Paradise? The Realities of Life in Hawaii (Real Talk) 

I did a phone interview with a guy who lived in Hawaii. He told me he just felt "stuck" living there. I usually don't hire people over the phone but he seemed so sad. I told him if he came to Idaho, he had the job. I helped him get "unstuck".

I grew up in Hawaii. Lived there for 30 years. Left and moved to the mainland in 1996 and couldn't believe the difference in the quality and cost of living. I was not only able to buy a house, but also take regular vacations. Never would have happened if I had stayed in Hawaii. But, I must admit, Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places on this planet! Didn't have to wear shoes until the 6th grade! Running around barefoot, climbing mango trees for fresh mangos, going to the beach, hiking in the mountains, simply wonderful!!

This is 100% correct. I lived in poverty as a child on the island. My family had to move to the mainland to survive. So coming back to the island brought back a lot of bad memories. My grandmother’s place needed to be renovated on the island so I my dad tasked me to move back and take care of it. Getting on the plane and coming back brought a lot of emotions to me and I don’t think I smiled once while being surrounded by so many people excited for their vacation. Then the hard work started, taking me over a month, dealing with contractors, cleaners and coordinating late shipments. Just so much had to happen and spending thousands of dollars in the process. I’m now contemplating getting a second job because of how much I saw leaving my bank account from all of this and this is coming from someone who makes pretty decent money living in a townhouse on Capitol Hill in DC. There are very few high paying jobs on the island. Luckily I can remote anywhere from work but the cost and quality like he says just doesn’t add up. Also the fact I see so many people here struggle and live in poverty gives me uncomfortable flashbacks. It’s just hard…

This is one of the few "Life in Hawaii" videos that doesn't make it seem like 24/7 sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns. It's awful that younger generations that are born and raised there have to uproot their entire lives and move to make a living. It's even worse that this problem is pervasive. People born and raised in New York and California are getting nickel-and-dimed out of their homes as well...but at least sometimes the food is affordable

Former Hawai'i resident here letting you know that this man is 100% correct. It's beautiful but it is absolutely brutal on your wallet.

Finally, a youtuber who isn't try to sell his/her life as amazing!

My uncle and aunt moved from Connecticut to Hilo on the big island about 10 years ago to finally escape the cold winters. They started renovating their house as soon as they moved there and now even 10 years later are still working on it. There are so few tradesman, that the tradesman can set whatever price and timeframe they want and you don't have any alternatives.

Loved this. I moved from Maui to Oahu because I wanted to experience the "city" life. Did it for 12 years... And yes, TRAFFIC is bad both on Maui and on Oahu. Inheriting a house from someone is not what it's cracked up to be. When I rented my apartment on Oahu, it included EVERYTHING. So when something broke, the landlord would fix it. Home owners have to either fix it themselves to find a repair person and PAY FOR IT. Yes, cost of living in Hawaii is "HIGH" but I always tell myself that I live in "PARADISE" and some people only dream of it....

Ive lived on Maui for 40 yrs. In the last 15 yrs rich people from the mainland have worked at gentrifying and make it like where they came from but with a beach. Maui “cruisers” have become bmw, lexus and mercedes. Home prices have almost doubled. The attitude and respect for the aina and culture that seemed to be present in most of the mainland transplants 35 or 40 yrs ago is not present in the majority of people moving here with all their $ now . It,s reflected in driving habits, rudeness while shopping etc. the most beautiful place on the planet deserves more respect. Many people who have loved and respected Hawaii for decades are being forced out financially. It is very sad.

Tourists & rich people take over the best spots worldwide 😭 heart breaking 💔

Coming from mainland, Hawaii has fresh air and warm temperatures. The breeze, the rain, the sunsets, the rainbow… I like Hawaii

my wife and i thought about moving there. we could both secure really great jobs, we don't have children, we have no health issues, but we would still be living very modestly and have very little, if anything, to save. we visit several times a year, so we have taken time to understand the culture and the islands. we came to an understanding that as non natives, it isn't our right to move there and create struggle for ourselves and take away from the energy of the island and the people. i understand that might seem pretty hippy-dippy, but we are trying to respect some sacred things the island hasn't had stripped away. instead, we can upgrade our situation on the mainland and still have the privilege to visit the island and contribute to the local economy several times a year.

I'm not even from Hawaii but I can't emphasize how truly relatable the impossibility of home ownership in present day is!!!! Makes me cry.

