Costs of Living in Hawaii

Good morning everyone.

While sipping my cup of coffee this morning, phone attached to my side, headset on my head, laptop on lap...sitting on the lanai (for you southerners that would be a back porch, my view off the lanai is the picture above) enjoying a clear blue sky, 81 degrees and a gentle breeze...I was going over "financial things" in my head. Somewhere in there, I thought back to the costs we were going to contend with when we moved here to Hawaii.

We read so many things over the internet about how expensive it is to live in Hawaii. And certainly, to some degree it is more expensive. But I have to be honest with you (and some locals will definitely disagree with me here, so sorry bro's)...its not as bad as the impression you get when you are on the right side of the Pacific, instead of out here in the middle of it.

Food costs for example, both eating in and eating out... we were expecting about a 35% increase in the grocery bill, and were concerned that eating out was going to be extremely expensive. And I have to say, none of that is really the case. We shop at several different grocery stores here; Safeway, Foodland, some asian food stores like Palama Market and some organic stores like Down to Earth. Now here are the hardcore facts: Our grocery bill in the normal stores like Safeway and Foodland run about 20% to 25% more than the mainland (that's compared to Western North Carolina where we were from). The organic stores run about 20% more, but the asian food stores are actually cheaper here than North Carolina (and the selection of asian foods is not even comparable, we were shocked with all of the selections).

Now, eating out. Classic case-in-point...our very first night here when we arrived on Oahu. Tired and hungry from all of the travel, we decide to stop in at Chili's (mainland family dining restaurant chain) to get supper that night. Now expecting the worst (because of what all we read) we thought the ticket for us four was going to be "through the roof". As we started looking through the menus, much to our surprise (even shock) was that each plate was only $1 to $2 more than the mainland! We ate at Chili's from time-to-time on the mainland, so we could remember what things cost there. I myself could not believe it. It really made me wonder where the people who had written all of those posts about going out to eat, even at "normal" restaurants, were unbelievably expensive...where were they getting their information?

Gas costs for your car. Definitely more expensive here...but still its kind of "relatively speaking". I remember a couple of months ago I had some family traveling through Northern California on their way up to Oregon to visit family. We were talking over the phone about their trip, and they told me that the costs of a gallon of gas was $3.69 per gallon. At the time that they said this, the cost of a gallon of gas in Hawaii was $3.06 (now depending on when you read this, that may seem good or bad...but just pay attention to the comparison). Everytime I listen to the news and they mention where the highest gas price in the nation (speaking of the US) is, they always, always say Hawaii. But according to the story I just told you, that was not the case at all. Now dont' get me wrong, gas is more expensive out here than on the mainland. But its all relative, you know what I mean?

Cost of housing. Now this is an area that I can only make limited observations about. I know our circumstances, and I know general information about general pricing in general areas. Generally speaking. But what I will put my two cents in about, that I haven't found more than a handful of people actually do, is search, find and negotiate. The search and find they may do...but hardly ever the negotiate. Now please, negotiating doesn't mean to be a pain in the rumpus maximus. You don't get ugly or try to rip someone off. But let's say you are going to rent a home when you first move here until your home sells back on the mainland (I know there can be a million different variables here, but just stay with me). You cruise through all the websites that tell you how expensive some place is... 99% of people (or more) will take that number right there and figure its as true as the Bible. In many cases, that's just not so. Now every place will be different, and perhaps many will tell you that that is the price, non-negotiable. Fine. Go to the next one. That one tells you the same thing. Fine. Go to the next one. That one laughs at you and tells you "Sir, I hope you don't think that you can just come to Hawaii for free, do you? Homes are more expensive here". Fine. Go to the next one (do you see a pattern developing here?). Most people I know would NEVER do that. Many tell me they are too embarrassed to do that. When there are many people who own homes, that WANT someone to move in there and pay the bills, and WANT someone to call, and DON'T MIND if someone asks for a lower price. Anyways, enough of that soapbox.

For some people, I know Hawaii is unfortunately too expensive. And I know for many, job or business obligations keep them from even thinking of it. And certainly I know nothing about your personal circumstances. But for what its worth, I wanted to put my two cents in about what it looks like from here...so when you read other "bad, spooky posts" that tell you all of these unbelievable costs...dont' be so quick to believe them.

Aloha!