Everything To Know About Moving To Hawaii

Hawaii, also known as the Aloha State, is one of the most popular vacation spots in the world. It is no wonder that tourists spend a week there and are suddenly swiping through real estate listings. While Hawaii is paradise for a vacation, there are a few realities that can make moving to Hawaii a bit difficult in real life. Before you buy your tropical dream home, there’s a lot to consider when relocating to Hawaii. Learn how to move to Hawaii, the costs and more in our guide.

What’s It Like Living In The Aloha State?

Living in Hawaii means being fully submerged in a Polynesian paradise. You have access to beaches, outdoor activities and a beautiful culture. There is delicious food, beautiful warm weather all year round and incredible geographical wonders.

Hawaiian culture is also a huge part of living in Hawaii. Most parts of Hawaiian culture are welcoming, though the Hawaiian people tend to be more welcoming towards outsiders who take the time and effort to learn about the history of the islands and learn the proper Hawaiian pronunciation of words.

Deciding where to live in Hawaii is a huge part of moving to this state. Each island has its own geographical, social and cultural features. While the islands are close together, it’s not always cheap or easy to move between them. It’s important to get familiar with each of the islands to make the right choice for your family before committing to moving to the area.

How Much Does It Cost To Move To Hawaii?

The cost to move to Hawaii will primarily depend on how much stuff you plan to bring with you. If you are a minimalist, you can move with just the checked baggage on your flight. If you have more belongings, you will have to pay to have a container shipped – which can cost $5,000 –$10,000.

You also will need to consider moving your car. It can cost several thousand dollars to ship a car from the mainland to Hawaii. If your car is old or not worth a ton, it might make more financial sense to sell it and buy a new car once you are in Hawaii.

Additionally, consider costs to move pets. There are specific regulations around bringing pets into Hawaii. In addition to airline pet fees, there are mandatory pet quarantines and costs associated with that, and not all pets are allowed. 

Finally, remember your regular moving costs: deposits, closing costs, the costs of packers or movers, utility fees and more. This is not a cheap move – so make sure you have the budget and that you plan to stay a while to make it worth it!

What To Know Before Moving To Hawaii

There are a few major factors that you should take into consideration before making the move to Hawaii.

High Cost Of Living

Hawaii has an extremely high cost of living – on the cost of living index, it’s considered a ​​191.8, with 100 being the nationwide average. It’s important to create a budget and determine if your income level could cover the high essential living expenses before committing to move.

• Median household income: $88,005
• Median gross rent: $1,755
• Median home value: $662,100
• Average home sale price: $1,181,577
• Utilities: The cost of utilities are extremely high in Hawaii. The average electric bill is $393.87, more than double most other states.
• Transportation: It costs $1,500 – $3,000 to ship a car to Hawaii. There are then increased maintenance costs due to exposure to the salty air. Gas prices in Hawaii are usually comparable to the current price per gallon in California, which is higher than most of the rest of the country. Buying a car in Hawaii can also be expensive, due to smaller supply.
• Food and groceries: Food is pricey in Hawaii because most of it must be brought in via boat or plane. In fact, Hawaii has the highest cost of groceries in the United States, with it costing an estimate of over $14,000 to feed a family of 4 for a year.

Beyond these things, pretty much everything is more expensive in Hawaii. If you are moving from a high cost of living area – like California – it might not seem too expensive. However, if you are coming from a more affordable area, you will really feel the difference.

Hawaii Real Estate

The real estate trends in Hawaii prove that this remains a very high cost of living state. While prices have been decreasing slightly lately, they are still very high. Renting can be very expensive as well, especially in popular areas. Overall, plan to spend a significant budget on housing in Hawaii.

Island Fever

Island fever is the idea that being “stuck” on an island causes some people psychological distress. Many people become very distressed and feel trapped when they think about how difficult and expensive it is to leave. This could be compounded for those who move to the island and feel homesick but cannot easily leave or visit home due to the distance and high costs of travel. If you easily feel trapped or stuck, island fever could be a potential problem for you.

Tourism

Tourism is a huge part of Hawaii. In fact, tourism represents about a quarter of Hawaii’s jobs and economy. While this creates opportunity, dealing with tourists can be exhausting and annoying. The constant turnover of people can quickly take away from the charm of the islands. Know that many businesses cater to tourists and you can be directly impacted if you are in a touristy area or if you are looking for a job. If you are easily annoyed by tourists, Hawaii might not be right for you.

Lack Of Seasons

Hawaii has two seasons – summer (May – October) and winter (November – April). The average summer temperature is 85 degrees, while in winter it is 78 degrees. While this might sound like paradise, it can actually be jarring for those who are used to seasonality. If you think that you would miss fall or winter, Hawaii might not be the place for you to live.