I thought about moving to Hawaii several years ago. One of my Nieces went to college there and said the following: If shipping stopped for whatever reason, Hawaii would run out of food in two days. That was enough for me. I live in the midwest, in a college town with a population of 20k, own my own home and am 5 minutes from work. I had better start counting by blessings. Thanks for the video.

I used to go to Hawaii a lot as a kid and adult until I discovered Brasil and now I’ve visited Brasil 18 times. The culture is alive and well unlike Hawaii which was pushing the hula dancer culture for many years. The food is great in Brasil and the people are very friendly. It’s cheap too. It’s easy to spend 200-300 per night to stay in Hawaii but I’ve stayed in a mansion in Brasil using Airbnb for 9 dollars per night and a nice new place on the beach is 40 dollars per night. It’s a little rough sometimes but 1 day in Brasil is like 3 days in the US because of how fun it is.

I have family in Hawaii, just returned from another visit, and he is spot on. It's extremely expensive, getting a well paying job isn't easy, and home ownership very difficult. I've grown up with, and worked with Hawaiian 'expats' on the Mainland. Everyone misses Hawaii with plans to someday retire "back home".

I was stationed on Oahu 1990-1993. When I went back in 2009 for a vacation I was shocked and saddened at how things had changed. The traffic felt like it was a lot worse, it felt very crowded and there were homeless people everywhere. “Call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye.”

His voice is so relaxing and soothing , he sounds like a peaceful soul :)

As a native New Yorker who left the city after college because I didn’t want to have three roommates in order to move out into the real world, I definitely can relate. Before college I worked three jobs and still couldn’t afford my own place. Twenty five years later it hasn’t gotten any better and I’d only consider returning for family emergencies, or if I could maintain the lifestyle I have at present, minus a car and single family home.

This is a great video. It shows why so many people born and raised in Hawaii move to the mainland. You are doing a great service to people who are moving or considering moving to the islands. Keep these videos coming.

Work, pay mortgage, eat poke, go to beach, pay mortgage, go to Costco, repeat.

People don't realize how far away Hawaii is from the mainland. It's a six SIX hour plane flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu.

I grew up in Hawaii as a child to young adult. Miss it a lot but like you said, affordability. Unfortunately I am one who can’t afford to live there although I’d love to and wish I could.

Life is a trade off no matter where you go. The price of living in a cold climate is the extreme heating bill. The price of living in a hot climate is the AC bill. The price of living on an island is the import package. There are realistic pros and cons everywhere! Your weather is a big pro for lots of people...everything you talk about is part of the price to pay. Thank you for your honesty on this topic. I have to point out that for many people, living close to family is worth any price!

I talked with this lady who is a Native Hawaiian here in Florida. During our conversation, I got the impression that indeed Hawaii is being invaded by a really tough enemy - Money !

I total agree with you. I lived in Hawaii for almost all my life. Then one day in my late 50's my daughter wanted me to stay with her for awhile in Washington state. I was so scared cause different state. After a month with her it was amazing. Everything was so cheap, I loved it. Then 6 months later I went back to Hawaii, I regretted. So my son moved to Vegas, and I moved with him I loved. Well I am telling you I will not go back to Hawaii and live. I will visit that is my home and where my mom and dad is buried. So what you are saying is so true. I think people should listen to what you are saying. Thumbs up to you, mahalo to you.

I am so glad that there is someone like you talking about these things!! I talk about these factors that drew me out from staying back home. I miss it, I miss seeing my family so easily. Thank you for this video and shedding truth on our hardships.

I’ve lived between the mainland and Big Island since 2006. We left several times because it was just so hard to get by. If it wasn’t for food stamps and Costco, no one and especially not families could survive except the 1percent. The snow birds show up this time of year with their range rovers and shiny sports cars that have been in some air conditioned garage for the last 10 months, and the rest of us are in traffic with the windows down because our air conditioners stopped working a long time ago but there is no money to fix it. My husband is a white collar professional. We both work, but in Hawaii our family has faced hunger and homelessness. We were evicted from our rental with our children because our land lord decided she could make more money renting it out as an airb&b. We love Hawaii. Our children were born here. But we can’t even get to the beach very often because we are really so busy just getting by. Also, it used to be before the pandemic, going to the beach made it all with it. It was community. You met friends there and if you didn’t know anyone that day, you made a new friend before you left. Kids I never met would come get snacks from my cooler bc I am the mom. All kids are our kids. If a kid is hungry on the beach, a mom would find that kid a snack. But now with Covid, all that seems to be a thing of the past. It’s sad. Now my husband is Ubering in addition to his white collar job. I think anyone moving here should consider this: a gallon of milk is$18.29 at choicemart in Captain Cook. My boys can go through a gallon of milk in a couple of hours. We love the island. But it’s tough. Aloha

Outside people moving here and they don’t live the aloha spirit. I’ve lived in Waikiki for decades and locals are leaving and tourists are moving in. I’m surrounded by A holes that want the Hawaii vibes but don’t respect the culture!

