I am (M26) originally from New Jersey and I have always wanted to live in a hot weather state. After a year of being on Oahu, starting in Kaneohe moved to town 6 months later, these are my tips for people that have interest in moving to the island.

1. Have a plan

-Jobs are extremely hard to get as an outsider (consider getting a local area code phone number and local address on your resume) as a person with previous financial experience from the mainland it still took me 8 months to get offered a job in my field. -areas to live (do your research on areas on the island, most places are welcoming and friendly but you definitely don’t want to end up on the North Shore or west side if you are frequently going into town (Honolulu) traffic is horrible and that drive gets old pretty quickly. -schooling to pursue -transportation (highly recommend getting a car either Toyota, Honda or Subaru) they are easy to sell if you decide you don’t need it. I do not recommend getting a moped they are deadly and I almost died on mine!! Get a car! Public transit is ok but is frequently late and many stops and transfers are required when going anywhere.

2. Ideally have someone on the island already that you know

-including family, mutual friend, new roommate, etc -the more people you know before getting to the island the better, the amount of people you know will continue to grow exponentially. My first friend was my roommates dog walker and that turned into many more people met and befriended. -put yourself out there as much as you can, it can get lonely here by yourself!

3. Your problems will follow you & Something bad is likely to happen to you

-you are extremely far from mainland friends and family -make sure you’ll be able to cope w hard times potentially on your own -a lot of people see this place as a safe haven but it is not and bad things in life will still occur -I experienced bad depression after getting broken up with by a local girl, dealing with this by yourself on an island that you’re not from is extremely difficult. Make sure you have good supporters and or a therapist just in case stuff hits the fan.

4. Go to clubs that interest you (paddling, running, hiking, etc)

-meeting people and building your community is the best thing for you and will make your experience much more positive. -highly recommend meeting people with similar interests at clubs

5. Most activities are outdoors based and not much of a nightlife here

-not that many big concerts here so you’ll have to travel if you want to see artists or sports teams you like

6. It is either hot and sunny or raining every single day of the year

-this can either be a positive or a negative it’s up to you to decide

7. Allow time to learn customs of the island

-shoes off in houses -educate yourself on Hawaiian and Japanese culture -know your place on the island, just because you live here now does not mean you are from here -it’s ok to be proud of where you’re from -much slower pace of life -smiling and saying hi to people you walk by is normal -drive with Aloha (patience and kindness)

8. Try give back once you are settled in on the island

-donating blood, volunteering, etc -know that you could potentially be taking a spot from someone that is born and raised here so giving back is critical

9. Trust the process

-there are two types of decisions, 1. Decisions that you can easily back out of and just pretend like they never happened and 2. Decisions that are difficult to back out of and once they are made are hard to reverse. Moving to Hawaii is a type 2 decision. Make sure you know all the negatives related to the island and if this is what you really want (traffic, hot weather all year round, and salaries do not keep up with high prices)

10. Transient place

-Many people come and go from here, you’ll have to say bye to friends from time to time , also a way to buy things at a discount on Facebook marketplace

Would you guys change or add anything ?

Best of luck and Aloha 🤙

Hi everyone! I posted here before about a job offer in Honolulu and long story short, I accepted it. One of the best tips I’ve seen on this sub is to do a trial run before fully relocating, i.e., live in a typical neighborhood, try getting around with public transit and a rental car, buy groceries and cook. Presumably, I should avoid resorts and Ford Mustangs.

At first, I was planning to visit closer to September, but I might have the opportunity to go in May instead. I don’t think my trial run needs to be overly complicated, but I was hoping for input on a few things:

• I could stay for 2 weeks ± a few days. Should I take the extra time or is 2 weeks plenty?
• I want to stay somewhere with an “everyday” feel and a kitchen with some pots and pans, which might exclude many hotels. However, I heard Hawaii’s cracking down on short-term rentals (and they’re frowned upon anyway). Can anyone suggest a place to stay, or a non-Airbnb website to search for a place?
• What's the best car rental option, or are they all similar? Is a convertible too touristy even if it’s not a Mustang?

Any other suggestions for making this an effective trial run?

Thanks!

Hello,

Most the postings advise they will stay open until x amount of applications are received

Does this mean they don’t review your application until it’s closed?

I’ve applied to one and it’s been 2 months and still open 😑

Thank you

Hi all. Please excuse my ignorance as I do not know much at all about visas, working permits, etc. in the USA. I am a Canadian who is looking to explore the idea of moving to Hawaii and continuing my career there. Firstly, I was wondering what exactly I would need, like type of visa or permit, to do this? Secondly, would I start applying to jobs in Hawaii with the hope of finding a job from a company that will sponsor a working visa, or apply for a working visa/permit (whichever one it is) and then apply to roles afterward? Any insight would help, thank you!

