local hospital is only equipped to stabilize you enough to move you to another hospital on Oahu that has the equipment and expertise to save your life. Remember hearing about Kelsey Grammer having a heart attack here in Kona in 2009? The Kona hospital stabilized him and then he was flown to Honolulu.
Living On An Island
You’ve moved to Hawaii, now what? Some people get totally into the lifestyle and adjust well and live happily ever after. And… Some folks get “rock fever” after moving to Hawaii and have to move back to where they came from. I just take a trip to the mainland for a week and that usually fixes me for 6 to 8 months. It’s good to travel right?
For some people the culture shock of moving to Hawaii is just too much for them and they move on. For others, it’s like they’ve found the place they’ve been searching for their whole life.
One of the things I’ve noticed living in perpetual summer is that time passes very fast and there are no markers of the seasons to associate events passing in your life.
If you’re still reading at this point you’re probably starting to see that living in paradise does have it’s challenges.
As I write this on an early February morning it’s about 72 degrees with a light balmy breeze. I will say that moving to Hawaii was probably the best thing I ever did. I don’t regret it for a minute. Mark Twain said something to the effect that Hawaii is great for resting your weary bones… I’d happily agree.
OK, you’ve decided you can do it. Visit this page for important local phone numbers for utilities, schools, etc.
The comment below I received a while back…
Shipping “Stuff” via parcel post…..
by Nan’i Joan to Hilo
The advice about selling your furniture and car and buying new or used on the Big Island is sound advice …
I did just that. Stuff that would cost more to replace than mail via parcel post, I packed in acceptable size boxes that arrived in 3 to 5 weeks from California.
My sewing machine, material, etc.($40 to mail) …desk computer, monitor, printer and accessories: 3 boxes ($32 to $45 ea.) All in all I shipped 10 boxes for under $350 and replacement of those items would have been over $2,000.
Things I mailed: only 4 or 5 books (they are heavy) ornaments, silverware, tools, ukelele, artists box of acrylic paints … things like that packed tight with comforters, linens, pillows. The use of paper was only reserved for a few breakable items.
Buy kitchen stuff here and lots of stuff at swap meets, thrift stores and from people leaving the island.
No need for shipping companies or movers if you can do the packing yourself….it will really save you money.
Aloha, Nan’i Joan
I wrote this page in 2009. I updated this page in December 2011. The main thing that's stayed the same? No jobs here. And don't move here if you're not guaranteed to make 50K min. Or life is going to be really hard.
So not true.
What part is not true?
Why are there less people living on the big island than the other main islands?
The big island doesn’t have a lot of beaches compared to the other islands is one. Another is developing here is fought every step of the way, other wise the place would probably look like Honolulu. There’s probably more, but that’s what comes to mind.
Loved reading this article, my husband, Scott, and I are seriously considering the move to Kauai, HI…we left the panhandle-gulf coastal town of Fort Walton Beach, Florida after being born and raised there, our first stop was Lincoln City, OR to see some of the country that’s not so flat, and some bigger waves! However sun, warm breezes, palm trees, emerald blue waters and endless summers run thick in our blood…and we find ourselves already considering island living. We honeymooned in Kauai about 25 years ago and fell in love with the smaller garden isle…and would love to make that our next stop on this bucket list of ours! You mentioned renting month to month until deciding on a more permanent rental (we are not looking to purchase at this time), are their rentals out there that are month to month that allow one pet (dog). Also you mentioned utility bills running as much as $400 a month for cooling, is ac a must thing with the all year round 75 degrees? and are there rentals that include utilites as part of rental fee every month? and last are there any good sites for finding low cost rentals that allow pets…we consider ourselves to be minimalist and therefore don’t need a lot! lol. Thanks so much!!! pls feel free to pass on any more information you might have that would help us with the move!!!
Aloha Connie,
Rentals allowing dogs are few and far between. I’ve found them twice though when I had a dog and was renting. So it is possible. Kauai tends to be cooler than Kona where we live, so I doubt you would have to run the AC like we do over here. Especially if you live at a higher elevation. Our house is about 100 ft. above sea level where it can get pretty warm. But if we lived at 800ft. we would never need AC.
I’ve never seen a rental that includes utilities here. I would check out the Kauai Craigslist for rental prices. Good luck.