We miss Hawaii. The food and aloha spirit is unlike anywhere else. My wife and I left Hawaii almost 20 years ago for many reasons. We could have stayed at my wifes parents house is mililani mauka for free and even a free house wasnt enough to keep us. Expensive, crowded, traffic, no parking, no road trips, we had to fly everywhere if we want to see other places, school system not so great unless you send kids to private school, houses are small, electricity is expensive. In Nevada I only need one job. Wife can stay home with our 3 kids. We can afford a big single story home in a neighborhood that looks like mililani mauka lol. We go on road trips and go camping alot. We just went to Yellowstone! We play in the snow in the winter in Tahoe and play in the lakes and rivers in the summer. But most of all....we have quality time together since I get home at 5pm everyday in about 15 minutes and mommy is home all day with our kids since this is 2020 (covid19) We visit Hawaii but we dont miss it enough to move back. Unless things change in Hawaii we will live in the mainland for a long while lol.

Stumbled in this channel, man, this is the best RU-vid video I have ever watched in years. So insightful and genuine. Full of contents as well emotions and yet without those lame background "music". Thank you. Just subscribed.

Great video! 🙌🏼 thanks for sharing your perspectives

"So long as I went to school, work real hard, got good grades a home would just be waiting for me." Don't feel too bad. You're not the only one who thought that playing by the rules would get you what you wanted out of life only to find yourself getting the shaft instead. Welcome to reality.

is so expensive even magnum P.i. Left

I know this video was made 4+ yrs ago and things are different now. I currently live here on Oahu, I moved here in 2013. Lately I've been watching videos like this about life here on the islands. This gentleman's perspective I believe represents the masses who have lived here a long time or those who were born here. However, after living in over 30 different places my feelings are quite different. I absolutely love living here and don't think it's hard at all. The topics he brings up are real, the facts regarding cost of living are real. But, it's not that way for everyone. You create your life through your thoughts and beliefs, so if you believe it's hard... then it will be hard. Everyone's perspective is different and therfore their experiences are as well. So if one learns how to change one's perspective, then you can change your life. I had the same perspective as this man did for the first 5 yrs I was here. The island is still the same, even getting worse in most people's eyes, but it's life in paradise for many people! I hope people could learn that life is what you make it and not what other people say it is, no disrespect to this fine gentleman.

Love you sooooo much !!!! For the way you are.... Honest, straight forward, sincere, no BS, down to earth... THANK you... Hope to hear sooooooo much MORE from you SOON !!!!

This video is spot on! I moved there for two years and it was a constant struggle to stay alive. I was surprisingly and shockingly happy and it changed me for the best. But knowing how much easier it was to live on the mainland and missing family and realizing I’d never own anything I decide to leave. It was such a relief. It’s a magical place for sure and I am eternally grateful to have been able to live there. But it’s very hard

I m born and raised in Hawaii and currently stuck here because of the pandemic and I never see anything on RU-vid like this video: clear succinct logical explanation of why Hawaii is economically not feasible to live in. This is a perfect video to show to someone who wants to live in Hawaii.

Very insightful & helpful! Thank you for sharing!

Love your illustration of the Monopoly board and coming into the game late - so accurate! My wife stands to inherit a home through HI Homelands - and I still have serious misgivings when we talk about the possibility of moving there…

I live in Vegas, and this is exactly the reason why the Hawaiian's consider Las Vegas "the 9th Hawaiian island". Ive met a ton of folks from Hawaii and they all said the number one reason they left was because it was way too expensive! Many of them miss home but they dont have any intention on returning!!

This video makes it much more easy to understand the resentment I have seen from some Native Hawaiians. Very understandable. Mahalo for making this very informative video.

I live in the Florida Keys. I could so relate to all of this with the exception of batteries, and we have a 2 lane road for 120 miles from Miami that spans the islands. Vacation rentals have made workers homeless and forces even the native Conchs to leave to find somewhere close to affordable.

