Extremely good advice. I lived there twelve years, loved every minute of it. I had a good job and was lucky enough to be able to afford a one bedroom condo rental at Kukui Plaza. I worked in the Federal Building and walked down Fort Street Mall to and from work. I miss Hawaii, but knew I could never retire there so came on back home when the day came to get out of the rat race. Good memories of that beautiful place.
@@meccamusic8001 If you have a good and secure job you should be ok. I was a single lady at the time, but that was over 20 years ago so I know much has changed since I left. Kukui Plaza is a very nice place and convenient to downtown, bus stops, Fort Street Mall shops and restaurants, Safeway across the street, beautiful gardens with a pool. My apartment was furnished and I lived there the entire 12 years. I loved it there.
In 1996 I was paying $1000 a month for a studio apartment in Lahaina. I was making $10 an hour plus tips. I lived there for a year on credit cards before I said screw this "paradise" and moved back to the mainland.
My dad paid $365/ month for a studio in Milwaukee in 1996. Wow. I got sick of my mom's bullshit and decided to live with him. Started school that year. Obviously I was a kid back then but wow. $365 vs $1,000. I remember dad saying ( I bet this place would cost $1,000 in Hawaii) sure enough I find out he was right. Also according to the CPI inflation website $10/ hour in 1996= just over $16/ hour in 2021. But I have to ask since as we know cell phones were the hip new expensive thing back then and not even 20% of people had them was your house phone $25/ month for local calls and 10¢/ minutes long distance???? Since it's still domestic calling was that effectively about the same.
For someone who used to fantasize about moving to HI after I retire, I have realized it is best for me to just vacation there, which is fine. Have rented condos in the past for a few weeks, which works for me.
Great post, Larry! That is exactly my game plan upon retirement. Leave California for a place less expensive (maybe Nebraska), and then spend the winter months in Hawaii.
@@chuckmeadows1581 Sounds nice!! I love CA by the way and would go there almost every year. Am in NYC. I understand CA taxes retirement distributions, while some other states (including NY) do not. Have no idea if HI has the tax. You should check Nebraska. When this pandemic is finally over, I may go to one of the HI islands for 2 weeks - I need to recharge! 😐
Every thread has these comments " Yea NYC/SoCal/SanFran is the same or more. Geez but you know what Hawaii doesnt have? The SALARY of those cities. Not even close to NYC and Cali. Also household goods and groceries are almost 50% more than what we pay.
There is a great imbalance between wages and cost of living. Even if you do make loads of money, it still may not be enough, unless you want a simple life.
From what I've read from time to time boarding houses. Okay about $100ish week in may parts of the mainland. As I've lived in a cupple. In Honolulu cheapest I found ( reading on the internet) $175/ week. So $700/ month. Meaning you share a room in a bunk house with up to 6 guys. And 18 guys in the place share 2 bathrooms. Or something along those lines. I discribed my set ups in Florida and California They were $100/ week. Also keep in mind 2 things #1 this was before covid-19 so I'm not sure how theses situation are now. And #2 over 90%+ are for men only. Few I've read of are for women. The situation I discribed obviously you don't typically want mixed sex accomodations. So if you are a male you could find an option as such in many large cities in the country. But in Honolulu thoes accomodations are about double the typical price also so I've read. You want to pay $175/ week to share a room and a bathroom with 1/2 dozen guys??? Well it's comes into question just how much better is that then living on the streets??? It's not like you'd freeze to death
When I moved to Honolulu in 1977 the first room that I rented was $75 per month. It was in an old house and I shared the bath and kitchen. Oahu had virtually no homeless at that time.
I lived in Hawaii from 1974 to 1980. There were all kinds of homeless around fort derussy and Waikiki back then. And lots of camps scattered around the island in parks and in the gullies and scrub along side public beaches.
@kcuf7 is your area safe? whats prices like for almond milk or bananas? do you have a car? whats gas like? it's better hearing from those that are actually residing where you want to. thank you advance. :)
I just moved to Honolulu. Also lived here in 2018. I lived on Maui and the Big Island in 2017 and 2019, too. The above numbers are what the typical person that lives in Hawaii earns. But if you're educated and get a skilled job, you can do more than okay. Many people move to Hawaii want to be beach bums or surfers, they just want to find a job to just get by. Maybe those are the people you are trying to discourage? Also the locals many aren't pursuing higher education, not like in numbers from where I am from, a suburb of Boston where 95% of my graduating HS class went to a 4 year college. The locals here aren't ending up in the best jobs because many aren't working in skilled professions. If you are doing skilled work that not everyone can do, trust me you are making a lot more than $18/hr. I moved here from San Francisco this time and my rent has been cut in half. I am planning to stay and buying looks within reach again, too. I make a slightly lower wage than what I was earning in SF, but the low cost of housing more than makes up for that. And I fit in because I am Asian. Best place to live in the USA for me! Happy I moved back here again.