Anyone else had this issue? Website will only let me put a drop off date of today or tomorrow to continue with the reservation. We are trying to book a spot for mid May. Can’t get a live person on the phone and they responded to an email with the info they already have online with the additional info (paraphrasing) “please book your vehicle as early as 1-2 weeks in advance but not more than 30 days because schedules change” Not sure if that means I can book at 30 days or 14 or 7, but surely they don’t mean for you to book a day before drop off as their website is implying ??

My family and I are moving to Oahu this summer. My kids are into science, math, and love reading. We can't afford private schools, so we'd appreciate tips on public schools with the best chance of meeting fellow nerds.

We will be moving to Oahu this summer and are planning on transporting our two dogs on Alaska airlines in late June/early July. They are larger dogs so they will be in cargo. Alaska Airlines says if it is too warm they may not allow the pets to travel. Has anyone travelled with their pets during the summer months? Did you run into any issues with temperature restrictions (i.e, can’t be hotter than 85 degrees)? I am worried we might get to the airport in SFO ready to go and are denied travel because it is too warm in Hawaii. PS - we are all squared away with the requirements- they have had their rabies vaccines, Titre test is in process, etc.

Aloha everyone!

I recently got accepted into a Doctor of Psychology program at Chaminade University of Honolulu and my family and I are looking to relocate in the next couple months. As you can imagine, only having 2 - 3 months notice for the move has made things a little tricky.

After meeting with a realtor over Zoom it seems like most everything that would be in our price range (that isn't a lease hold) is located in Waianae. My main concern is the 45+ min commute into Honolulu for school every day based on other questions and responses about the single road in and out of the area. My wife and I would prefer to own real estate just because we view it as an investment in our future and we'll be out here for at least 5 years for school. On the other hand, the potential for 2 hours or more of commuting every day is likely going to cause some problems for a single car family so being closer to campus and being able to walk and leave the car free for my family would be less stressful.

So, I need the honest opinions of any native, local, and current residents. What would be the wiser choice: buy on the leeward coast or try to rent closer to the city?

Mahalo in advance!

Just curious.. how much do you pay for full coverage car insurance in Honolulu area? Trying to gauge how much my cost is going up!

Is it it possible to garden in the Kona side of the island most homes I’ve see. For sale are real rocky etc is it even a possibility to grow plants fruit trees veggies etc on that side or do I gotta move to Hilo side?

I was recently approached by my company to interview for a position in Hawaii doing my exact same job, but expanding into a new market. My company would pay for the full relocation, help my husband find a job and I would likely get a relo bonus. We have 2 daughters 15 months and 5 years, so I feel like this would be a really good time to move because they are not engrained in sports and activities yet. We would be moving from Florida and would keep our house to rent it out while we live in Hawaii for 2-3 years. My husband said go for it, until it started getting serious and now it's between me and another person. This is a huge opportunity for my career, but a huge move for our family. Any advice from people who have done a big move like this?

We’re considering buying a new construction home in a planned development.

In California, buyers agents often offer a commission rebate for registering them as an agent when you go to tour the models.

Is this something anyone has seen in Hawaii?

Aloha!

I have made a previous post on this sub regarding moving to Oahu this summer. I am currently starting my search for jobs as a mental health therapist. I am curious if there are any folks on this sub that are knowledgeable of this field and could maybe give me some info on where to look, reputable agencies or other jobs that I could look for with a social work degree.

Thank you!

What places is there to spear fish Hilo side and what places are a no go ? I’ve heard there are some places only *locals can go (read on the internet) and I want to respect culture as much as possible thank you .

I am moving to Eden roc on Big Island and was wondering if my lifted Crown Victoria would pass inspection? I am used to only needing smog. The car runs and drives perfect just lifted on 29 inch mud tires and has wheel spacers which can easily be removed. Any feedback or advice would be appreciated.

How’s it going I’m just wondering if there is any solid bjj/ Muay Thai gyms around the Hilo area willing to drive 30-40 min if needed.

Hello! My fiance and I are moving to Oahu in 10 weeks. Were both have our RN licenses in Hawaii. Im wondering how soon we should begin applying for jobs? Like should we wait til we are on the island or should we begin before then? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

I'm an autistic 20, almost 21 year old currently on 3 different medications and hailing from Maine. For jobs I have have only worked food/retail related jobs. I am in a long term relationship with my boyfriend, who wants to be an electrician in the future. It's been my dream to live in Hawaii for its beauty and culture, not to mention a rainy season likely wouldn't impact my seasonal depression quite as much as the winters up here do, haha.

