Teaching in Oahu - Kailua area (to live, price, groceries)

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by mr.magoo

My brother just retired from teaching at a well known Private School on Oahu after 34 yrs...
He is selling his house for more than 2x what he originally paid for it and moving back to the Mainland..
with he and his wife both retiring, their economic lifestyle would take some major adjusting if they wanted to stay on Oahu.

That makes no sense to say their economic lifestyle would take major adjusting or you are leaving out major parts of the story.

A teacher who has full retirement benefits after 34 years (likely full salary and benefits) and especially owns a home on Oahu should have little or no impact on their economic lifestyle.

[mr.magoo]

Sum mattah...you wan' beef, Haole?
givin' me stink mout' hah?

No, there are no parts left out of the story..my SIL is a successful broker at the major Brokerage firm on the Island..They spend their summers traveling the world..

They have visited 32 different countries..my SIL hasn't retired yet but soon will, yes, they both have a great pension plan, and through her savvy business and investment acumen they have established themselves quite pretty , financially.

They just see this as a great opportunity, to leave Oahu, return to the mainland as a base..they have already purchased a small home in Central America ..and are negotiating on another home, a 'fixer upper' in Tuscany.
Mid-Atlantic state chosen as their home base..

I take umbrage to the fact that you would tell me their decision makes no sense..You are making assumptions..
If you can make assumptions, so can I...
Here is one...
Mod cut: rude

[LongAndLow]

He didn't say their decision doesn't make sense, he said your description of their economic situation doesn't make sense. In fairness, from your follow up description, it doesn't sound like they are moving for financial reasons, but rather because they want to invest in other properties and travel the world from a more convenient home base.

Maybe you should read people's responses more closely before you hurl insults.

[mr.magoo]

Maybe you should go back to your crossword puzzle...or your front porch, yelling at kids to
'Get off my lawn!'

[Jane M]

Originally Posted by SFHNL

We live in the SF Bay Area, and any time I've shopped at Safeway on Oahu the prices have been the same as they are here, except the occasional milk (never have seen it $10 though) and eggs. Everything else the same so no sticker shock here. This is the same as people who say how do you afford to go to Hawaii so much, isn't every hotel room $400/night?

If that were the case we'd never be able to visit, but luckily we get to go twice per year. I'd love to live there some day.

I am sorry, this is going to be mean, but you are talking out of your ass. Food here in HI is much more expensive than in the bay area. There is no where in the bay area that bread is 5-7$ per loaf or a head of cabbage is $6 or milk is $8.00/gallon or blueberries at $10 1/2 pint or salmon at $25.00/lb. Those are daily prices you see here in HI and I am on the Big Island which is the cheapest of them all.

Everything is more expensive here than in the Bay Area and that includes pineapple which we grow here.

[thatguy950]

Originally Posted by Jane M

I am sorry, this is going to be mean, but you are talking out of your ass. Food here in HI is much more expensive than in the bay area. There is no where in the bay area that bread is 5-7$ per loaf or a head of cabbage is $6 or milk is $8.00/gallon or blueberries at $10 1/2 pint or salmon at $25.00/lb. Those are daily prices you see here in HI and I am on the Big Island which is the cheapest of them all.

Everything is more expensive here than in the Bay Area and that includes pineapple which we grow here.

Actually groceries and maybe gas/diesel are the only thing a little more expensive on Oahu yhan in the Bay Area, but the Bay Area is WAY more expensive overall than Honolulu or any other part of Hawaii.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by Jane M

Those are daily prices you see here in HI and I am on the Big Island which is the cheapest of them all.

Huh? You seriously think BI grocery prices are the cheapest in HI? I hate to give you a reality check but groceries are drastically higher on the BI compared to Oahu.

[Jane M]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

Huh? You seriously think BI grocery prices are the cheapest in HI? I hate to give you a reality check but groceries are drastically higher on the BI compared to Oahu.

I meant that the Big Island is the cheapest Island to live on. I am thinking more housing wise than groceries. I haven't priced groceries on Oahu. Can you tell me why it is cheaper there than here?

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

Huh? groceries are drastically higher on the BI compared to Oahu.

Really? Have you compared prices at Costco on both islands? What about KTA, Foodland, and Cost U Less?

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

Really? Have you compared prices at Costco on both islands? What about KTA, Foodland, and Cost U Less?

It's not even close. It's a good 10% to 20% more on the big Island depending on the item item compared to Oahu.

Same goes for Maui and Kauai. Far more expensive than Oahu.

Just look at a Safeway flyer for the different islands to see how dramatic the price differences are.