Intresting video. Thank you!

Thank u for that "raw truth" I lived with 2 lil kids & my husband in Kauai, i had 3 jobs & it put such a strain on me that i left with my kids & my husband I divorced. I saw the hypmatizing force that was not worth holding on to. I'm happier now my kids have grown into adults, my ex & I are happier as friends & know Hawaii is for visiting ONLY!!!!

Inheriting a home is 99% of Hawaii locals' plan. The prior generations bought homes when the prices were the same or only slightly higher than the Mainland.

thanks for your company -makes me smile-helps to stay confident

This is such a great video, and it’s really pleasant to listen to you telling your story. You seem like a nice quiet guy that would be fun to sit around and chat with. I made my first visit to Hawaii about 8 years ago and have been back 5 times already. It’s easy to fall in love with the beauty of the islands, and the people. But as a tourist that only experiences Hawaii from a tourist’s perspective, I appreciate you sharing what it’s like for the folks that live their day by day. Thanks for sharing!

A minute in and already amazed. Real talk. It's expensive here.

A native Hawaiian said that real estate prices keep going up bc foreign investors buy up so many properties as their summer or second or Nth home or as an investment. And local ppl can’t compete with that and many ppl are moving to main land.

I was paying $2,400/ mo for a one bed efficiency in ‘95, in Honolulu. It was in an older, well-kept building near Waikiki. I can’t imagine what that would cost now. It was SPENDY back then. I left due to the economy, but I can’t count the days I wish I’d stayed. During a visit in ‘97 I found a house at Lihue for$58k. As cheap as inter-island fares were, I could have easily commuted, and by now I’d be payed-off and diggin it! New wife said NO. Damn. It is the most beautiful, friendly place I’ve ever lived. Loved the life.

This is very true, life in Hawaii is very hard especially for locals. I’m a native Hawaiian from the Big Island and me, my mom, and my brother were basically forced off the island because of the low job opportunities.

Homelessness is amazingly prevalent in Hawaii.

So you live in "paradise" but have two jobs, working seven days a week, everything is expensive and really bad traffic? Alright.

Aloha Nephew, Now three months later and I have been living and working in Vermont and India. Your message rings as true as ever. I will come home in November, but my work will keep me traveling. I will perpetually return home to Hawai'i. I write to add something to my previous comments. The world is very much changing, in addition to the changes that you note in Hawai'i. For example, homelessness is nearly everywhere. Important to recognize, this is not only a problem in Hawai'i, but rather a symptom of a larger cultural problem. Our social fabric is being ripped apart many places in the world. The kindness that is part of the Aloha Spirit is perhaps one important part of getting through this. Another part is for our larger community to acknowledge that what is going on is broken. We are experiencing the unfortunate results of some bad policy decisions. Beginning by acknowledging this fact is essential. As always, your work brings me home. Mahalo nut loa.

Thank you for this honest perspective!

When I moved to northern Cali I walked into Trader Joe’s, and I looked at the prices for the produce. And I was just shocked at how cheap the food is compared to Hawaii. I love my home, but like many local kids we have to move, because we can’t make it here simply because it’s so expensive.

We were there for holiday in Jan. Spoke to so many locals who confirmed same. Hubby and I were also in a bad road accident at the time and in our three weeks in hospital found that the nurses were working multiple jobs. (taxi drivers had other full time jobs. Teachers had second and third jobs). It was crazy to hear that so many people were working so hard just to survive and support their families. No time to enjoy their island paradise. It was Very sad to hear. And yes we noted cost of living was in generally expensive.

really good video... very thoughtful and good to know before moving there.

This is a thoughtful video; my wife and I recently moved from a suburb of Baltimore where real estate values had gone up very sharply to a smaller town in south-central PA - about a 60-mile move but the three-bedroom home we bought was literally 1/3 of the price. I am very thankful we had this option to lower our debt load and also buy a smaller house that is less to take care of. Hawaii though is a closed system. Here in the US there are some places that are very expensive, some moderately expensive and some areas that are actually pretty inexpensive from a cost of living perspective. But it seems in Hawaii there is only "very expensive" and "expensive" leaving the "in-expensive" off the menu. I've never been and it looks to be such a beautiful place but, to the author's point, it is an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and any consumables people need to live had to come in by plane or boat. I pray this young man will continue to be able to make ends meet or, if he chooses, re-locate to the mainland if HI proves too costly in the future.