Of course I want us to move together and we intend on planning the future for the two of us, but for good measure I want to plan the move in a way that neither me nor him would be completely screwed over if something were to happen, and also because he understandably isn't very sure if he would want to live in Hawaii.

Could one person be able to save around 20k, work on the credit score, buy a small house in Oahu (Definitely not Honolulu) and being able to live comfortably working $15-$18/hr?

I don't know what I want to do for a career quite yet, (a career dedicated to helping the environment does sound very fulfilling, as I 100% want to lessen the impact of me coming here and instead contribute to this beautiful place) but let's assume I'm still working tourist /restaurant jobs.

If my boyfriend does end up being an electrician and we do decide to go for it, I assume it would definitely be slightly easier than doing this solo?

I would 100% be shipping a lot of stuff over, shelves, plushies, TV, clothes, bags etc. What would be the easiest way to go about it?

I also have a cat and I'm aware of how much of a process it's gonna be getting him here as well.

Would 30k be a better goal to save up?? I want to really make sure I have more than enough in my budget.

Advice from locals are very much appreciated! Sorry for my jambled yammering 🥲

So old school haole guy life long Oahu looking for safe mellow spot for cabin or cottage. Cant afford Waimea but Volcano side Hamakua coast or Pahala?? If not Kauai mo bettah??

Moving

Im a 100% disabled vet and I’m moving to the big island I’m currently looking at the Pahoa area. Any recommendations on what parts are nice and what parts aren’t? any other places around the area, you would recommend around the area you would recommend moving to / looking into? Thank you in advance !

Finally coming back home after 12 years. When I left it was for college so I just shipped some boxes of clothes with USPS. Plan is to leave pretty much all furniture but I want to take all my expensive kitchen appliances (kitchen aid mixer, Le creuset pots/pans, fancy rice cooker, etc.) some art and my hunting rifles on top of all my clothes and shoes.

U-Pack is quoting $5k, U-Haul $4,500 but I’m not sure if that’s worth it, all my stuff added up (not including clothes) is probably worth $3k. Should I just do 15-20 boxes and ship through UPS? I checked Lugless and estimate for that is about $3k.

I also considered buying some IKEA furniture still in boxes (and a new mattress because I love the one I have now but can’t take a king size) and adding that to the container to make it more worthwhile but that feels premature as I’ll be living with my mom for a few years lol.

Anyone move recently or have other recommendations? I’m trying to balance between the cost of what it would take to find and re-buy the stuff I’ve accumulated over a decade vs. using a big chunk of my savings to move it.

Hi! I accidentally posted this in r/Hawaii first because I didn't realize this subreddit existed 😅 so I'm moving to Hawaii in a few months and I've found some places I really love in Waianae, Nanakuli to be exact! I'm not worried about it being a "rough" neighborhood--I've lived in all kinds of places, and I kind of get the impression that the people who say that Waianae is crazy dangerous are like, tourists who are shocked to find that not everywhere caters to tourists 🙃 however, I'm a white girl in the military and I don't want to like, inordinately piss anyone off with my presence. Im very nice and im not planning on being an asshole or treating the land poorly, but I also recognize that the military presence in Hawaii is pretty unappreciated. Thoughts?

My wife is a foreign national, and we are moving from Indiana to Oahu next month. She only recently started driving with a learner’s permit in Indiana and has no prior driving experience. Does anyone know if she can use her permit there or what the process looks like to get her a license? I’ve looked at the official websites, but it’s still not clear. Any point of contact or advice would be much appreciated!

Hello!

I'm trying to transfer to a different office within my field, and recently got past the screening process for a bunch of different locations. I'll be interviewing with most of them within the next few weeks, and if I end up getting an offer, will likely be moving to the location that I accept later this summer. Honolulu is currently my top choice, mostly because out of any location, I'm most interested in the actual work I'd be doing here (I am a meteorologist and find the climate/meteorology of the Hawaiian islands and Pacific Ocean fascinating). I do, however, understand that living in Hawaii can be challenging for someone from the continental US.

Some additional info about myself, before I ask some questions:

• I'm 23 (soon to be 24), single, white, with no partner, no children, and no pets. I have no IRL friends where I currently live, as well as no family here (though I do visit them frequently).

• I currently live in the northern Great Plains; very sparsely populated, very rural, very few people, and a majority of those people are some of the most judgmental individuals you'll meet. Needless to say, I do not like it here. While I enjoy forecasting/studying Great Plains weather, I do not enjoy living in it. I am very unhappy in this location and would like to be in a city/area that more closely aligns with my interests and beliefs.