The homeless aren’t from Hawaii and they come here destitute already. During the quarantine they were reporting “visitors” on each plane. Of the 50 or so people each flight about 2-3 reported having no hotel, house or relative to go to. They literally flew here homeless. This state is lost. They are everywhere. Diamond Head Beach Park is now a garbage dump. Fort St. is disgusting. The entire Leward side. Waimanalo beach park and the whole road from Makapuhu. I could go on and on. But everyone wants to say “poor people”. Drastic measures will be needed and the residents of this state don’t have the tough spirit of fighting it. Just like the weak people in San Francisco.
@@hothotheat3000 actually 1/2 are local people. 15% are from the mainland 48. And about 1/3 come in from Alaska. Yes for warmer weather. I was homeless December 2013/ May 2014. I did a reverse. I got work in Alaska. Then Texas. Now 2021. Well I've been back in Florida since 2016 had a job before covid-19. So in 2020 and now 2021 I've been working in Alaska again. Thankfully I have a home and I'm established in Florida. But I can say 2 things. We have 3 or 4 guys who are from Hawaii up here working. And if I didn't have a place in Florida I might consider returning to Hawaii. And I'd likely live on the streets as to not spend much of my money. So Many from Alaska are in not so good shape they are homeless in Hawaii. However some are seasonal workers. They work May- September October then afterwards go to Hawaii. Why spend such rediculess amounts on rent when living outside is doable in warm weather?? After you that for 3/4/5 years. You'll save up money to go warever else you want.
@@carlgharis7948 Hey man would it be weird if I could ask you a few questions over email? I'm getting ready to head to Yellowstone for a few months to do work and this is the first time I've done pick up and move work.
I feel you too. Born n raised on Oahu and always been living in an apartment my whole life. Parents are first generations on the island. I’m getting tired of living by the landlord’s rules. I’m a building maintenance technician/handyman in Waikiki earning $19 an hour and I’ve been thinking about checking out Texas some day. I wanted to be able to own a home with a full garage one day as a working class person.
@@caesarho3911 same, ive only lived in apartments. In fact I’ve only been in a house a couple times in my life lol. Unless you’re working a job that makes crazy good money or you’re moving in with a big family, buying a house here is next to impossible with the starting price around $900,000. And even if you manage to be able to afford it here what you could get in Texas for that is probably double the size. That’s a big reason why I’m leaving, at least I’ll have a chance to eventually own a house which is my goal
Born and raised Hawai’i. You’re basically paying for a storage space and a bed if you’re making below $75k alone you can barely afford to sleep. If you have a partner, at least you can afford to sleep at night
it's pretty much more expensive to move stuff here than to just get new once you arrive. When I came I found that it did make sense to bring my vehicle with me since cars are more expensive here. I had a car a few years old that was working really well. Drove to Calif and shipped from there for $1200.00
I'm in NYC and honestly these prices would be a relief for me. Its all relative I suppose, but with online remote work, it makes living in hawaii very feasible
while there are some cities in the mainland that have higher rent than Hawaii, dont forget that the cost of living in Hawaii is usually higher because we are a chain of islands in the middle of the Pacific and EVERYTHING needs to be shipped here: food, gas, etc
You forgot to mention the taxes they take out of your paycheck.. it’s way too much that’s what makes it hard to live in Hawaii gross $1k a week they take out like almost $400 from that... I gross $1k here in Vegas they take out just little over $100 cuz no state tax
I make right at 1300 every two weeks and they take 400 a paycheck from me In North Dakota is freaking insane. Thankfully a 2 bedroom in a 1980s built apartment is 800 a month.
@@crescentsmoon I dont drink milk soooo...🙄🤦♀️ Electric cost, sure. But then we also have to go back to the minimum wage being twice that of many other states.
