Big Island Living.... (Hilo: to rent, how much, houses)

[hilobound]

I was wondering what was the cost of high speed internet on the big island? How expensive is water and electricity on average and what type of cell phone coverage is best for the hilo area. Any information on neighbor hoods in and around hilo would be greatly appreciated. Also is there any sports bar or grills in hilo or cafe's that has free wi-fi.

thanks richie

[Hawaii Bound]

High speed internet is the same as on the mainland. I have Time Warner Cable TV, HSD, and Telephone for $99 per month. I have a catchment system so the H20 is plentiful and free. I am about 25 - 30 minutes from Hilo. As for electric it is very high however, I find that I use very little. I do not have air conditioning as ceiling fans provide adequate climate control for me. Personal experience is that AT & T has the absolute best coverage overall on the Big Island. Just my 2 cents worth.

[cynmkolohe]

I have Verizon for my cell provider and am very happy with it.

I think Kope Kope (at Hilo Shopping Center) has free wi-fi, but I'm not positive...

(Can't give you any accurate info on electricity--we have on-demand hot water and my SO does recording sessions from home, so much extra use when he is working. Much will depend on your life-style.)

[Annyz]

Electric rates...sit down before reading!
Electricity Rate Comparison by State

[hotzcatz]

Well, that's a misleading graph! We just wish the power was twenty eight cents a kilowatt hour. On the Big Island it comes out to forty five cents a kilowatt hour when folks look at their bills.

Figure electricity at forty five cents a kilowatt hour, water at about thirty dollars a month. That is, if you can get County water, not many places have water service.

[Jonah K]

Originally Posted by hilobound

I was wondering what was the cost of high speed internet on the big island? How expensive is water and electricity on average and what type of cell phone coverage is best for the hilo area. Any information on neighbor hoods in and around hilo would be greatly appreciated. Also is there any sports bar or grills in hilo or cafe's that has free wi-fi.

thanks richie

The cost of high-speed internet varies on the Big Island, depending on whether one has DSL, cable, or satellite or a "package deal." My "package deal" (High-definition cable, DVR, high-speed internet, and phone service) with Oceanic Time Warner is about $140/month (after taxes). Here are links to a couple of the largest high-speed internet service providers on the Hilo side....
Oceanic.com
Hawaiian Telcom: local, long distance, internet and wireless services for your home

Keep in mind that high-speed internet isn't available in all parts of the Big Island, and in some cases, you might not have much choice in terms of providers.

I have a catchment water system, and water purification, filtering, and testing supplies average around $15/month, so it's not exactly "free." As for electricity costs on the Big Island, it's currently around $0.50/kilowatt-hour. For comparison, in Southern California, electricity is currently $015/kilowatt-hour. As for cell phone coverage, I have AT&T and the coverage is excellent in Hilo and quite good in most of Puna.

As for neighborhoods in and around Hilo, what's your budget? There are plenty of good neighborhoods and a few not-so-good neighborhoods.

As for free wi-fi, here's a link....
free wi-fi Hawaii

[nwcountrygal]

Wow so candles are good in area is what your saying! What do you think is better - not that I have been there yet.. but cooking well hell never a good BBQ right? I was gonna ask propane or power but answered my own question. LOL

[hilobound]

So if the water is somewhat free then how much is sewer....do most people have septic tanks and how often do they get emptied....i think we are going to rent and i have been looking at this place for around $2000 a month all utilities and 2300 sq ft in hawaiian paradise park is that resonable for the slowed economy....but any suggestions would be great on where to live and what to expect.....do most houses have air condition or do they use fans to lower electric bills and does it get hot at night......do people watch football mainly NFL in Hawaii?.....what are some of your electric bills because it sounds really high? thanks for any input.

[hilobound]

I read on another thread that people who have trucks should bring them to hawaii because they go for premium price and are fewer and farther between.....can you get jobs based on having a truck or do people have need for trucks at a job stand point....I have a 2500 HD silverado its a big truck....does anyone know how much it costs to ship a large vehicle and how long does it take to get there? thanks for any help you can give me

[Annyz]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

Well, that's a misleading graph! We just wish the power was twenty eight cents a kilowatt hour. On the Big Island it comes out to forty five cents a kilowatt hour when folks look at their bills.

Figure electricity at forty five cents a kilowatt hour, water at about thirty dollars a month. That is, if you can get County water, not many places have water service.

WOW.....all I can say is this just goes to show how first-hand info is often more reliable than what you might find on the internet!