• My current position pays in the upper 30k~ range, before taxes and before any night/overtime/holiday pay differentials. In my position, I get plenty of differential pay, and will continue to get that in Honolulu. The position in Honolulu will give me a raise up to around 56k, before taxes. Each subsequent year worked will give me another raise (I think within like 5 years I'll be nearing 6 figures, assuming I stay in my position and don't laterally transfer to a different one).

• I have a mix of sedentary and active hobbies/interests, including running, hiking, swimming, frisbee/disc golf, reading, gaming, and music production and mixing.

I've done a bit of studying but have realized that there is way more that goes into moving to Hawaii than I initially thought. If you have any input into some of these questions, please let me know, as any help would be appreciated!

1. The most common question I see is, will I be making enough to live here on a wage of ~56k? I don't think I'd consider myself "frugal", but I don't usually spend a whole lot, mostly just groceries, rent, utilities and gas. My one leisure expense is probably iced coffee from local cafes. I eat pretty simple; lots of eggs, bagels, chili, and fruits/vegetables (bananas, blueberries with yogurt, sugar snap peas, and carrots), and try to limit eating out unless its an emergency, or I'm working weird hours. Is it feasible to live frugally in that salary range for 1-2 years before I'm making a comfortable amount?

2. A follow up question, are apartments readily available? My office is located on the University of Hawaii Manoa campus. I don't actually work for the college, the building is just on the campus, so ideally I would try to find something near the campus that isn't university-owned student housing. I don't plan on bringing much of anything overseas, and I don't need a lot of space to live, so a studio or 1 bed 1 bath apartment is more than enough room for me. How much do studios usually cost?

3. Is it worth shipping a car overseas? What are the logistics of it? I own a 2007 Toyota Camry that ideally I'd like to have, instead of only relying on public transit or bikes. I may consider getting a bike though, since I'm not too fond of driving.

4. How should I approach learning Hawaiian culture and integrating into it? I've never lived in a location with a different culture than generic mainland USA, so I have no experience with it. I lived in Alaska for a time, which was somewhat different, but nothing as extreme as this.

5. Due to my work schedule and the quick turnaround time with office transfers, visiting before moving is highly unlikely. What are some things I should look out for when looking for apartments or rentals?

6. I enjoy going to EDM festivals or seeing live DJs, and I'm also currently learning live mixing. Is there an existing EDM scene in Honolulu? (It's getting tough where I live, as the closest any DJ will go is Fargo ND, which is a 3 hour drive... and even then, hardly anything happens there)

7. I'm also part of the LGBTQ+ community. Is Honolulu an accepting place in that regard?

Any and all help is appreciated, thanks!

moving to oahu soon, plan on doing uber full time. (usually 6am to 3pm) mon-fri. if anyone has any insight on how that shift is? in downtown honolulu mainly. i also get VA disability compensation as income. how are renters when it comes to rideshare income? do they accept that? thank you.

EDIT: I have family that live there and certain things already in place so I am not looking for any opinions on any of that. I am solely speaking to and asking for advice from anyone who does rideshare as their job there. thanks.

I only have one year experience working in a hospital, graduated last year, is it easy to find a job on Oahu? Other islands? I heard nurses like Hawaii a lot so I was wondering if having just 1 year experience would make it harder to find a job there. Was hoping somewhere around Honolulu.

I am currently in the hospital realm in Texas. I make a little over $120k. I have an offer to move to Hilo for a hospital job, making $230k-$250k. I have a wife and two kids. In your opinion, is that enough to live comfortably? I keep hearing how expensive COL is. Thoughts? While I know it is my and my wife's decision, I have seen how welcoming this group is and value your input.

Work may bring us from Georgia to Oahu. We have a family membership at a semi private golf club here and would like to have access to a not so busy course in Hawaii, which makes me think private is the way to go. My wife will play a few holes and my 1st grader is getting into it and we have a toddler we’ll want to get into it as well. Our current course is pretty open in the afternoons so we usually go out then to not hold people up. Are there any clubs that make sense for families and don’t have a $100k initiation/invite only that anyone could recommend?

We've been putting a ton of research into this.

Hawaii would be a great place to live but this seems like the wrong time to go all-in on moving to Hawaii. Here is why:

​

1. There is a massive housing shortage. This only got worse when over 4,000 units in Maui burned down. Native Hawaiians are being priced out of their island and the resentment towards wealthy mainlanders coming in is palpable (and somewhat understandable).

2. Hawaii is considering legislation that could phase out short-term rentals. If this passes then we could see a massive wave of properties hitting the market and lowering prices across the islands. This would be a huge boon to anyone shopping in Hawaii for the purposes of actually living there.

   We would love to possibly relocate to Hawaii someday but the timing doesn't seem to be right. I hope that things get better. Anyone else have thoughts on this?