@@ElleTee187 I mean I'm born and raised there. I watched my mom work 3 jobs just to barely get by. I got a job at 16 so I could help with bills.... Shes a high school teacher btw so not like minimum wage stuff. I myself worked a full time job and a part time job just to get by before I moved to rhe mainland. This is very normal in Hawai'i. Everything is more expensive in the island. Everything. Maybe rent is higher in NYC, And San fran, but everything is higher in Hawai'i
You should compare rents to your closest US neighbor city’s. San Fransisco, San Jose, Los Angeles, San Diego... Rents in San Fransisco and San Jose, Start at 3000k
Me and my fiance planning to move to Honolulu, so my fiancee can become to a police officer with a green card citizenship, while I still receiving social security income benefits every first of the month. We decide to rent a 1 bedroom apartment out there with a cheap rent cost.
You missed the underlying reason condos are so expensive. HOA fees. They are 2-3 times higher than on the mainland. Especially if they include electricity. HOA Fees here are high because the sea air corrodes mechanicals is quickly but also I believe it’s a “membership fee” to keep undesirables out. With such low property taxes it would be too easy otherwise from some locals to sell their house and move into a condo community. HOA fees keep them away.
Some of the newer HOA fees are pretty affordable for now. However, some of the older buildings are very expensive. Some were above $1000, which is so crazy to me.
We’re moving from Massachusetts to kapahulu in a few days. Me and my gf pay 1300 for a one bedroom along the marathon route... we’re gonna play 1300 for a one bedroom 1.5 miles from wakiki.. it’s a no brainer...
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And is a factor as to why you have so many people on the streets. I was living on the streets on Honolulu December 2013/May 2014. I got $208/ week in unemployment. It's well it's 80 degrees here why pay such prices?? Pay $40/ month and shower at 24 hour fitness
Moving to Hawaii in July for at least one year, and I must be honest that after watching this channel and just knowing my self, I am not looking forward to moving to Honolulu. :(
Goodmorning from nigeria Please I will like to know if I can get just a room with with its toilet and bathroom for as low as #500 as i'm an international student resuming by fall
I paid $750 per month for a prison cell sized furnished studio apartment with utilities and parking included. I left in 2013 so I assume that would easily be over $1,000 now. I lived in the building behind Yajima Service Station. 929 South Sheridan Street was the address. Within 4 years of leaving I bought a house and have more $$$ in the bank than I have ever had in my life. All while making around the same amount of money.
They don’t tell you that most of the beaches are crowded with tourists and homeless people. And as someone who’s was born and raised here the “scenery” gets old real quick and you can’t drive to another state to change it up
@@sheltonhunt562 Absolutely. My wife and I are fortunate to have friends and family on neighboring islands so we frequent quite often. Let’s be honest it’s Oahu that’s the worst. If my job didn’t tie me to the homeless cesspool that is downtown, I would love to live on Maui or the big island.
Howzit! I believe that rent is higher in Big Island than you shared. If you based your research on the Hilo side then you are correct. But if you come to Kona, Waimea and Kohala side you will be shocked to see that a basic home rental will be $2400 - $3200. I appreciate your video and giving your audience a eye opening on how expensive it is to live in Hawaii. Mahalo's
I could see myself living there as a young adult without a family. But The older I get , with kids, the more financial freedom and financial Independence I wantt to have as I age closer to retirement. Ie: paid off house, a good 401k, money in the bank... memories of travel.. .Not still be working at age 68 living paycheck to paycheck.
I think Hawaii is nice if you didn't have to worry about the housing costs. Like if you could buy a home with cash, retiring here is definitely affordable. The probably is for those who don't own and have to continue to pay higher and higher rents. For them, retirement is probably not an option.
@@HelloFromHawaii retirement isn't an option even for buyers who have a mortgage. I mean who has 500k sitting in a savings account to buy a 700 sq ft condo? You're right. The only way you retire in Hawaii is if you already have your home or condo paid off by your mid 60s. Virtually noone in Hawaii.
The more realistic way to retire in Hawaii is live in the mainland in a low cost of living state, and save and invest 30-40 working years smart, then hope you don't die before 60... And then retire to Hawaii with no debt in your 60s with your life savings.
Good information, I lived in Hawaii for 2 years it's hard for ppl to understand how expensive it's is and how much a person has to work, just to get by
Geez but you know what Hawaii doesnt have? The SALARY. Not even close to NYC and Cali. Also the daily household products are almost DOUBLE of what we pay.
I've been here for 50 years and watched the cost of living go banana's. I'm in a good place, my mortgage including taxes and mega insurance is only $780.23, I built the home myself over the years out of pocket and rolled over a small construction loan into a mortgage, used my veterans loan to get a 2.25% loan. My home is a custom redwood cedar open beam 2 bedroom 2 full bath home reflecting my artistic background. For work, I'm retired and 83 years old, been retired for over 16 years, service work was my business.
