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Location: not sure, but there's a hell of a lot of water around here!
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I can understand how some people may wish to portray Hawaii as being a terrible place to live, after all, most of us who actually live here have had our share of bad experiences. Centipedes, the heat, cost of living, traffic, possible tsunami at any moment, polar ice caps melting and Mauna Kea suddenly becoming oceanfront property, locals acting like they're local, pigeons trying to speak English, you know, the usual stuff, (won't even bring up the rampant cannibalism!), but, at least for the most part, we seem to get the basic things right. But, WHAT ABOUT RHODE ISLAND!!!!!! I MEAN,,,, REALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JUST WHAT THE HECK WERE THEY THINKING!!!!! AN ISLAND????? NOT!!!!!!!!!!!! AND WAY TOO LATE JUST TO CALL IT "RHODE"!!! I think the only fair thing to do is rename Hawaii the "Continent of Hawaii", would serve those Rhode guys right,,, just a thought.........
There is another comparison that shouldn't be made. Comparing Hawaii costs to mainland costs is OK as long as one is not comparing Honolulu to mainland costs. Honolulu is ranked right behind New York City in cost of living and is 25th worldwide as most expensive. The Big Island is nowhere near that level of cost.
Housing alone is 1/3 or more cheaper on the Big Island than on Oahu. Each island is different.
I believe there are many truths about Hawaii, the good and bad. I also believe most people that post here are being honest and telling their truths. The problem with trying to describe Hawaii is it varies so much from one island to another and even then different on parts of each island. I've lived on Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island. On Oahu there are areas that haoles (mainlanders) are accepted (Hawaii Kai) and other areas (leeward coast) that they aren't. On Kauai you are accepted in Princeville but hated in areas of Kalaheo or Waimea. On the Big Island I have found most areas to be more tolerant even though I've gotten the stink eye bad from drunks in many local beach parks and there are areas I would not go after dark.
I believe the one area we all can agree on is that the economy is very bad in Hawaii, wages have always been low, the cost of living is high and the public education system is a dismal failure.
I was on the Big Island for a few months, and I never felt anything other than safe and welcome. It's Oahu that makes me nervous- all those rich people are easy targets, and people get opportunistic.
The cost of living, including housing, is higher in Kailua, HI than it is in New York, New York. Yet the wages in Kailua are much lower. I would guess, but haven't checked, that there is no place on Oahu that is less expensive than New York City, and the wages are far far lower than in New York City. These are easy facts to validate. Same is true of Washington DC, Im pretty sure.
Exactly. People who keep prating about how it doesn't really cost that much more to live here either willfully ignore that or really don't care since they have some special, high-paying job that 99.8% of locals will never come withing miles of.
I was on the Big Island for a few months, and I never felt anything other than safe and welcome. It's Oahu that makes me nervous- all those rich people are easy targets, and people get opportunistic.
I agree but try going to the beach parks in lower Puna in the late afternoon/evening or Miloli'l in Ka'u and see what kind of aloha you get.
I think it's very possible to live on very little anywhere, including Hawaii. But is it probable? Or possible for everyone? That's less likely.
Sometimes when people point out to me that their friend is living on only $xx amount of money, growing their own food, not using AC or hardly any electricity... Well, often that person is often retired, already owns a home, maybe bought it when prices were lower years ago, and lives upcountry where it's cooler. It's not a real comparison to a person who is renting an apartment, has to commute down into town for work, and pays for shared utilities with roommates who turn on the AC.
Then again there are those who spend way more than they need to do, and are shocked when they can't keep buying Starbucks every morning, eat out every night, and buy lots of fun gadgets or fine furniture.
My point is that you can't compare extremes. In general, everyday items cost more here than in most of the rest of the USA. Sure, there are places in every state where you have ritzy boutique shops that might charge the same or more, but if you go to a regular grocery store, most items are at least slightly higher here. And you have fewer choices. You can't pick from 8 apple varieties like you can in California. Or go to a shop that specializes in bar stools. You buy from the stores that are here, for the prices they have.
Yes, most transplants can learn to live more frugally they did before. And those that do aren't the ones who are going to complain all the time.
And it gets better. After a few years, maybe someone buys a home, or learns to grow food on their patio. They have found the local farmers markets, live closer to where they work or commute with someone, and know the best places to buy gasoline. People settle in.
Or else they leave, after just a couple of years.
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