My wife is from Hawaii and I’m from Georgia. The reality of living and working there is not what I expected. We see the tropical beautiful destination on TV and not much else. Everything from shared homes to multiple jobs is a burden that needs to be lifted from the people. Especially the lack of AC in most houses. They’ve also been over stepping the rights of the people in Oahu..all the windmills and the telescope. The people had no say.

You wake up at 5 am and sit in traffic for hours. You work for 8 hours and hit more traffic on the way home. Everyday!!!

Oh man... just bought a home in Hilo, and it was freaking expensive. I am lucky. Canadian here, who moved to Hawaii because this is the best place I have ever been, and I can't imagine living anywhere else than Hilo.

I'm a 48 year old Californian whose lived in Cali, the Midwest & the south. I bought a home in Pepeekeo, Big Island for 296k in 2014. I'm a local home based business owner. I make custom quilts, offer quilting services and embroidery & embroidery design. My husband and I live off 1.8k a month. We grow our own veggies and fruits to supplement our meals. We eat more locally caught fish instead of beef & pork. I save on Helco bill with solar power. I think people's choices affect their economics in Hawaii more than the cost of living. I think those who are having trouble living in Hawaii need to rethink what they value in life. Do you need to live as you do. Can you live with less? The answer is most likely, yes. I have never been more economically stable & free than I have living in Hawaii because it allowed me to drop the baggage of what I thought I should be doing with my life and instead focus on the important things. I never felt more encumbered and burdened than when I lived on the mainland.

Unfortunately the housing issue is also happening everywhere else in the developed world.

Even though we were fortunate enough to live on Oahu and own a home with one income, it probably meant working until 67 or older. There's a saying, "Work to live, don't live to work". So I transferred to Utah for my Govt work, but built a home in Las Vegas. In a year, I realized that we could probably manage if I retired and just moved to Vegas, so we did. Like you said, there's things we all miss in Hawaii, and there's definitely things we don't miss. Your video hit it on the head. Vegas is definitely the 9th island with so much locals here. Locals that opened food joints, food trucks, from chicken katsu to poke bowls, you definitely don't get homesick for the food. :)

Practical, and REAL. Thanks a million for sharing

I noticed a lot of this when I went to Waikiki nine years ago. My advice to those who are from the lower 48 and want to visit Hawaii for the first time, when you set your food budget on your trip, multiple it by 2.

I live in maui. Low income housing. And I make 70k a year. And barely scrape by. Work a lot, to be on vacation after work for an hour or two. Paradise for a few hours, hell for the rest lol

Thanks for this reality check. Paradise is not paradise anymore.

I was only there for 2 nights after my husband passed away in Hawaii, the medical costs were horrendous and the food and hotel accommodation was quite expensive. Taking that aside you have a nation of very friendly, welcoming people who without their help and support I don’t know what I would have done. Times may be hard in your beautiful country but your hospitality is second to none don’t ever change 💕

Thanks for making this- I'm glad to see a perspective on Hawaii other than the normal touristy stuff. Cheers from Arkansas!

Right on, especially your last line. I was Born and raised in Hawaii, mostly Oahu. Left when I was 18, and have stayed away. I do miss some things, but I own a great house, don't worry about food or gas. Where I live the traffic is nothing. I have no financial stress compared to all my friends back home, and many of them make more than I do. I used to say I would go back someday, but not anymore.

I was a part owner of two condos in Maui for years. I had to sell because of the astronomical cost increases. HOA fees went from about $250 per month to about #1,000 per month in seven years. Food, groceries....everything was so much higher than the mainland. Also, there isn't a really good hospital on Maui, so don't go there if you have a chronic illness.

I just subscribed thx for the great content. I never realized how hard it is to live in Hawaii

I was a tour guide on Maui for 6 years and lived very well. With 1 job. I see alot of videos about what it's like to live in "Hawaii" as if it's the same everywhere there. the life in Honolulu is VERY different to living in rural Maui or Big island. Yes, it's expensive on housing and always will be. It also has the LOWEST property taxes in the US. If you can get your housing cost under control (a challenge) and live simply, the cost of living is reasonable. Farmers markets for food, growing lots of fruit in the yard, free entertainment in nature around you, lots of free local events, no real need for AC or heating, minimal clothing needs, state mandated health insurance when you work 20 hours per week (my work provided free health insurance) There are certainly pros and cons, but I love the lifestyle when you find the right place in the state of HI. The experience varies incredibly from location to location.

