We get up a little early, and pack our lunch, drinks, and dinner before we walk out the door. Hawaii has a population of 1.4 million (of which approximately 1 million are in Honolulu) and over 8 million visitors annually. You would think that an island would try to be more sustainable, but it doesn’t seem to be a top priority here over tourism revenue. There’s a good chance you’ll be living at what feels like poverty. 18) Tourists Come First, Nature Comes Second Maui it is the worse place, all those tshirts that you see showing Maui has the surfing place, it is a big lie, they don't even have beaches!!!! After living in Seattle for several years, I became spoiled with how progressive and green the state is. 4) Things Get Done On “Hawaiian Time” Damn maybe you shoulda stayed in Seattle! taking quiet time to not feel guilty about staying home in the winter to reflect, work on a project, or learn a new language. I have good friends on Hawaii Island and there is a lot to do there. Sun guilt. I just ask that when you do visit or move here, to take care of the ‘aina (land) with care and respect. (Thank goodness for Hawaii Public Radio and KTUH (University of Hawaii college radio – 90.1 on your radio dial)). I was in the same boat – my whole family is still on island, but it was the best decision I ever made to move away and pave my own life. Because there is a limited about of developable land in Hawaii, and island life is quite desirable, housing costs in Hawaii are astronomical. My wife and I have periodically talked about living there; there has been on and off plans for a wellness center on the island where I could work. However, because the island sees so many visitors each year, natural places and habitats such as Hanauma Bay on Oahu and Molokini Crater on Maui are becoming trampled and degraded. A cost of living index above 100 means Hilo, Hawaii is more expensive. Here you’ll find how-to’s, tips, reviews of products and services, and other resources that will ease your transition and make your new life and home in Hawaii as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. living in hawaii HRP is located in the city of Honolulu on the island of Oahu. Get used to dishing out a few hundred more pennies here. Traffic has become terrible on the island of Oahu – image from Google. My name is Lisa and I am the writer and photographer behind Cultural Foodies. In July you go outside and play every day until dark. This is a point of contention for me because the tourism industry is directly responsible for my livelihood. Sure it has amazing weather, turquoise beaches, palm trees and rainbows. I might have come to Hawaii to escape the Oregon rain, but it rains in Hawaii, too. Example: I used to bike commute to work into Waikiki. Teleportation, anyone? Every day is July in Hawaii, which means you have to be really structured and disciplined living in Hawaii, otherwise it’s hard to get anything done because people are outside playing all day, every day. 6) Lack of (Non-Polynesian) Culture  The Cons: Aside from what’s mentioned above, living anywhere in Hawai‘i is expensive. You know the popular song that goes “they paved paradise to build up a parking lot…oooo bap bap bap..oooooo”? This might sound made up, but it's a real thing in Hawaii. Living in Hilo offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their homes. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Oh yes, at one point several years ago we had the fifth worst traffic in the nation, but it has decreased since then, thank goodness. Hi Sean! In Seattle, it costs $4.99. <3 Malama Pono (take care). Arriving on Norweigan Cruise ship to Hawaiian Islands, and want to set up our own travel accomodations and shore excursions. In an article published in 2018, Hawaii News Now reported that Honolulu ranked 19th for worst traffic in the nation. 14) We’re In The Middle Of Nowhere Disadvantages of living in Hawaii: Lava Flow: The formation of the Islands of Hawaii is attributed to lava flows that rose above the water and solidified. Did you ever get any of your things back? Hawaii is characterized by active volcanoes and therefore Lava flowing is a repeating issue that the people here may face. Welcome to How To Live In Hawaii, a guide to moving to Hawaii and living in Hawaii as a new resident. In Hawaii, not so much. And sadly becoming the norm on this precious planet Thanks again for all your insights and shared information. I live in Hawaii. 