Any member here posting from Hawaii? How much exactly does it cost to live there? I have this plan to get away from society for a while, like say for four years, to live in Hawaii. Before being chained down with a wife and children and career responsibilities, I want to experience life in Hawaii. Realistic? Not realistic?
Never been to Hawaii, but it would seem that would be the last place I'd want to live to get away from society. I'm sure there are places that are away from the typical tourists, but I guess I'll let people who know more than I answer that.
This is from a relative I know that lives there: Price is almost entirely dependent on the scenic capacity of your living space. Basically if you have a good view the house is going to be a hell of a lot more expensive, and that goes for houses/apartments in CHEAP or GHETTO neighborhoods as well. The place I stayed at briefly was an apartment maybe 600sqft. that was charging $300,000 for 3 beds 1 bath. It was EXTREMELY small. 1 bed 1 bath in the same 600sqft. apartment is $100,000. That is my extremely limited knowledge on Hawaii home expenses. :grin: Just expect to spend a hell of a lot more in Hawaii on the average house/apartment than in Houston.
If you check into a hotel, sure there's going to be a lot of tourists but the place where I stayed at, a townhouse in Waipahu, there were almost NO tourists and it was pretty quiet there.
I don't mind if my place is small or if it doesn't have a nice scenic view. As long as I can get to the beach by walking.
Look up the local craigslists for an idea. I hear each region holds a different season(kona is spring erc.). I've seen some homes for around $1000 a month there, old old houses, but reasonably priced for the "paradise life."
Proximity to the beach is also obviously going to be a huge price modifier. Best to get a bike or something and live somewhere within biking distance. Parking is a living hell.
Just got back from Hawaii a week ago, it depends on what island you plan on living on. Oahu or Maui is going to be ridiculously expensive as opposed to living on the Big Island, but both will still be expensive. Also second that whatever view your place has is gonna drive up the price.
Why go to Hawaii for that? You can go to south east asia and live for $500 per month. Thailand, Phillippenes, Bali, etc... And have all the women you've ever wanted.
SacTown is right in a sense. The vacation/tourist spots are definitely great in Hawaii but if you live in the local residential areas it seriously looks like a place straight out of the Philippines or some other Southeast Asian country.
Ehh I'm in the Philippines right now, been to the best beaches/resorts. Trust me, it's not that great. I'm sure Hawaii is 20 times better.
Hawaii is very expensive. The cost of living is more than double of Houston. If you plan to get away from society, Hawaii is the last place to go. Lots of tourist and not a lot of space between houses. Try someplace more remote like South Dakota or Montana.
I've always thought about visiting Fiji or Samoa as "paradise" places - especially after watching some travel shows about them.
Went outside today and felt 100 degrees with high humidity. My sanity is being questioned every summer day. I agree with Fiji or Samoa. Its Hawaii without the tourists.
I'm born and raised in Hawai'i, lived in Honolulu until I graduated HS. I'm not sure what kind of savings you have, or what kind of job you're qualified to have, but unless you're loaded, you really don't know what you're getting into. The cost of living is very expensive; groceries are about double what I pay for things here in California, gas tracks very closely with California's (ie, highest in the nation), and pretty much every restaurant from Alan Wong down to Zippy's has been dramatically increasing their prices to keep their doors open. As for real estate, pretty much every one of my recent college graduate friends immediately moved back home and saved for 3+ years in order to afford a 1BR, 1BA condo in the city ($350K). All the best jobs are generally in the southeast part of the island, between Pearl Harbor and Hawaii Kai, along with all the tourist trade in Waikiki. The available housing developments are all on the west, and you're probably looking at a 45min commute in non-stop bumper to bumper traffic most days, and even worse when the schools are in session. Fortunately, the island is very small, and you're all but guaranteed to live close enough to a beach for your needs. You'll also find that salaries in the islands don't keep up with the cost of living. While the unemployment rate is fairly low, quality jobs are also massively in demand, and Hawai'i is as bad as they come for nepotism and networking being a requirement to get your resume read. Many people I've met in my experience interning have a strong preference to hire locals who are familiar with the culture, and have ties to the community over a "mainlander". It will be even worse on the outer islands. What exactly is it about living in Hawai'i that you want to "experience"? It's definitely a jarring transition for many, especially if you're not Asian/Pacific Islander. Now I've made Hawai'i seem very crappy, but I would leave you with the caveat that if you can get integrated into the community, get a good place for yourself and hold a steady job, you'll probably never want to leave (especially when you start meeting local girls; unbelievably attractive, super active sports-wise, and can cook like nothing else). Everyone is super friendly as long as you're patient, laid back and open. Anything specific you want to know about, I'd be happy to answer...
