Retiring in Hawaii (apartment, rental, condo)

[jtur88]

I think I already know the answer to this question, but I'll ask anyway. Is there anyplace in Hawaii where a single retiree can live on Social Security of about $1,200 a month? I maintain a lifestyle in which I get along fine in the 48 for around $700-800. A simple private apartment, public transportation, all meals cooked and eaten at home. How many months a year is AC required?

[hotzcatz]

Anyplace with enough population density to have a valid public transport is not going to have rental prices you will want to pay. Just rent will be about what your entire monthly expenses are now or more. You could check Craig's List for current rental prices. About the only island with a valid public transport system would be Oahu. Also, Oahu is the island with the better medical system. If anyone on one of the outer islands has any sort of higher level medical procedure they generally have to fly to Oahu to get it done. An inter-island round trip ticket runs about $150 these days.

It doesn't matter how many months a year AC is required you can't afford it anyway because of the electric rates. This island is forty five cents a kilowatt hour so nobody runs ACs if they can help it. Find your electric bill and see how many kilowatts you used last month, times that by .45 and see what number you get. In most places, if you get cross ventilation in your apartment the tradewinds will keep the place cool. Also depending on elevation, higher elevation is cooler than lower elevations. Hawaii doesn't get as hot as Texas, though. It very rarely gets over ninety which considering how much humidity we have, is a good thing.

A friend used to live in a third floor walk-up in Waikiki and he enjoyed it. He had bought the unit but it was a leasehold unit (the building was built on land leased on a fifty year lease) and the lease was coming up for renegotiation soon so the place was pretty inexpensive. I'm not sure what his monthly maintenance rate was but it wasn't a lot. He could walk to the beach and watch all the tourists go by.

[alohakat]

Do you have a family member who would buy a condo for investment purposes and rent to you at below market rate? You probably wouldn't qualify for any mortgage at all, even a small leasehold one on any island, in this economy. Beyond a certain age lenders won't lend, and it's even stricter now.

Here's a rental on Craigslist for 700:
No Credit Check! BEAUTIFUL VIEWS FURNISHED STUDIO APARTMENT BY BEACH (http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/apa/893837816.html - broken link)

Then you'd have to live on slim food choices most likely, like rice & beans & maybe you'd find a local with too much fruit on their tree who would share, but perhaps you could do it. No AC, but you shouldn't need it with good window placement and good location for tradewinds. I'd suggest scanning grocery prices in the papers there (online, others can suggest links). What about funds to get there though? You'd have to have money saved to make the move.

One thing good about trying to retire there, on average you'll live longer. Warm (but not too hot) and moist air is better for the aging body, as long as you can eat healthily, if frugally. You'd get lots of walking in for exercise!

[ArkansasTraveler]

Originally Posted by jtur88

I think I already know the answer to this question, but I'll ask anyway. Is there anyplace in Hawaii where a single retiree can live on Social Security of about $1,200 a month?

Yes! its under the overpass at the east end of H1 and the off ramp down to Nimitz highway, that is between the "clean ups" city and county hold from time to time...