3. All your friends will visit you the first year. Money is a huge factor in living in Hawaii, and it’s the foremost reason that most people decide to move back to the mainland. . All you need is a few roads. The last place we want to be is in our condo wasting time. Locals here love their spam, their sugary smoothies and their bento boxes and plate lunches; all of which come in plastic containers in a plastic bag. I never realized traffic would be an issue there! If you were born and raised on the East Coast of the United States shoveling snow and living in an Arc’teryx winter jacket for the better part of the year, you may like that Hawaii has a uni-season. You can find me hiking in the mountains, biking, playing beach volleyball, planning our next travel getaway, and spending time with family and friends, always on the search for delicious eats and cultural treats! We are an island after all. !.DON'T WAISTE YOUR MONEY GOING TO HAWAII....Just go to Cancun, the Caribbean, Costa Rica and so many other places much cheaper, closer and nicer!! 8) Poor Public Transportation Hawaii has passed a law that requires “reef safe sunscreen” to protect the dying reefs, but how will they ensure it is enforced? There are some jobs that pay quite well, especially in the tourism industry, but they can be difficult to come by. Seattle’s recycle and composting systems are top-notch, and they really care about their environmental footprint, stepping up as leaders in the industry. I just found the sign and the actuality to be quite hilarious. 15) Island Fever Is a Real Thing Our last stop was at Big Kahuna Rentals in Waikiki.Larry the owner was friendly,informative,and a pleasure to deal with.We were not going for a couple of days,but Larry took the time to personalize a map so we could plan our trip. Instead of compostable takeaway containers, you’ll see plastic and styrofoam (it’s a stab to my heart every time I see this.) But I love Fall colors and being able to go skiing in the mountains and see flowers bloom in spring (minus the hay fever). Increasing the quality time on a trip? Sometimes I look at where we’re located on a world map and when I see the tiny dot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, my hands start to sweat. Blogging, travel and connecting with people through food, culture and history is one of my greatest passions. Aloha! I hope the rest of your stay was fabulous, despite the unlucky second-day occurrence! On the day of our trip the bikes(750 Honda Shadow and a Harley Deluxe) were ready to go.The bikes were clean and well maintained.We want t o thank Larry and his staff for making this part of our trip one of the most enyoyable.If you plan to rent bicycles,scooters,sportbikes or a Harley,Big Kahuna Rentals is the place.Again a BIG MAHALO to Larry and his staff at Big Kahuna Rentals....Rich and Lyn Gehr, This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. (Part 2 of this article are the Pros – What It’s Really Like To Live in Hawaii). Let me share with you some of the pros and cons of moving to Hawaii. Hi Syd, I hear you. Living in Hawaii isn’t cheap, and the pay-- despite what you may hear-- is actually below the mainland average. And though Kauai is so great for that it’s SO expensive. Great article – thank you. Some of you are probably thinking “umm…doesn’t this belong in the ‘pros’ section? Here on Oahu, people don’t even know bike signals. I personally prefer colder temps and here in Hawaii, it’s hot all the time. Let’s start off with the architecture. According to America’s Health Rankings, the state is the healthiest in the U.S. All the sun-soaking and ocean-bathing do wonders for the health of people living in Hawaii! I.E. The local farm-to-table concept is also spreading to neighbor islands, Kauai, Maui, and Big Island. Here we dictate seasons by things like when mangoes are ripe, or when the waves are big on the North Shore. Knowing that there’s only one way off of this tiny little land mass is a bit unsettling. Finding a place to buy or rent is hard--one of the most difficult parts of … Honolulu a litlle bit better but again NOT A BIG DEAL...... Big Island booooring, all you can do is take an helicopter and see the volcano, you spend $1000 in a one day "vacation" and it is boring. Meanwhile, other mainland states are racing ahead with contact-less systems. more. I hope this post gives you a realistic perspective from a local resident about what it’s really like to live in Hawaii. My creative son and son-in-law rescued the keys by making a "fishing rod" out of a curtain rod which they inserted through one of the back windows that was open only a few inches. Now apply that to a 14 day vacation.....56 hours of quality beach-lounging time is a kickin' vacation additive! To each their own. Best of luck to you in buying a home in the near future! In the comments (which have since been closed), readers have reacted across the entire spectrum from solidarity to rage. blog post on A Local’s Ultimate Oahu Foodie Guide. 