I am originally from the big island born and raised, when I joined the military, I was stoked about getting stationed at Ft. Hood, Texas…I was younger then, and I just wanted to get away from ‘Hilo life’, 12 years later, now that I am older, and have lived the ‘mainland’ life for a while, I really miss the slowness of Hilo, going to the beach, hanging out with my family and friends, fishing, and cruzing Kona, BUT, I do NOT miss the prices for food and milk, (haha), competing with 400 other applicants for one job, my own classmates giving me attitude cause I lived in the mainland for so long (they think I am better than them, which is not true), and not having a true ‘dollar store’..and having a crappy school system..all in all, I am considering selling all my stuff, returning to Hilo and living the slow life, and just living simple, I am not sure that my children will agree, but I am tired of driving 6-8 hrs away to go the beach or having a permit to fish. So this website was very helpful to me, on making keen decisions. Like, mailing my sewing machine, and laptop with quilts for example, I would have not thought of that, so thank you, for giving me a list of what needs to go, what can I live with out, and what I may need in Hilo.
Mahalo nui loa. ~D.
I’m glad you found value in this page Daisy. Thanks for the comment.
I moved here 3 months ago when my company offered a transfer. I thought it would be an adventure, a new start and a better life. I am miserable!! I cannot find a place to live that is affordable and takes pets (no, not even my tortoise!) My belongings sit in a container at the docks while me search continues. I desperately need a Dr. to get a prescription refilled and cannot find one that takes new patients. For the first time in my life I have breathing issues, I’m told due to “vog!” I miss my my friends, family and pets (a bird!) that had to be left behind due to USDA regulations. Going to the grocery store I feel I need a financial adviser to tag along. Ive seem the beach 3 times in 3 months as I work ridiculous hours. I rent a bedroom and hide my tortoise for $900 a month. There’s a heck of a lot they don’t tell you about living in paradise!
Aloha Amanda,
I would try going to the Urgent Care clinic over by Safeway, if it’s still there. Or the same type of Dr’s office that is in the Keauhou shopping center and see if their Dr. will renew your script.
I would put an ad in West Hawaii Today saying something to the effect: “Female seeks ohana or similar that will allow a well bahaved quiet pet” or something to that effect.
Living here and working to pay the bills definitely is not like being here on vacation. Nothing like a trip to Safeway for a little dose of reality.
We are considering moving out there (to Oahu). We are working with a company and have an offer on the table. The offer is a step down from my current salary. The relocation package is about half what I would expect. I know living in paradise would be wonrderful, but I think I am confusing what I want with what I need?
Any advice?
Aloha Derek,
I don’t think most people move to Hawaii and improve their inome in the process. I’m sure there are exceptions, but for me it was more about being warm than anything else. It definitely was a step down income wise. But for me, I’ll take quality of life over money.
But to make it here, you need every fiber in your body convinced living in Hawaii is your destiny. Doesn’t sound like you’re there yet.
My husband and I are seriously considering a move to The Big Island from Michigan. Is it possible to live on an RN’s salary ( around $4500 a month gross)? I’d like to know if this move is feasible before I apply for positions.
Aloha Michelle,
I have a couple of long term clients (over 8 years) who are nurses and they do just fine here. So I don’t see why you couldn’t. Just off the top of my head, I know someone that rents a nice 3 bedroom place for $1600 per month and that is typical here. You don’t have to buy heating oil, winter clothes, snow tires etc. If you rent or buy at higher elevations say over 500 feet you won’t need air conditioning either so your electric bill will be a lot cheaper. Ours is about $300 per month, but we run the AC all the time. Our elevation is about 100 feet.
So yes, I think you could definitely make here comfortably on $4500 per month.
I am looking to slow down and raise my kid in a low key,” less stuff” environment. Will expect to find private school for him (8 years old) if public school is sub par. I want rustic farm type set up. Hope to find RN job close to home. looking at big island or Kauai. I am setting a 2 year plan to devise my plan. I will rent first and make sure it is a good fit for us ( me , boy and pug dog) . with stick stuff in storage here on mainland and just take tooth brushes. Seems smart. how hard will it be for my kid to fit in blonde headed tennessee by…. any other pointers are very much appreciated..
shannon
Aloha Shannon,
There is a pretty nice hospital in Waimea, which is also called Kamuela, besides the hospital here in Kona. Waimea has an excellent private school called Hawaii Preparatory Academy. If you can swing it, this is how I would do it. I have a client who’s son went to public school here in Kona and then was accepted at MIT. But he’s the only one ever accepted from a public school here. Many of HPA’s students go on to well known colleges.
