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It's a tundra, but what would you know White (power I'm assuming) viper?
Minnesota does not have any tundra - and my username reflects the car I had at the time, a White Dodge Viper - but then again, I'm quoting someone who thinks in another thread Human is a race
Soooo my question isnt so much is how expensive Hawaii is, but more importantly, how difficult is it to get a higher paying job? ($70k +) I am in the IT field.
Soooo my question isnt so much is how expensive Hawaii is, but more importantly, how difficult is it to get a higher paying job? ($70k +) I am in the IT field.
Pay is shockingly low. Check out Craigslist and equivalent sites. Best bet for IT is to remote work for mainland companies. For example, we are looking at adding support staff there to take advantage of the time zone differences.
Location: Southernmost tip of the southernmost island in the southernmost state
982 posts, read 1,164,671 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peta2013
Pay is shockingly low. Check out Craigslist and equivalent sites. Best bet for IT is to remote work for mainland companies. For example, we are looking at adding support staff there to take advantage of the time zone differences.
When I first moved over I was allowed to retain my position with a mainland company I had been with for a while. I though that was a sweet deal as I had expected to be let go when I announced my relocation.
My enthusiasm waned over time as they usually held morning conference calls for my team. 8:00 am in Providence RI translated to 1:00 am in Hawaii.
There's always a down-side
Soooo my question isnt so much is how expensive Hawaii is, but more importantly, how difficult is it to get a higher paying job? ($70k +) I am in the IT field.
There are plenty of Six Figure IT jobs on Oahu depending on experience - of course that same job may pay double in certain places on the mainland.
There are plenty of Six Figure IT jobs on Oahu depending on experience - of course that same job may pay double in certain places on the mainland.
I noticed in an different thread that the cost of a home is averaging over $800k -- that is technically higher than Seattle -- was this information correct? I of course don't expect Hawaii to be a cheap place to live, but given that, what income would you suggest for a single person with no dependents to reach before even considering Hawaii?
Location: Southernmost tip of the southernmost island in the southernmost state
982 posts, read 1,164,671 times
Reputation: 1652
Quote:
Originally Posted by Need4Camaro
I noticed in an different thread that the cost of a home is averaging over $800k -- that is technically higher than Seattle -- was this information correct? I of course don't expect Hawaii to be a cheap place to live, but given that, what income would you suggest for a single person with no dependents to reach before even considering Hawaii?
If you're talking home buying, your income needs will be different based on which island (and where on that island) you are thinking of living.
I noticed in an different thread that the cost of a home is averaging over $800k -- that is technically higher than Seattle -- was this information correct? I of course don't expect Hawaii to be a cheap place to live, but given that, what income would you suggest for a single person with no dependents to reach before even considering Hawaii?
It depends on what you want. Any condo, a new-build "luxury" unit close in a gentrifying area, a townhouse, detached, beachfront, etc etc. Averages are not helpful without more specifics.
And since you're IT, you also (perhaps) have the option of doing remote work.
I noticed in an different thread that the cost of a home is averaging over $800k -- that is technically higher than Seattle -- was this information correct? I of course don't expect Hawaii to be a cheap place to live, but given that, what income would you suggest for a single person with no dependents to reach before even considering Hawaii?
As of April 2019, on Oahu median single family home is $782,500 and a condo $429,000.
Like I've said previously - plenty of 6 figure IT jobs in Honolulu - I'd build up enough skills on the mainland to at least have that earning potential in Honolulu, what would be the rush - because don't be surprised if you took the $75K job, which is plenty to live on depending on your standard of living - you get stuck with limited upward mobility.
people frequently quote housing prices here, but what is less mentioned is the cost of maintaining those properties, whether single family home or condo.
Say you spend $429k + closing costs for a condo, put down a reasonable downpayment, etc. just your mortgage payment will be $1800-1900. This doesnt include maintenance fees and/or HOA fees, which is in the $600-800 range for a 1br/1ba. Spending over half your take home income on rent or housing payments isn't that uncommon. When I first bought my place, I was spending 60% of my income.
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i have some friends in the IT field in honolulu, there are 6 figure jobs, but you generally have to be pretty on top of your game and work pretty hard to perform and keep that job. Nobody is paying you 6 figures unless you are busting ass. And if you are in a decent sized mainland city, you'd likely be making double. The more average IT salary is probably 50-80k, market is pretty saturated with average IT wannabees too.
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The way most locals "make it" is either rely on multigenerational saving/investing/pooling of resources or moving to the mainland. The 100 year old termite ridden house gets passed down through the generations or parents and grandparents save and scrimp what they can to assist the kids in moving out and purchasing the 800k house.
A transplant, is at a significant disadvantage unless they make a lot of money or are moving with significant assets, such as retirees.
Below links has some pretty good articles on what it takes for an average person to make it in hawaii. Pretty common theme usually. Work multiple jobs, shack up with parents, boyfriends, roommates, sacrifice and go without a car, or other "luxuries"
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