Hawaii is a two class society, rich and poor. There's no middle. Covid will make it worse.

Yes. Hawaii is becoming expensive even at this pandemic time. I’ve never owned a home, I’ve rented all my life and I Thank God that He provided for us. Which as a Christian we are here only for awhile then when Jesus returns we’ll go home with Him. But for now we are here and doing His work, and living in His Peace. God bless you my brother in your decision making. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Such a nice video! Thank you....

I appreciate this RU-vidr for giving a realistic perspective of how things are in Hawaii! Unfortunately persons in other countries aren't giving the full reality of such places.

This is true for most tropical islands. Source: Former USVI resident

No need for a nice car cause everything rusts.

thank you for this insightful real conversation. everything has different sides… even paradise. Hawaii has been my favorite place i’ve ever traveled to, but I realize it’s not a perfect place.

Love your honesty, brother! Hawaii has been a potential dream since I visited college buddies in '92, but I know there are serious considerations like the one you've pointed out. My other two concerns for myself would be 'island fever' & then missing out a lot of the mainland American (& European) music & culture that also seems to arrive late to the island. Perhaps now with the internet, that is not as lacking...

Thanks for sharing. I've always felt that way. Currently one year on the mainland bc I never got a good job offer in HI after graduating with my Masters. Not to also mention that home prices aren't just BC of local competition, but wealthy Americans, Japanese, Chinese investors buying up property and driving the building of luxury condos, which also increase the property prices in the area.

When we visited fifteen years ago. I was shocked by the prices. Outrageous! 🙁

Cool video with insightful info. Thanks for sharing.

what A great content clearly describes the reality of Living there, thanks much for sharing..Hello From Hawaii

Nailed it. I lived there a year and absolutely loved the pros but the cons out weigh the pros for the working class.

No matter where you go or who you are, Life is never easy!

You hit the nail on the head on ALL points!

My wife and I was born and raised in Hawaii. We both graduated from Hawaii. We both have families there and both of our Father’s were in the military but different services. My wife was born at the Tripler Army Medical Center and I at the Saint Francis Hospital before Hawaii became Statehood. We left Hawaii 27 years ago after I retired from the Marine Corps and been here in California ever since. Do we both miss the Islands? Sure, but like you mentioned it’s not easy raising a family and working there. I’m fully retired now and we have a nice home. So I guess we both made the right decision for our family.

My husband and I love vacationing in Hawaii. We often have wondered what it must be like to live there. Last time we went, we talked to some people on the plane who lived there and were moving back to the mainland because they said living there was a tough lifestyle and that they needed better cost of living.

I've always noticed that in the TINY fine print of almost every contest and sweepstakes promoted nationwide it says "Prizes will not be awarded in Hawaii or Alaska except for electronic transfer of cash prizes. " If the grand prize is a new car, it costs too too much to ship the car to Hawaii by sea freight or air freight.

Good real talk video! My son (active duty Navy) and daughter-in-law, have lived there for the past 3 years, and yes, they made the best of it and had some enjoyment, but overall they hated it and they're so excited to be moving back to the mainland in a couple weeks.

Thank you for saying this!!

Same as mainland. I have recently lived both, be grateful you live in Hawaii.

I have some Canadian friends who pulled stakes and moved to Hawaii. There must be some downsides as they were pretty excited to leave here. So surprised to see them back after only one year.

I appreciate this video thank you!

Dude , since I was a kid growing up I wanted to move from my Texas town of San Antonio to New York or L.A. or Chicago . When I was at that age I could travel believe me , I did. I wanted to move even to Houston or Dallas , and my favorite Chicago anywhere to get me out of this laid back city . You know that , the older I got the more I realize the “ grass isn’t always greener “. I noticed the homeless , the dirty downtown , traffic and cost of living in the other cities . I’m glad I decided to stay . San Antonio has always been a nice city but now it’s so beautiful and coming to its own . Cost of living is low , big homes and mansions If you’d into that , great economy . You can live in a beautiful big house and great schools and clear air ; it’s possible ! If I want to go to a paradise vacation I just book a trip but return to my beautiful Texas ! I guess most of all there is Nothing like good ole Texas southern hospitality ! I’m just hoping the Californians don’t ruined our state ! They don’t understand it is politics that has ruined their beautiful state !