I am considering moving to pahoa in november from Ohio. I have been a LPN since 2007 and will coming to Hawaii at a newly licensed RN, I heard nurses do okay financially but I am worried about a couple of things… Do job offers fall through? My son has high-functioning autism, how are is the big island with IEP’s and special needs? How much is private school? Also my husband is ex-military and currently a juvenile corrections officer, and job ideas for him?
Aloha Jamie,
My wife’s grandson is mildly autistic. I don’t really know the details, but I know he’s yet to attend school here. He’s 7 years old and is currently being home schooled.
Pahoa is about 100 miles from Kona, so I’m not really the one to ask about jobs, schools, etc. over there. Sorry.
Wow. Reading this has been so helpful. My husband spent about 6-7 years of his childhood on Kauai but they moved because his brother was entering high school and was being seriously bullied. We want to move to the big island but we have been fearful of the effects of bullying on our 2 little blondies. I’m a psychologist so I would hope that I could make an ok living. However, I’m guessing it wouldn’t be enough for private school should the public education not work for them. What do you hear about the charter schools on the island? Thanks so much!
Aloha Donna,
I think those are healthy fears.
My wife’s granddaughter just got accepted to West Hawaii Explorations Academy, she, we, are very happy about it. It’s an excellent alternative to private school. http://www.greatschools.org/hawaii/kailua-kona/388-West-Hawaii-Explorations-Academy-Public-Charter-School/ It’s small, they don’t put up with no nonsense like bullying from what I’ve heard. I’ll have to write up a real review of it. But it’s lunch time right now, so I’ll add it to my list of things to do.
Joe, this is by far the best website I have seen for Hawaii info. My husband and I live in the burbs of Phila, Pa. We hate the winters. We are in our 50′s and trying to see if Hawaii is the place for us. We were considering Maui but after reading this I am not sure we could afford it. I have been looking into 2bedroom 2bath condos or a house with the same in Maui to buy. At this point I do not even begin to know what part of Maui to look in. Are there any places in the $250,000 to 300,000 or is this just a fantasy of mine. What are the prices like on the Big Island where you live. Thank you for any help you can offer!
Aloha Kathy,
Mahalo for your complement about the site, I really appreciate it.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been to Maui, but I still recall it had a lot of tract homes that probably would be in your price range. I did a quick check and found this: http://www.mauirealestate.net/GetSearch.php?WhatMLS=355588 I suspect that is what’s typical in the 300K range over there.
I did another quick check here in Kona and found this: http://www.konalistings.com/AkamaiDX/detail/262418/77.html 30K less and sounds pretty nice even though they say it needs some TLC. It’s in a good neighborhood here in Kona. The one in Maui? I don’t know.
But a friend of mine has place over there, I’ll ask him for the inside scoop on where the best areas are and post back here.
P.S. The condo’s across the street from us are less than 8 years old and in the 200 to 300 range.
Joe, thanks so much for the quick response. I will look at both websites, and the condos you are in. Let me ask you something about the condo fees, what does it include just maint. or are any of the utilities included. I have been trying to read up on that too since I see some of the fees are really high so they must include some? Are you close to the beaches? I look forward to hearing to hearing about input on Maui.
Thanks again,
Kathy
Our house is across the street above the condos. Sorry for the misunderstanding. We are about 1/4 mile or less from the beach.
Condo fees do not cover electricity for sure. Water maybe, trash probably. Our water bill is about $60 per month, (we have a lot of landscaping that needs water) weekly trash pickup is $73 per month and the gardner is about $200 per month. So I see how the fees are so high for condo maintenance etc. Check out the Konafriends Facebook page for more photos.
Thank you. I guess that was my fault you did say across the street from the condos.