10. Hi Julia, welcome to Hawaii! Crack a bottle of wine and enjoy! Then Tom Barefoot Adventures (Lori Jay) has been upfront and extremely helpful in reserving our excusions with different companies on the different islands. level 2. 11) There is No Trader Joe’s or IKEA, and Few Consignment Stores […]. Pictures do not do the beaches, oceans, mountains, flowers and sunsets behind towering palm trees justice -- … Everything about the islands that we enjoy is definitely NOT in our condo, or indoors anywhere for that matter. This is not specific to Lana'i, but does describe living in Hawaii in general. Cost of living in Hawaii is probably much more expensive than where you live now. It rains a lot. The city’s infrastructure was built as an afterthought. A lot. Hmm…really tough decision there. The fact that there are no seasons makes it difficult to remember where in the year we currently are. That being said, we are slowly starting to see the farm-to-table and local, organic sustainability movement catch on with the newer eateries that have opened up over the past year. Infrastructure here on an island is kind of an afterthought, lol. In 2012 it was ranked the #1 worst city in the nation for traffic (yes, even topping L.A. and Seattle). Working & Living in Hawaii Hawaii’s quality of life reflects the advantages of the state’s climate, health, recreation and cultural opportunities. Thank goodness we have Costco, but when it comes to buying bulk items or furniture, we have very little in the way of a central place we can purchase used and/or refurnished furniture for cheap. It’s definitely more slow but less full of problems. 3) It’s 80 Degrees And Sunny All Year Long Share. Laid-back Lifestyle As you mature, you discover that a minimum vacation is 14 days? I’ve actually considered moving back instead of to Oahu where I have blood family. Anywhere else in the U.S. (save Florida), in January you hunker down and gain weight because it’s too cold to do anything outside. Keep in mind that this subjective article is going to be based on my upbringing and exposure to life outside of Hawaii and having had the privilege to experience other states, countries and lifestyles to compare to, so please take it with a grain of salt as I mean no offense with anything I write. Hawaii is in a prime location that makes it susceptible to hurricanes and severe storms under the right conditions. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Jurassic Park was filmed in Hawaii, after all.” , Kualoa Ranch on Oahu, is the site location of multiple films including “50 First Dates”, “Jurassic Park”, “Mighty Joe Young” and the new series “Hawaii Five-0”. I’m so sorry this happened to you, I was so disappointed when you told me this at the hotel. Hawaii Kai area is basically all whites and Asians anyways so it's really nice tho. During the pandemic, the interest for living in Hawaii has increased. Oahu is 200 miles away from the Big Island, and even the Big Island itself is fine on the Kona side. Our cost of living indices are based on a US average of 100. 5) Lack Of Recycling, Compost, and Overall A Terrible Waste Management System Cheers, Sean, Adelaide, Australia. And when they do, shows sell out immediately. We have 1.4 million people on the island, and they drive everywhere. I’m in love with the island Queijo. I lived on Oahu for nine years before moving to Seattle (the first time), where there is no state income tax and no grocery tax. Especially on the ever-growing island of O’ahu, tourism reigns king, and laws and regulations are often overlooked simply because they know that the end result will equal…you guessed it…more tourism spending and revenue for the state. And in September you drink pumpkin spiced lattes and go out of your way to step on a crunchy-looking leaf. Yes, I know there’s always the “go to the beach” option and i’ll certainly miss it if I move to a different state…. My Grandmother’s side of the family was born and raised in Haleiwa on the North Shore of Oahu, and my maternal side of the family lives here. This goes for locals, too. The University of Hawaii at Hilo has some excellent programs. All Rights Reserved. Hawaiian Paradise Park ranks as the 5th worst place to live in Hawaii for 2021, let's take a look at why. With safe and