Employment

The main employer in Hawaii is tourism, followed by health care and construction. There are usually many jobs available in these sectors. However, outside of these sectors, there aren’t tons of opportunities. Tourism jobs typically tend to not be a typical 9-to-5 office job, so if you are looking for a job like that, it will be more difficult. If you are going to need to work once you live in Hawaii and aren’t retiring there, you should have a job lined up before moving to Hawaii.

School

The education system in Hawaii is notoriously low performing. The state ranks 48th out of all states for 8th grade reading comprehension, and 47th for high school completion rate. While there definitely are some good schools and teachers, there are also teachers who are inexperienced and out-of-field, meaning that they are not certified or are not certified in the specific areas and grade levels they teach. If you plan to have kids in school in Hawaii, you'll want to think about education options before moving.

Popular Places To Move To In Hawaii

If you do decide to buy a house in Hawaii, you still have to choose which island to move to and which city to live in within that island. Remember, it’s not always easy to travel from one place to another. Even though Hawaiian Islands are smaller than continental states, you can’t usually drive straight across from one side to the other.

Honolulu

Honolulu is the capital of Hawaii and offers a metro lifestyle with a lot of the Hawaiian upsides. Honolulu has a lot of diversity, including a large Filipino and Japanese population. It also is home to several large medical organizations, which means that there are plenty of health care jobs available.

If you want the feel of living on a Hawaiian island with the benefits of a large city, Honolulu might be perfect for you.

Check out homes for sale in Honolulu, Hawaii, and Honolulu housing market trends.

Kauai County

Kauai is known as the Garden Isle and is one of the more rural and natural of the major Hawaiian Islands. Kauai is known for operating on Island Time – an unhurried, go-with-the-flow pace. The main opportunities for jobs in Kauai are in tourism, teaching and health care.

If you’re looking for a place to live closely with nature, Kauai might be perfect for you.

Check out homes for sale in Kauai County, Hawaii, and Kauai County housing market trends.

Maui

The island of Maui is considered a nice balance, less busy than Oahu, but with more going on than Kauai. It is the second largest and third most populated island in Hawaii and is central geographically.

If this sounds like what you are looking for in your next home, Maui might be perfect for you.

Check out homes for sale in Maui, Hawaii, and Maui housing market trends.

The Big Island

Hawai‘i Island is known as the Big Island of Hawaii. It is a volcanic island with nature unlike anywhere else and an active volcanic flow. This can cause vog (volcanic fog), extreme heat and damage to property. However, if you are willing to look past those problems, it is a truly unique place to live.

If this sounds like what you are looking for, Hawaii might be perfect for you!

Check out homes for sale in Hawaii County, Hawaii, and Hawaii housing market trends.

How To Move To Hawaii

There is a lot to plan and prepare when buying a house in Hawaii. Here are some things to consider when doing your planning.

Compare Renting Vs. Buying

It is important to consider whether you want to rent versus buy in Hawaii. If you own your home, you will get the chance to build equity. However, renting allows a certain amount of flexibility, especially if you aren’t sure exactly where you might want to live or how long you’d like to stay. It would be a good idea to price out both buying and renting if you are on the fence about making this decision.

Decide Which Island Is Right For You

Assess the different Hawaiian Islands and determine which might be the best fit for you based on cost, culture, experiences and more. Remember that, while you can hop around the islands, it’s not always super easy or cheap to do so. If you are seriously planning to move to Hawaii, you might need to take a few extra visits and visit each island to feel confident in your choice.

Build Your Savings

It is always important to save for a house to pay for closing costs and a down payment. This is especially important when moving across the ocean to a new, high cost of living space. Be sure to have a healthy savings account in addition to the moving and housing costs needed to get settled.

Downsize Your Belongings

It is important to downsize before moving to Hawaii to help with the cost of moving. Getting rid of excess items will help to have less boxes to move and allow you to save money by buying or renting a smaller home once you get there.

Find A Real Estate Agent

You should plan to work with a real estate agent if you decide to buy a home in Hawaii. The agent can help guide you through the entire process of buying a house out of state and take care of all of the paperwork for you.

Research Your Financing Options

Consider your financing and mortgage options and get approved in advance to help you better prepare for your house hunt. Knowing your preapproval amounts will help to save frustration in the house hunting process.

Pros And Cons Of Moving To Hawaii

There are many pros and cons of moving to and living in Hawaii.

Pros

• Beautiful scenery
• Comfortable weather all year long
• Many outdoor activities and opportunities for an active lifestyle

Cons

• High cost of living, including utilities, food and gas
• High cost of housing, including renting and buying
• You’re stuck on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean
• High number of tourists
• Not many jobs outside of tourism, health care and construction
• Low-performing school systems

The Bottom Line

Hawaii is a beautiful state. However, it’s important to consider the differences between vacationing in Hawaii versus living in Hawaii. If you balance the pros and cons and decide that you are ready to start your home buying journey in Hawaii, get approved for a mortgage today.