Kathy
Aloha! Thanks for all the helpful information. I am moving to Oahu at the end of the month and have been searching in so many places and ways to find the best way to send my TV, computer, and printer (plus a few more heavier books and items) through the mail but my cheapest rates have been nearly $350 for just my TV and printer. Where can I ship 10 boxes of stuff for just under $350 like you said?! Coming from California…Mahalo in advance
Aloha Jurija,
Nan’i Joan from Hilo sent me her story and I included it in my article. If she stops by this post maybe she’ll give you the answers you seek. She did say parcel post which would be cheaper than 1st class mail. But it takes longer because it comes on the boat. Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples.
Aloha!
My husband has been working in Hilo for what was supposed to be a temporary position since Nov 2012 after losing his job in Idaho. I stay behind with our 11 year son because of school/house. He loves Hilo and his job, so we will be joining him in June. He has a rental already secured, will buy furniture as needed as we go along, and we have started the enrollment process for school. I am using the flat rate boxes to ship the little stuff we think we need. Any semi last minute advice for continued smooth sailing?
Aloha Jill,
Sounds like you guys got it figured out. The only thing I can add is don’t forget your umbrella.
Hi Joe,
Great website! I’m looking for something even remotely similar to moving back to O’ahu. Any recommendations would be appreciated.
Mahalo!
Aloha,
Chris
Howzit Chris,
I’m not sure I understood the question. You want to move back to Hawaii, but not necessarily Oahu?
Glad you like the site. I’m building another site about Kona that is geared towards people who are moving and or already live here.
You might want to check it out too.
Aloha Joe,
I’m moving back to O’ahu (probably in the fall) and wondered if you know of any website similar to yours, but for O’ahu. If I were moving to Kona such great resources but need something similar for a O’ahu move.
Mahalo,
Chris
Try this: http://www.alohafriends.com/movetohawaii.html We’re not affiliated.
My husband and I have only dreamed of moving to Hawaii from little Rhode Island on the mainland. Your website has given us enough information to seem possible. Thank you. I am an RN so I think I will be ok but my husband is a self employed master plumber; he does pretty well here. What do you know of the licensing process of his trade and is there a high demand for his trade with good pay? He can bill out between $75-$85 an hour here.
Aloha Nrayta,
I paid a Plummer $80 per hour here 10 years ago. I have no idea what they get now. I have a customer who’s a Plummer, he’s getting ready to retire, so I know there’s going to be work available. Check out his awesome Camaro here: http://www.konacarshop.com/august-2012-cool-car-of-the-month/
Your husband can get license info here: http://hawaii.gov/dcca/pvl/boards/electrician/application_publication
Aloha Joe! Great information; informative and hopefully eye-opening for most of your readers. I am always amazed at people who have never visited the islands (or did a week vacation) and suddenly decide they need to move there. My husband is originally from Houston, but lived on O’ahu for 5 years. He lost his heart to the people, the culture, the food, the way of life. 12 years ago, he took me for the first time and I too fell in love with the islands. I would encourage anyone with thoughts of moving to “paradise” to rent and explore FIRST before attempting to move there permanently. It is not the mainland. Arriving here and expecting what you had at home will lead to huge disappointment. I implore anyone interested in moving to any island, to exercise some due diligence. For us, it is HOME and nothing makes me happier when I am mistaken for being “local”. Mahalo for the read.
Your welcome Rosi! Your post had lots of sage advice. I too am amazed when someone say’s they’re moving here and I ask “have you been to Hawaii before”? And they say no!
My wife is Pilipino German born in California, since she appears to be hapa, I always let her do the talking when going out to dinner, the hostess tends to always give us a good table.
Mahalo’s for your post.
Hi Joe,
My wife and I visited Maui in February and are now considering purchasing a property on the Hawaiin Islands. We have looked on “Big Island” online and have found some reasonably priced homes on the east side of the island. The areas we like seem to coincide with lava hazard zones 1-3. How likely in the past 20 years has lava destroyed homes or multiple homes in built up areas on the east side? There is a really nice dwelling in Volcano that we may consider, but it falls within zone 1. Can you insure a residence on zone 1? How is the VOG on the east side of Big Island?
Aloha Robert,
There has only been one or two homes in the last 20 years taken by the lava. But they were down in Kalapana which basically was un-inhabited due to previous lava flows destroying most of the structures in the area.
I’m told that insurance in lava zone 1 is limited. A friend of mine is a real estate broker that I’m going to see today, I’ll ask him if he knows who does insurance in zone 1 besides Lloyds of London.