protected trails like the Burke-Gilman Trail, biking in Seattle is not only friendly, it’s fun and popular! (And no, contrary to popular belief, there are no bridges in between all the islands, and no underground systems either….unless you consider a submarine a mode of transportation.) Sitting around the condo watching the "Island Channel" is not quality time.... We booked cars through www.carrentalhawaii.com and we were very satisfied on Maui and the Big Island. I love Jack Johnson though feel compelled to mention the parking lot song is an original of Joni Mitchell’s called Big Yellow Taxi. Many places such as Hanauma Bay and Diamond Head are becoming trampled with tourists, adding to the destruction of the natural ecosystems. If you just add 3 hours per day of found time on your vacation, and then add the other 7 hours of time to it, that is 28 HOURS of quality time you added to your 7 day vacation!! Hawaii is consistently rated as one of the best states to live in because of the environmental factors, low crime, happiest people in all of the United States, and life expectancy. He thought my right-hand turn signal was me waiving hello at him!! Also, because we’re an island, big theatre Broadway shows or well-known musicians rarely come our way. On our recent trip to Hawaii we decided to rent motorcycles to see the island.We searched google for a a location and found 3 we wanted to check out. When traveling to any of the Hawaiian Islands consider increasing the amount of quality time that is available to you on your trip. Also, with the eruption of the volcano on the Big Island in 2018, people freak out about the safety on other islands. Don’t try … A word to the wise : Do not attempt to wait until you get to the islands! 7) Traffic You can't find a place to live. Part 2 can be found in my next post for the pros of what it’s really like to live in Hawaii…. Paradise is one of the most expensive places to live in the US. * Knock on wood *, but if any disaster or attack were to happen (and it has before…think Pearl Harbor), we would really be in trouble. Would you add anything to this list that you feel are downsides to living in Hawaii? We’ll see what happens over the next year. MAUI THE WORSE, so freaking boring, no beaches, no fun, just drive and drive in the island full of curves for hours to get to Hana and then HANA is empty, no life in there, NO BEACHES, no nothing!!! … […] Thinking about moving to Hawaii? In April you do spring cleaning. Be cautious and don’t leave valuables in plain sight in your car or at the beach. What you read here was my experience in 2007, after living on the Big Island of Hawaii for six months. It took forever to finally get the credit card chip reader here. 1. Aloha – Lisa. However, I know for a fact I won’t stay on this island for my whole life. My whole family lives here on Oahu- making the decision to move away even harder. Break-ins are one of the most common crimes on the islands, and they’re usually targeted at tourists who are all too trusting and leave valuables in their vehicles. If you get up in the morning 1 hour earlier than you might otherwise, you have added 7 hours to the quality of your vacation in that seven day vacation. In 2013, it was the second worst, and in 2015 the 10th worst, so we’re improving, yay! While everyone in the world is enjoying the winter snow and all sorts of seasons; it’s the same here on Oahu. I am excluding the Big Island in this statement, which has something like 11 of Earth’s 13 different climate zones and even receives snow at the top of Mauna Kea! The keys were on a ring on the front seat of the van so they were able to 'hook' them and (oh, so carefully) pull the rod and the keys to the back of the van. Communities in Hawaii often come with names that promise idyllic living conditions. . The very best help we have received has been with AA Aloha Cars-R-Us for setting up the vans/ autos. Just remember that nothing is permanent and you can always go back. I suppose that goes to show that this has been an issue for a long time. But deep down there is a much darker layer which is living in Hawaii. And you'll have to cart them to the North Shore, to Waikiki, … Good article… I cringed when I read the Jack Johnson part. We do this every day. Instead of seeing green roofs and gardens, you’ll see parking lots and dilapidated structures being unused and wasting precious space. Milk is usually $5 – 9. Accommodation is one of the high costs. Share. For the love of all things holy please fix it! I love living in a place filled with multiple cultural