Let me share with you some of the pros and cons of moving to Hawaii. During the pandemic, the interest in living in Hawaii has increased.
My father is Hawaiian, I got married in Hawaii, and I’ve been going back for the past 40 years. Hawaii is simply the best place on Earth. In fact, my master plan is to retire by 45 with two kids and move back to Hawaii. The master plan has been delayed, but I still plan to return!
Whether you want to move to Hawaii all depends on what stage in life you are in and what business you have.
If you want to make big money and are super ambitious, I wouldn’t come to Hawaii before you are 40 years old. The job opportunities are fewer, and the pay is at a 30% – 60% discount to similar jobs on the mainland.
If you are a family person with an internet business, then Hawaii is way better than San Francisco. Hawaii strongly emphasizes FAMILY versus SF, which has the lowest child per capita population in the US.
My family is moving back to Honolulu once my boy is old enough to start kindergarten, where private schools like Punahou or I’olani go from K-12. The cost to attend such schools is $24,000 vs $38,000 – $48,000 in SF.
I love the culture, the pace, the people, the fruit, and the outdoors. We plan to live in Honolulu for 8–9 months a year, and then travel abroad as a family during the summers and winters.
The Pros And Cons Of Living In Hawaii
Pros of living in Hawaii:
-Fantastic weather
-Gorgeous nature (beaches, hiking, etc)
-Low sales tax and general excise tax
-Diverse culture
-Laid-back, island attitude
-Kind, generous people
-Ideal place for government and/or military jobs
Oh, and here's a big one. The average life expectancy of residents in Hawaii is the highest in the country! If you value life and want to live longer, moving to Hawaii is a good idea.
Cons of living in Hawaii:
-Higher cost of living
-Job salaries do not take into account the high cost of living (thus, if you were to hold an equivalent job in the mainland, that one would pay more than the one in Hawaii)
-Isolated/expensive to travel (even to neighbor islands)
-Awful traffic (at least in Honolulu)/only one way to get from A to B
-Expensive housing (renting is virtually the only feasible option) – median housing price is close to $1 million in 2021
-Expensive utilities
-Lack of parking
-Old, outdated facilities (government, housing, public areas)
-Island fever, rock fever
-Lack of good public schools
-Laid back, island attitude can get frustrating when things are needed on a deadline
-Lack of nightlife
-Difficult to make friends, keep friends, and meet new people as people come and go
-Areas can be bike un-friendly/dangerous for bikers
Overall Cost Of Living In Honolulu, Hawaii
Everybody says living in Honolulu is super expensive because it is a top 3 most expensive city in America. However, if you're coming from San Francisco, you will hardly feel the difference because housing is actually cheaper in Honolulu. The median house cost in San Francisco is now a whopping $1,600,000!
You will notice higher grocery costs in Hawaii because everything is imported, but you will find amazing mangos and locally grown fruit too.
If you're living on the North Shore of Oahu, there's practically one way to get there and it'll take over an hour to drive there from Honolulu airport. If there's an accident past Wahiawa, the police will close down the road and you'll be trapped in traffic forever. Good thing you don't have to drive very far!
Hawaii Is An Amazing State
I’m a pretty laid back guy without too much stress since I don’t have to work anymore. Our passive income streams have allowed us to live free, forever.
But every time I go back to Hawaii, I’m surprised to feel even more relaxed.
Overall, I think the pros of living in Hawaii outweigh the cons. Worst case, you can try to live in on the island for a year and see how it goes. If you get island fever, then you can always come back to the mainland or wherever.
If you are thinking of retiring in Hawaii, I honestly can't think of a better state. Once you're OK with no longer chasing the money, the Hawaiian culture will welcome you with open arms.
Aloha!
Sam
Related: If You Can Make It In Hawaii You Can Make It Anywhere
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