According to the vog map I see on the nightly news, it looks like the Hilo side gets a lot less than the Kona side. I’ll reply back to this later this evening with an insurance answer.
Part 2 of Answer for Robert.
My broker friend says he doesn’t know anyone that offers home owners insurance in Lava zone 1. That doesn’t mean it’s not available though. But it will be hard to come by. I would think twice about it, just because of the resale hassle in the future. I personally would never buy in Lava zone 1 because of just that reason.
You might think about Ocean View, 50 miles south of Kona, it’s cheap. But, they do get some vog and the road from Kona to Ocean View is twisty the whole way. It’s always something…
Hi Joe,
Thanks so much for the response to my inquiry. I will take your advice and see what Ocean View has to offer!
Kindest Regards,
Robert
Hi Robert,
Great website…very interesting and informative!
My husband and I are hoping to move to the Kona area in a few years (4 or 5) when he qualifies for early retirement at his job (freedom 55!) and while we prepare for that, we plan to continue to visit on every vacation in between so that we can be as well informed and prepared as possible. One obstacle is that we are Canadian, so we may have to return to Canada for a period of time every year, and there are probably many other problems and headaches, which is why I’m wondering if you have any Canadian friends living on the Big Island who might be interested in talking to us or visiting with us in person some time to provide any words of wisdom in this regard?
Thanks in advance for your time!
Kind regards,
Kim
Aloha Kim,
I only know one Canadian that lives here full time, she just keeps changing husbands… That’s not going to work for you guys.
I have 6 to 10 Canadian clients, but they’re all snow birds. I did a quick search, seems like you have to leave the country every 6 months.
I notice this topic comes up frequently in the searches that people find this site with. So eventually I’ll do some serious research for more concrete answers and will post them.
Robert,Joe
oops…not sure why I called you Robert! Sorry
No worries. Thanks.
Aloha Joe,
Are there any Porsche or BMW dealerships on the Big Island? The last time we were there, we did not see any. I want to make sure we didn’t miss it.
We are planning to move to the Big Island and I want to make sure if we should bring our cars there. Thanks.
Christine
Aloha Christine,
BMW dealer? Yes. Porsche? No.
Hi Joe,
My wife and I are getting ready to retire. Have been to all the islands several times and are considering Kauai because even the mild VOG really trips off my asthma for some reason.
Didn’t have any problems in Kauai the 5 times we were there. What do you think it would cost (not including the land) to put up a 1500 sq ft kit home (HPM, Honsador, etc.) with average furnishings. I see these homes online, but have no idea what the labor fees will be.
Also is there a similar site for Kauai.
Enjoy your honest and personal answers.
Thanks,
Vinnie
Aloha Vinnie,
The seat of my pants answer to how much it will cost to build is 150K. Plus materials, plus land. I remember it cost 55K to frame our 2 story house back in 2005. Rates probably are less now because construction is pretty slow still. I know people in the construction industry, I’ll ask one of the what the current per square foot ball park is and post back here for a more accurate estimate.
I don’t know of any website for Kauai that has in-depth local knowledge. But, the good news is, I have a couple of friends who live there to get real information from. Since I’ve had a lot of inquiries lately about the garden isle, I’m going over there soon for some research.
Hi Joe,
I will be visiting BIG Island to look at real estate 3rd week of May. We are looking for a condo or vacation rental with a view. 5 days in total split between Kona and Hilo area…..any suggestions?
Regards,
Robert
Aloha Robert,
Use the search box at this website to browse the local condo listings for sale. Feel free to ask me any questions about the areas they’re located in.
If you see something that piques your interest, let me know and I’ll get my broker friend to show it to you. You don’t want to call up the listing agent and have them show it because they represent the seller. Kinda like discussing divorce strategy with the other sides lawyer if you know what I mean.
I just got reminded that if financing, get pre-qualified 1st is the most important thing to do if going to look at property with a real estate agent. Read this article I wrote for more info.
Hi Joe,
I’m exploring relocation to Hawaii. I’ve not been there yet, but am a bit more prep’d for island life than some mainlanders I guess. I’ve lived in Hong Kong & Singapore for the last 12 years & my Filipina wife and I are now living at our place in Manila. I’ve traveled extensively throughout China & Southeast-Asia for the last ten years. I have a job offer in Honolulu. My concern now is to sort out an initial salary that allows my wife and I to get started living there. We are used to living in small flats after living in Hong Kong, so we don’t need a big place. What salary would is needed for us to get a small place near Honolulu and get things going?