backgrounds and ethnicities because I believe diversity makes the world a far more interesting and dynamic place that we can all learn so much from. Hawaii’s Lifestyle is so laid back. Lord have mercy that’s common music knowledge not even some rare unknown piece of trivia. In the meantime we have been fortunate to find a great rental in Anahola. So what we do instead is this: We don't sleep in! Whenever a place attracts a plethora of people, we need to take precautions to mitigate destruction and overpopulation. Break out the tiny violin, this girl is complaining about 80-degree weather.” I love the warmth, but I also enjoy variety, which, as we all know, is the proverbial spice of life. He saw my signal, smiled, waived at me, threw me a shaka, and proceeded to cut me off. But I changed it just for you! Chad, I realize that this is not originally a Jack Johnson song, but you also have to note my age. If you add the time that you are NOT in your condo because you are not sitting there cooking lunch or dinner, you have added at least 3-4 hours per day beach lounging or doing some other awesome activity. Reefs are being stepped on and erosion is occurring on many of the hikes. Zoom in to see updated info. The lava destruction occurred on the Eastern shore of the Big Island, and in this photo the volcano points to the Western Kona side, which was out of harm’s way. Worse trip ever....So boring, nothing to do. (source). Designed & Developed by SoloPine.com, This viewpoint on the Northeastern side of the isl, The beaches on the Azores are all #blacksand #beac, Today we drove around the Eastern side of the isla, This was our first full weekend on the island, and, A few days ago, Sasha and I did a canyoning tour t, *Sound up* for those beautiful Atlantic islan, CHEESE!! That’s pretty much how it works here. Hey, everybody needs a break; construction is a labor-intensive job! In part 2 of this post I’ll detail the pros, but below I will share 18 downsides of living in Hawaii: 1) Extremely High Cost of Living Being a central hub for tourism, the islands go through waste – a LOT of it, especially plastic. (See my post on Things to Do on Oahu’s North Shore from a Local’s Perspective), Big surf on the North Shore of Oahu at Waimea Bay in December. It's a rule! I suppose you could say we’re a bit archaic. … Sao, The Azores are known as “The Hawaii of Europe”, I decided to switch it up with an overcast photo s, You know how in Mexico, my Instagram feed was fill, Things to Do on Oahu’s North Shore from a Local’s Perspective, Ten Awesome Things to Do in the Adventure Town of Baños, Ecuador, Day Trip to Whidbey Island, Deception Pass, Anacortes & La Conner, Washington, What It's Really Like to Live in Hawaii - the Pros (Part 2 of 2) - Cultural Foodies, Kaka'ako - Oahu's Vibrant Arts & Foodie Neighborhood - Cultural Foodies. You can visit my (second) most popular blog post to-date (the one you’re reading now is my top-rated!) Backpack went AWOL from Waikiki, and it didn’t get blown away by the trade winds! The jobs here in Honolulu do not appeal to me. It pays my bills and I love having the opportunity to interact with people from all over the world every day. This is what Facebook Marketplace is for, and it’s pretty good here because of the constant influx and departures of military families. We call this problem the “paradise tax”. Map updates are paused. The view of Kalaupapa on the friendly isle of Molokai, which is home to some of the tallest sea cliffs in the world. Though this is true most anywhere in the world, it is especially prevalent as a tourist target. Big Island definitely has more affordable options for land and houses because there is so much more available land there. I had a studio apartment in Honolulu at one point, which cost $2000USD a month in rent & it was only … I have several local born-and-raised friends as well, so these varied perspectives helped me to provide a well-rounded view of what it’s really like to live in Hawaii. Yep…still being completed….and several billion dollars over budget. The cost of living in Hawaii is significantly higher than most other states. Remember the importance of living and enjoying life. Hawaii looks like a bunch of communist North Korean hybrids on meth built the place on … I love this list. Everything is imported, so goods come with a higher price tag. Hawaii is wonderfully rich in its own Polynesian culture, however, if you want to find a great local jazz bar or live indie music on any given night, you may as well book a flight to San Francisco or New York City because you won’t find