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Old 12-11-2010, 04:24 PM
 
2 posts, read 12,695 times
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Hello All! I just received an offer for an internship in Honolulu that pays for my rent/utilities, but I was curious as to how much other things cost once I am out there? Any info on prices for groceries, gas, social life, etc. would be really helpful!
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Old 12-11-2010, 05:41 PM
 
Location: Na'alehu Hawaii/Buena Vista Colorado
5,531 posts, read 12,620,514 times
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Lindsay, I know that you are a new poster here (welcome), but please know that this question has been asked and answered many, many times on this forum. Take a little time to go back through the many threads relating to cost of living. The nice thing about this forum is that all of the past threads are archived, so there is a wealth of information to find.

Everyone does have their own answer to this question. We could tell you, or you can even find in the on-line newspaper ads, the cost of groceries, etc., but there are also the factors of what is your lifestyle like? Would you be wiling to use the public transportation, for example. What is your idea of "social life".

After you've read through all of the past discussions, please feel free to ask some more specific questions.
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Old 12-11-2010, 11:44 PM
 
Location: hawaii!
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Lindsay,

I'm not sure where you live right now, but I lived in the midwest & I spend about the same on food, gas & going out that I did in downstate IL. If you only have yourself to worry about those things are VERY controllable. Gas is more expensive here but I don't drive nearly as far or as much as I used to. Food is really not that much more but I eat super randomly. I don't drink milk & eat a ton of mac n cheese or get to-go meals from somewhere. As far as going out to bars, you can definitely do that cheaply but you can go to some bars that charge $10-$20 cover (but if ur good looking, don't worry about cover lol). Totally depends where you go. Sorry I don't have real numbers for you, I don't really keep track or do the budget thing lol But I am a receptionist & have 2 roommates in a house & I am able to put some money into savings still.
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Old 12-12-2010, 04:31 PM
 
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Dreaming- Well I actually did browse through the different threads yesterday, and didn't find much helpful information at all. Most of the ones I saw were specifically about rent and utilities, which I'm not concerned with. If they did talk about groceries, it was about something very specific, like a jug of milk, when I was trying to get an overall idea of cost.

Katie- Thank you, that is actually very helpful and good to know! I am also coming from the midwest, so I am glad to hear that there is not much difference btw the two places! So do you love living out there? I am trying to get as many opinions as possible because I have to accept this job within the next couple of days.. I am torn btw living in Hawaii for with no bills/no income for a year, or taking a good paying job in California but with tons of bills lol!
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Old 12-12-2010, 04:37 PM
 
Location: Kailua, Oahu, HI and San Diego, CA
1,178 posts, read 5,934,148 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LindsayG85 View Post
Hello All! I just received an offer for an internship in Honolulu that pays for my rent/utilities, but I was curious as to how much other things cost once I am out there? Any info on prices for groceries, gas, social life, etc. would be really helpful!
Read this thread:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/hawai...st-hawaii.html
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Old 12-12-2010, 07:59 PM
 
Location: hawaii!
168 posts, read 725,217 times
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I love it here! I truly never see myself moving back to the midwest. I do miss my family but this is where I belong. I don't have anything bad to say about it here. As long as you are flexible you will be fine. Life is different here & that's why most people come here. But you can't move here expecting to live the exact same life that you did in the midwest. If you adapt to the island way of things you will be fine.
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Old 12-12-2010, 09:40 PM
 
Location: Southwest France
1,413 posts, read 3,225,219 times
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If you have rent & utilities covered...those are the biggies! Groceries depend if you cook or not. Processed foods are much more expensive out here, due to shipping, but if you eat simply...a protein & veggie for dinner most nights, for example, cereal & coffee for breakfast, I would say you could scrape by on $50-$75 per week. If you go out for most meals...could be several hundred per week.

Gas is $3.39 at costco today, but will you bring a car? The bus is pretty cheap and goes around the island.

You proably won't spend near what you would on the mainland for clothes, make up or salon services here. All of those things are pricey and most of the young gals prefer a more natural look. Long hair, minimal make up. Tanks & skirts with sandals.

If you want or need more $$ you can always babysit or pick up a retail job. We have a friend who signed up with a babysitting service (can't recall the name...keiki something...anyway, she gets lots of babysitting gigs paying 10-12 per hr. Not bad for extra $$.

Good luck with your decision. I'm sure you know how lucky you are to have 2 job opportunities in this dratted economy!
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Old 12-13-2010, 03:17 PM
 
4,918 posts, read 22,641,784 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LindsayG85 View Post
If they did talk about groceries, it was about something very specific, like a jug of milk, when I was trying to get an overall idea of cost.
It is hard to discuss the added cost of grocery on hawaii because the logistics dont lend itself to a simple percentage increase. A box of saltine crackers cost about 22 cents in shipping from mainland to HI. The grocery store may pass all or only some of that cost to you. They can raise the retail cost by 22 cents or rais it less and make less profit. Look at toilet paper. Shipping cost for a 12 roll pack is around $1.04 per pack because of it's size. But a two-fifty tin of caviar which cost 20 times as much only cost 4 cents to ship.

The cost of items may appear close to mainland prices but there will always be a few cents shipping cost involved. If you buy 50 items each week at a added shipping cost of only 8 cents, that is only $4 more a week or $208 a year. But some items you may pay almost full shiipping cost and that can slowly raise the cost of food. You also have the small added cost in gas to get to the stores and ythe added cost to refrigerate the food and the added cost for items to cook and serve the food. In time you can have a nice small amount of extar money used on food.

What makes people confused is they often see the higher cost and will change the way and what they eat to reduce the cost. Freash replaces packaged, bulk replaces quick grabs and goes, and expensive items may no longer be regular on the plate. They also may spend more time shopping the specials which saves money. My feeling is all those are great, but thats really comparing apples to oranges because if they were to adjustt their habits on the mainland to match what they would be doing on Hawaii, they would be saving money ont he mainland and Hawaii would still look higher.

You will save money if you adjust your purchases, but thats not things being the same just you now buying diffrent things. Figure out what those different things would be on the mainland and you'l see the TRUE cost of living on Hawaii.
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