In pricey Hawaii, some prices have remained unchanged for the last 30 years (Hilo: sale, rental)

[Ian_Lee]

Even though most prices on the islands have jumped up double or triple in the last 30 years, i.e. an adult monthly bus pass jumped from $13.50 in late 1980s to $60 nowadays, some prices have remained unchanged over time. For example:

(1) Costco Hot Dog and Soda:

It was $1.50 when Costco opened its first store on the island in late '80s. It is still $1.50 Okay it is nationwide.

(2) 10% Kona Coffee:

I was addicted to Kona coffee and the two local brands always have their 10 oz bag 10% Kona Coffee on sale for $3.99 in the local CVS store for the last 30 years.

(3) Dreyers ice cream:

It was $4.50 for half gallon when I first stepped on the island in late '80s. Some supermarkets advertise it for $3.50 nowadays when it is on sale.

Haven't coffee beans and dairy products gone up in price in the past 30 years?

[pj737]

Not something exclusive to Hawaii... but what I think is mind-blowing is you can buy a fully functioning, fully assembled adult bicycle with front suspension shocks for $75 at Walmart. No way this was possible in the 80's.

And that 70" ultra-high definition 4K LED TV I picked up for under $900 would likely have been several kajillion dollars in 1980 if the technology even existed.

[smarino]

It's really the housing costs that have disproportionately gone off the charts. Hilo used to be one of the most inexpensive parts of Hawaii to live in, and now some of the rental housing prices are far, far too high, especially given the wages, lack of services, and overall quality of life. The crime has risen dramatically too. We are thinking of moving back, but there's so many issues w/ the lack of housing options and the crazy prices it makes one pause and ask, is it worth these prices? Since the population is continuing to grow w/ a high birth rate and there is scant new housing being built, it's just going to get worse. It's beyond me how most people are able to live there.

As for the grocery store prices, anyone even marginally familiar w/ most mainland grocery stores will be shell shocked when they walk into a KTA or Safeway, never mind an ABC store on O'ahu. Most items are double or triple what we pay here in St Pete, Fl, and the prices are high in this area compared to other areas. The wife just came back from a 3 week visit w/ her sons in Hilo and she was amazed by food prices. The Saturday market still has some good deals, but you can't live off of just apple bananas, guava and papayas, although a lot of newcomers THINK you can.

No one should have to live off of Costco ice cream, hotdogs and soda either. You will die eating that stuff. It's not even real food. I was looking online at the items in the Hilo downtown health food store (great place) and comparing them to the Trader Joes store here. Wow, scary. Mostly they are what I said, as well as being double or triple what they were when we moved away 12 years ago.

I'm a bike rider. That $75 Walmart bike is a piece o crap that is sold so cheaply because it is based on slave like working conditions in China. I don't support that and no one should. Walmart is not a good store in any respect. It's mostly shoddy goods made by people who are desperate and willing to work for almost nothing, and the people who own Walmart are infamous for their lack of benefits to their employees, often encouraging them to apply for state benefits so they don't have to pay them. Many of their employees have to get food stamps to survive.

[pj737]

Originally Posted by smarino

Most items are double or triple what we pay here in St Pete, Fl, and the prices are high in this area compared to other areas.

Most items? Please name some items that cost triple here on Oahu vs St Pete Florida.

[Jonah K]

Originally Posted by Ian_Lee

(3) Dreyers ice cream:

It was $4.50 for half gallon when I first stepped on the island in late '80s. Some supermarkets advertise it for $3.50 nowadays when it is on sale.

Instead of a full 2 quarts, that "half gallon" of Dreyer's ice cream was reduced to 1.5 quarts several years ago.
Shoppers beware: Products shrink but prices stay the same - USATODAY.com

[Jungjohann]

Originally Posted by Jonah K

Instead of a full 2 quarts, that "half gallon" of Dreyer's ice cream was reduced to 1.5 quarts several years ago.
Shoppers beware: Products shrink but prices stay the same - USATODAY.com

I'm still mourning that one. Price of poi has gone through the friggin roof. AND A1 Sauce can hardly be found on the shelves any longer


Beer is still, uuuurrrrrpppp, scuze me, reasonable

[pj737]

Originally Posted by smarino

I'm a bike rider. That $75 Walmart bike is a piece o crap that is sold so cheaply because it is based on slave like working conditions in China. I don't support that and no one should. Walmart is not a good store in any respect. It's mostly shoddy goods made by people who are desperate and willing to work for almost nothing, and the people who own Walmart are infamous for their lack of benefits to their employees, often encouraging them to apply for state benefits so they don't have to pay them. Many of their employees have to get food stamps to survive.

So unless you're a hypocrite, I assume you live with no electronics, appliances or anything else made in China? How do you respond to these posts? Internet cafes?

I did not say that Walmart bike is a quality bike. Yes, it's considered to be a cheap piece of junk by most. But it's still a brand new functioning bicycle that no other individual or local company could even ship to this island and assemble for $75. A box of AIR would cost more.

I like to buy quality things too (my bikes average $4K each) but that's because I can afford it - and apparently so can you. Congratulations! But there are a good number of people living here that can't afford "quality" because the result of buying quality over what you would call "pieces o crap", is homelessness.

And those people that receive food stamps to help get them by would be asking for a lot more than just food stamps if Walmart wasn't here to provide them a job. Maybe you haven't been to Walmart in a while (or maybe ever), but they aren't hiring the creme de la creme of talent I can tell you that much.

And finally... you may not be aware of this, but there are $500 non-Walmart bikes out there that cost no more than $100 to produce. Whereas Walmart is more than likely making a whopping $1.80 profit on that $70 bike. Evil... just pure evil.

[Ian_Lee]

What I mentioned are exceptions. In fact, most prices have skyrocketed.

I love seafood. Way back I could find live Kahuku Shrimp in the local market for $7.99/lb. Now only if I am lucky I can find it but the price has jumped up to $16.99/lb.

There used to be plenty of blue fin ahi. Now they still have but usually asked for close to $30/lb. Even Yellow fin and big eye ahi are getting more expensive. In fact, all those poke in supermarket are made from substitutes -- imported frozen tuna.

There used to be plenty of farm moi and mullet. But there is no more moi and mullet becomes rarer. Other staples of fish like menpachi and toau used to be piled up in the local market. But now they also become rarity. I guess the shortage is due to DLNR's ban of net fishing.

There used to be fresh chicken from local "Ewa Brand". But it has gone bankrupt. All we have now are those frozen chickens imported from Mainland.

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by Ian_Lee

What I mentioned are exceptions. In fact, most prices have skyrocketed.

I love seafood. Way back I could find live Kahuku Shrimp in the local market for $7.99/lb. Now only if I am lucky I can find it but the price has jumped up to $16.99/lb...

Prices of seafood in Alaska have risen a great deal too.

It used to be the poor man's meat, now it's the rich man's.

Supply and demand: Less supply and more demand.

Without governmental fisheries management, the situation would be even worse.

[terracore]

If you think prices in Hawaii are bad, spend a week in Manhattan.