many options here. You should definately get the book, "So you want to live in Hawaii". In March of 2017, Biki, Hawaii’s first bike share system, was finally introduced; a baby step towards improvement. Lets use a 7 day vacation even though a 7 day long- range vacation does not constitute a vacation at all. I've spent most of my adult life on the island of Oahu, Hawaii and now live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband, Sasha. Hilo cost of living … Besides our public city bus (called “TheBus”), which takes ten minutes to go one mile, there is no public transit system. However, I’ve met countless people who disagree. Hawaii is consistently rated as one of the best states to live in when criteria include environmental factors, low crime incidence, quality of education, and longevity. Beach volleyball or doing laundry? The island doesn’t compost; they only have a green waste bin for plant matter, and they only recycle aluminum and plastics with a number 1 or 2 on the bottom, and corrugated cardboard – that’s it. My father is Hawaiian, I got married in Hawaii, and I’ve been going back for the past 40 years. “Budget Tip for travel to the Hawaiian Islands”, “Helps in planning fantastic Hawaii Trip”. You've basically described 2/3rds of the island. Exactly.My wife and I have been to the various islands dozens of times and have developed a game plan for our visits, which goes something like this: When we land we first go to Walmart if there is one and buy a couple of styrofoam coolers (one for food, one for ice), ice, a $20 grill and some matchlights. Let these companies have your transportation and excursions all reserved in advance!! We’re new to Hawaii, just moved to Kauai though considering relocating to the Big Island next year if we’re going to buy property here – wanting to grow our own food as much as we can. The people at Alamo were very nice and the vehicles were great! My brain did a double take before I muttered, “oh…. You will find it a challenge to locate a studio apartment with anything more than a stove for less than $750 per month. This aside, can’t wait to get back one day. There are virtually no recycling bins on the streets (only waste bins), nor in hotels or restaurants. Kauai is beautiful but you’re right, so expensive. You will also find that food costs approximately 50 percent more than it does on the mainland, and utility costs are almost 70 percent higher. Hawaii is most certainly one of the most beautiful places on this planet. In this post (part 1 of 2), I’m going to dive into the cons of living in Hawaii, more specifically the downsides of living on Oahu, as that is where I lived for 11 years and where my family is from. I find Oahu’s foodie scene disappointing, as many restaurants cater to tourists and are overly priced, mediocre-tasting, and the ingredients are poorly sourced. It’s difficult to even find a good radio station that plays jazz, blues, symphonic music, or anything other than rap, pop or Rasta music (a mixture of Jamaican and Hawaiian). And no one likes red light cameras… , […] my previous post, part 1 of 2 titled 18 Reasons Living in Hawaii Isn’t Always Rainbows and Butterflies, I detailed 18 cons & downsides of what it’s really like to live in Hawaii to provide a […]. !. It’s awesome…most of the time. Good paying jobs are not that plentiful. Okay, I know, this is a major first-world problem, but Trader Joe’s was where I bought all my cheese at a reasonable price! She looked at me quizzically and said, “Lisa, it’s December”. Granted, I would take island fever over SADD (seasonal acute depression disorder) living in a cold, dark place any day. Making a livable income in Hawaii is very difficult unless you’re in the right industry, or if you live in a 10 x 10 box, on a boat, or with five other people and pay under $1,000 per month in rent. Some days, you just want to stay … I aim to provide a balanced and honest perspective of what it is really like to live in Hawaii as a resident. Healthy Living. This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. So you visited Hawaii, fell in love with the island, and now you want to move here. Because of lack of recycle bins, people default to throwing everything in the waste bin, thinking it’s out-of -sight-out-of-mind. I thought it was July.” #Hawaiiproblems. I can actually put on a sweatshirt and maybe….maybe some pants. Mahalo. Biking Kaena Point on the West Side of Oahu, 10) Hawaii is Behind the Times Clean air, fresh water, and the stress-free life all have a strong, positive influence on the quality of life in Hawaii.