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I would like to know if you can give me a comparison of what costs are like as far as food (groceries, restaurants) compared to the cost on the main land. (I am currently in upstate new york... ugh.)
I'm trying to get an idea of the price differances, and how much more things will cost then back home. All help will be greatly appreciated. Thank You!
Sources indicate a cost of living ranging from 30%1 above the national average to well over 60%2 for certain family sizes.
I would like to know if you can give me a comparison of what costs are like as far as food (groceries, restaurants) compared to the cost on the main land. (I am currently in upstate new york... ugh.)
I'm trying to get an idea of the price differances, and how much more things will cost then back home. All help will be greatly appreciated. Thank You!
Are you looking to move, or just visit?
You'll want to know costs of more than just groceries and restaurants if you are planning a move.
Visiting, you can eat like a king and pay hundreds a day or eat out of the ABC stores for a few bucks. Either way, you're in Hawaii.
I disagree that NYC prices are even with HI prices on food. The everyday NYC prices are about the same as HI if you are looking only at Hawaii specials compared to NYC everyday prices. Its not rocket science to check the facts. You can look at Safeways ads for HI and compare it to Dagastinos. Dagastinos website lets you check the prices of items as they are on the shelf (go to shop by aisle). The Dagastinos prices may be lower, or even and in some cases a little higher, but that is the everyday non-sale or special price. When you check the special ad the prices are almost always lower.
You may be able to get some thing a bit cheaper on Hawaii but day in and day out the prices will be a little higher across the board. All those nickles and dimes adds up. You cant keep looking at Hawaii Sales prices compared to NYC regular prices, compare apples to apples. If you look at a Hawaii sale price, what is that same item in NYC when on sale? That is like saying its cheaper to fly to hawaii than fly same miles on the mainland because your using advance purchase economy fare for Hawaii and using last minute first class fare on the mainland.
PacificFlights is correct. If you are comparing prices - compare the "normal price" not the sales price. Stores generally list both prices for sale items.
Got gas yesterday at Costco for $3.27/gal. My 10+ gallons cost me $34. I went 560 miles on those 10 gallons. I love my Prius.
I'm getting around 55-58 mpg out here.
Where in upstate NY, Vangel? We moved here from Ithaca in July 2008. Our next door neighbors are from Rochester. Small world.
I do shop differently here than I did in NY. Some of that is because I had a good paying, steady job in NY, and here I'm struggling to start my own practice (I'm a lawyer), pay overhead, etc. But also, I shop for specials here. I buy meat and fish that's 'reduced for quick sale' (it all goes into the freezer right away if we're not going to cook it that night). I buy whatever veggies and fruits are on sale (this week I got grapes; sometimes it's oranges, apples, or whatever), or eat what grows in my yard (even if I'm kind of sick of starfruit and tangerines... I can't WAIT until that darn mango tree starts fruiting!). I only buy pineapple if it's 69 cents/lb. or less (this week it was $1.29, that's unusually high, so for the first time in weeks I didn't get one). I buy the 'BOGO' eggs and make quiche for dinner. I buy whatever brand of bread/cereal is on sale. I get what I can in bulk at Costco, even if it means green beans 4 days in a row. (But you gotta watch out, Costco is sometimes more expensive - Safeway now has bagels for $4.99/doz, and Costco's are still over $5.)
I get more of a charge out of saving money than I ever got out of buying some stupid expensive thing. I could have saved a bundle shopping this way in NY, but the thought never crossed my mind because I didn't have to care. And, the savings on 'sale' items usually wasn't as big as it is here.
If you are like my mom, and ONLY a certain brand or kind of thing will do, then you will probably spend a LOT more here. If you're the kind of person who can adapt to eating starfruit if that's what's cheap or free, or doing without steak if chicken is on sale, you'll do fine.
Bottom line: With these changes, I spent almost the exact same amount on groceries in 2009 (our first full year in Hawaii) as I spent in 2007 (our last full year in NY). The difference is less than 2%. YMMV.
Hey, I am just relaying what my 23 year old niece told me when she was here for Christmas! The way SHE shops she states that the prices are about the same. She has the same shopping style in NYC that she had here- but who knows what a responsible, intelligent 23 year old buys while grocery shopping!
Got gas yesterday at Costco for $3.27/gal. My 10+ gallons cost me $34. I went 560 miles on those 10 gallons. I love my Prius.
I'm getting around 55-58 mpg out here.
Where in upstate NY, Vangel? We moved here from Ithaca in July 2008. Our next door neighbors are from Rochester. Small world.
I do shop differently here than I did in NY. Some of that is because I had a good paying, steady job in NY, and here I'm struggling to start my own practice (I'm a lawyer), pay overhead, etc. But also, I shop for specials here. I buy meat and fish that's 'reduced for quick sale' (it all goes into the freezer right away if we're not going to cook it that night). I buy whatever veggies and fruits are on sale (this week I got grapes; sometimes it's oranges, apples, or whatever), or eat what grows in my yard (even if I'm kind of sick of starfruit and tangerines... I can't WAIT until that darn mango tree starts fruiting!). I only buy pineapple if it's 69 cents/lb. or less (this week it was $1.29, that's unusually high, so for the first time in weeks I didn't get one). I buy the 'BOGO' eggs and make quiche for dinner. I buy whatever brand of bread/cereal is on sale. I get what I can in bulk at Costco, even if it means green beans 4 days in a row. (But you gotta watch out, Costco is sometimes more expensive - Safeway now has bagels for $4.99/doz, and Costco's are still over $5.)
I get more of a charge out of saving money than I ever got out of buying some stupid expensive thing. I could have saved a bundle shopping this way in NY, but the thought never crossed my mind because I didn't have to care. And, the savings on 'sale' items usually wasn't as big as it is here.
If you are like my mom, and ONLY a certain brand or kind of thing will do, then you will probably spend a LOT more here. If you're the kind of person who can adapt to eating starfruit if that's what's cheap or free, or doing without steak if chicken is on sale, you'll do fine.
Bottom line: With these changes, I spent almost the exact same amount on groceries in 2009 (our first full year in Hawaii) as I spent in 2007 (our last full year in NY). The difference is less than 2%. YMMV.
Great post! More people should follow this example when moving over here from the mainland. I paid $3.74 for gas in Waimea the other day. Boo.
Hawaii has a lot of hidden costs, though. We pay at least a 4% tax on EVERYTHING - that includes food and medicine. So, the $4 gallon of milk would be the same as $4.16 by the time you get it out the door. It is just a tiny bite each time but it is constant.
Where are you from ? 4% tax is nothing in comparison to many places - try 8% in New York !!! So this really is a bargain for many people. To find out the prices are comparable to New York (which I saw on the Safeway ads from Hawaii) with the exception of milk -- I don't know where all this Extremely high cost of living is coming from ??? I find the rents comparable to back east, the food about the same - I don't think there is much of a difference in the cost of living - yet it seems there are so many trying to scare people out there with talk like this. I guess if you lived in some hillbilly town maybe it would be expensive - but I think its all based on where you are coming from......
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My 24 gallons just cost me $82.00.
, that's unusually high, so for the first time in weeks I didn't get one). I buy the 'BOGO' eggs and make quiche for dinner. I buy whatever brand of bread/cereal is on sale. I get what I can in bulk at Costco, even if it means green beans 4 days in a row. (But you gotta watch out, Costco is sometimes more expensive - Safeway now has bagels for $4.99/doz, and Costco's are still over $5.)