Lol here watching in nyc not understanding any of these cons. Houses built in 1970s,1980s? Lol houses here are 100 years old. High rent? Lol it's discounted compared to here.
Dude right now in San Francisco with the rents dropping 30% a studio in SF is $2,500 - 3,000 a month and that cheap! A house forget about it unless your making well over 200 thousand and then your still struggling.
One mans opinion. Yes its expensive for a family. But for younger free spirited person its do able . ohana lifestyle is another option. My tenants pay 930 a month for room and bath and sharing kitchen. They can use my kitchen supplies. Go the beach on weekends. And explore. Being more flexible and creative is another option. No fancy wardrobe nor winter clothing or heating bills vs rent and colorful cuisine. And yes probably good paying jobs required. Another idea is to join the armed services and live off city limits. You can forego Waikiki condo living and explore windward or north shore area. Plenty of good used cars in this island.. Old timers input.
@@HelloFromHawaii pretty good. Family life in Hawaii. I still remember when your cousin from Kauai whooped me in GoldenEye. I'm never getting over that... 😳🙉
I’m supposed to look at 2 furnished studio apartments in Waikiki tomorrow. One seems cheap at 1175 and of course it’s very basic. The other one is 1550, much nicer, and has a lanai. However move in costs seem exorbitant to me compared to Florida where I was. That’s because they want you to pay 3 months in advance and the same amount for the security deposit. I can do it but it’s more than I think it’s worth and could even be a scam. My interesting new dilemma is well, like you say, do I want to make that much of a commitment up front? Or maybe just keep living in monthly AirBnbs for now until the reduced rents get higher again. I’m thinking this problem alone might make me leave sooner than I want. But don’t want to! Great place and great people!
We bought our house back in 2000-2001 i think around 300K. But 2020 houses are over 1 million now. Rent is like $2200. You need to be married if you wanna pay for rent or have a good paying job.
Therefore many people in Hawaii have several jobs at one time to live. One of my friends in Honolulu used to have two jobs. The other friend had three jobs.
It's all relative...I currently live in NJ and I'm considering a job offer in Oahu. My rent in NJ is $3000 a month for a 2 bed 2.5 bath townhouse in an apartment building on the Hudson river across from Manhattan. I'm blessed to make good money and stand to make even more in Hawaii. If you're telling me a single family home is $2200, I see it as a discount! From my research, there are plenty of options around 3k a month which keeps me at the same budget in a similar cost of living. If you want to move to Hawaii from Florida or Texas where it's less expensive and they have no state income tax-- you will feel it much more than I will from NJ. Good luck to everyone trying to decide if the move is right or not-- me included.
When buying - the cost of the transaction for the high prices alone wipes out 2-3 years of appreciation. (Housing is stalling and prices are going down right now). Gets even worse when you factor condo dues. So unless you have $1.2M, owning a house is not happening. You *could* buy a median priced house, but it’ll either be too far away from work and your commute will suck, or it will be one of 6 houses 3 feet from each other with single wall construction and no parking, and then there’s burglary. At least with a Condo you usually have security, but then you get back to the dues and assessments. Not trying to throw shade, I love living here, but it has some ‘special’ challenges.
So true. It's tough to buy here. I'm starting to see more and more properties with two or three houses on them. Getting a little tight in some neighborhoods. But it's the land that's so expensive.
That sounds pretty viable, assuming the personal debt (student loans etc.) are low. Renting might be okay. Homeownership may still be tough, depending on the supply. At that income, you probably wouldn't qualify for affordable housing, but it might be too little to compete on the open market. Tough spot, but definitely doable in Hawaii.
Ditto Denver. And it’s starting to be that way in other Mtn West areas in Wyoming Montana Idaho and Utah as population increases in this region. ‘Affordable’ housing is firmly a middle class issue.
I live in Waikiki. I used to live at Palomino Park Highlands Ranch. The rents here are less expensive. No blizzards, more than 4 months of good weather. Oh, and no mass shootings..
@@JohannGambolputty22 That is if you can find a decent job. There is soooo much competition in the job market that about 1/4 of Cal residents live in poverty, one of the highest rates in the nation.
Not at Fee Simple. You probably saw a Lease Hold ad or it’s a bait and switch ad the realtors love to post to attract people to Hawaii. Post up the link.