Thanks,
Thomas
Aloha Thomas,
Honolulu is the 3rd most expensive city in the U.S. to live in. According to this site.
Having said that, there are other parts of the island that are more affordable. But I’m not an expert when it comes to the island of Oahu, I live on the island of Hawaii.
But I’d say the salary requirement would be similar to live in a nice place in Hong Kong. I remember the last time I was there (both Hong Kong and Honolulu) I thought it was pretty pricey. But everybody says that about Hawaii because they’re mainly familiar with the hotels.
So to answer your question, to live in a decent area, you would probably need to make $4000 per month minimum. There is a good thread over at Yelp discussing this very topic. http://www.yelp.com/topic/honolulu-honolulu-living-expenses
Joe, Aloha
Why have I been looking for the past two months regarding Hilo and I just found your web site today and all my questions have been answered, almost
I am retired. A long time ago I was a private fire investigator and worked every fire in the Island. I didn’t realize until I left in 85 for Afghanistan that I had been the only one. And yes we are coming back.
Question. My wife is a new RN, 4.0 and ready to go. All of the hospitals advertise for RN’s and others and state that you must have 6 months of work experience before a local hospital will hire you but we are hearing that a hospital in both Kona and Hilo will take an RN without the 6 months boots on the ground. Can you help here, I don’t want to call the hospital, very expensive. We are coming, no question about that. Planning a recce in July for 7 days to speak with the hospital but would be nice if we already had an answer. As we get closer to final days I will ask you about 2 bdrm condo above 500ft for rent.
Mahalo and many thanks//hoseloader
Aloha Hoseloader,
Email konajobs@hhsc.org and ask them. Better to get it in writing straight from the horses mouth.
Mahalo Joe
Wow, a very quick response, you gonna spoil us
Cheers/hoseloader
Do you think one person could support themselves on $32,000? Single, no kids, no pets, very minimal gas usage (ride a bike 95% of the time, vehicle for big trips only). Simply paying for rent, groceries, & utilities?
Aloha Molly,
Yes it can be done, there are people here doing it. I’d look on Craigslist for an Ohana or something similar in the 600 to 800 range.
Good Day Joe
Things change very quickly since my last posting.I have been recruited for a position with the Hawaii Government, rail division on the new Honolulu Metro. What I need is a reliable property agent in Honolulu. I am looking for a 2 bdrm, unfurnished condo in the Waikiki area,
Help if you can
Mahalo Joe
Robert,
If I may make a suggestion about your property search? Take a gander at OahuRE.com. The owner/operator is a broker or agent, but the site is pretty much the best way to self search for housing on Oahu. You can do comparables, search by neihborhood, map, or features…it was invaluable to me when i was looking for a home. They don’t advertise or anything, no registration, and you don’t have to use them as an agent. I’m not affiliated in any way, just thought it could help. My agent is David Buck and he is a super mellow guy with a good attitude. Hawaii Life R.E. I think.
About traffic and commute times:
They say Honolulu has the worst traffic in the Nation…I don’t know what their criteria is, but it isn’t a pretty thing. I can’t stand traffic and chose my home and job location to avoid it. If you are working in “Town”, it typically takes 30-60 minutes to get to town with traffic moderate commuter traffic coming from the West side of the island like Kapolei, Ewa Beach, and Mililani. Pearl City and Aiea are probably about 20-25 minutes. I live in town near Iolani High School (for reference) and can get to downtown in about 10 minutes, Pearl Harbor in 20 minutes every morning at 5:30AM. I think a commute from Waikiki to the downtown area, Punchbowl Street and King Street for instance, might take 10-20 minutes without a freeway.
Oh, and make sure that your property search includes homes/condos that include parking.
Good luck with the move!
Aloha
Jeremy
Awesome comment Jeremy. Big mahalos for that.
Aloha Jeremy
Many thanks for your remarks and also a lead. We are looking for a 2 bdrm, 2 bath unfurnished condo in a high rise some where in the Waikiki area and very close the bus stop. My new offices are right down town so the bus is the way to go. I was even told by a friend who works in the same building to sell the car and take the bus. We are anxious to get started.
Thanks Joe