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Should you move to Hawaii? The island lifestyle may seem tempting to many people, but before you decide to pack your bags and move to one of the most isolated places in the world, consider these twelve top considerations for living in Hawaii.

Have you been to Hawaii before?

Save your budget and visit Hawaii before moving here. Decide which Hawaiian island you’d rather live on —Oahu, Kauai, the Big Island, or Maui. Drive around the island and stop in an area where you might want to live. Explore the area day and night. Talk to residents and ask questions; this will give you a good idea of ​​the people and the place.

Stay at least a week and realize that the weather is not always sunny. Hawaii experiences rain, cold nights and even major floods, hurricanes and tsunami threats.

Towards the end of your stay, if you feel Hawaii might be the right place for you, contact a realtor to discuss the local housing market and even explore possible places to live.

Can you afford to live in Hawaii?

Considering that the average sales price of a single-family home on Oahu in 2020 is $957,000, anyone moving to Hawaii should understand that it is an expensive place to live.

Hawaii is isolated and most goods are shipped across the Pacific Ocean. Additionally, tourism and limited supply are driving up costs. Food is expensive in Hawaii unless you grow it in your own backyard. But property taxes are one of the lowest percentages in the country. While some places in the US, such as Seattle, Manhattan, San Francisco and San Diego, may be more expensive to live than Honolulu, Honolulu has a lower average income. Find out more about the cost of living in Hawaii.

Before you move to Hawaii, take a look at your lifestyle and see if you can sacrifice some of the available luxuries by living somewhere with a lower cost of living.

If living by the ocean, enjoying the warm climate, and living a healthy island lifestyle are more important to you than eating out or driving a fancy car, Hawaii may be an option.

Will you be able to find a job before or even after moving to Hawaii?

Perhaps your job has taken you to the Hawaiian Islands or you have a permanent change of station (PCS) to a military base on Oahu. However, if you want to move to the islands and don’t have a guaranteed job, finding one can be difficult. Because of the reputation of people moving to Hawaii and then quickly leaving, some local companies are skeptical about hiring people who have just moved here. Additionally, many desirable jobs may be reserved for people the employer knows; Hawaii is a small place and connections are important.

Another factor that often surprises new immigrants to the island is that a similar position on the mainland usually pays much more than in Hawaii. According to payscale.com, the average salary in Honolulu in December 2020 is $64,000 .

Are you familiar with the Hawaii housing market?

Real estate in Hawaii has always been a competitive market and generally a desirable long-term investment due to the scarcity of land in paradise. Typically, the question is not whether real estate will increase in value, but at what rate. On Oahu, statistics show that the average annual increase in median sales price over the past 34 years is 4.84% for single-family homes and 4.64% for condos.

  To help you develop a real estate strategy, we asked local experts about the future of real estate in Hawaii. Learn more about the twelve key trends they predict for the future of Hawaii’s real estate market.

Even with the challenges of COVID-19, the Oahu real estate market continues to be hot. At the end of 2020, closed sales of single-family homes on Oahu were up 35.9% and condominium sales were up 20.1% compared to the same period at the end of December 2019. In December 2020, median sales prices for single-family homes on Oahu were $870,000, up 6.1% from 2019, and median sales prices for condos were $455,000, up 6.9% , according to the Honolulu Board of Realtors.

Housing on the Hawaiian island of Oahu is tight—now more than ever. Homes are moving off the market quickly, and in December 2020 there was only 1.4 months of inventory for single-family homes, down 44% from the previous year. Active listings were down 33.4% compared to December 2019. 

With interest rates also at record lows, many buyers are locking in rates below three percent, making living in Hawaii even more desirable. If you’re thinking about moving to Hawaii, contact a local real estate agent to learn more about Hawaii’s dynamic and competitive housing market and understand that purchasing a home in paradise isn’t always easy.

Do you know about «Hawaiian time»?

If you are a punctual person, be prepared to slow down and be patient. While punctuality is important, to enjoy island life, you must make use of island time. Things in Hawaii are often done at a slower pace, with people «telling stories» or chatting with each other along the way. Relax and enjoy building relationships, enjoying the scenery while you wait and escaping the hustle and bustle of many places in the world.

Do you have a pet?

Hawaii is a rabies-free state and has strict quarantine laws for any cats or dogs that move into the state. Here’s some important information from the Hawaii Animal Husbandry Department to help you release your dog or cat the day you arrive (instead of the 120-day quarantine):

• 10 days before arrival, make sure that your cat or dog has a working electronic microchip.
• At least 30 days before arrival, make sure that your cat or dog has been vaccinated against rabies at least twice during its lifetime. Vaccines should be given more than 30 days apart. Obtain a rabies vaccination certificate for each vaccine from your veterinarian.
• More than 30 days before arrival, take a FAVN rabies antibody test from an approved laboratory. After successfully passing the test, please wait at least 30 days before arriving in Hawaii or your pet will be quarantined for $14.30 per day along with a $244 fee.
• Fill out all the documents and send them as a set so that they arrive 10 days before your arrival.
• Plan for flights to arrive by 3:30 p.m. to give airport animal quarantine time to inspect and release your pet before closing at 5 p.m. Otherwise, your pet will have to stay overnight for an additional fee of $59.
• Expect to pay a US$185 fee for direct airport release upon arrival.

If you’re moving to Hawaii with a furry friend, make sure you start the pet process early. The good news is that when your pet is finally reunited with you in Hawaii, there are many dog ​​parks and other pet-friendly apartments and communities that can find a home .

Wildlife and insects are part of the Hawaiian way of life.

Before you pack your bags and take your car to the Hawaiian Islands, ask yourself if you can tolerate flying cockroaches, geckos, stinging centipedes and chickens crowing all night? If you answered yes, continue your search for a home in Hawaii.

Although Hawaii does not have squirrels, monkeys, or some of the other animals found elsewhere, there is plenty of wildlife. Geckos, birds, whales, turtles, mongooses, wild boars, fish, roosters: wildlife is an exciting part of life in Hawaii.

Different Hawaiian Islands have different wildlife. Kauai is famous for its chickens and nene birds. Molokai and Maui are famous for their deer. In the mountains of Oahu you can find many wild boars, which are often hunted by locals.

Traffic can be congested, especially on Oahu.

If you think Hawaii is a rural place with dirt roads and deserted beaches, think again. While this may be true on some islands such as Molokai and rural areas of Maui, Kauai and the Big Island, Oahu is home to more than one million people and has some of the worst traffic in the country. Rush hour traffic also exists on Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. The islands hope to create more public transportation, such as the Honolulu Railroad, which is being built on Oahu, but the limited geographic area and high population can sometimes cause traffic jams.

Here are some of the top Hawaii driving rules you need to know:

• A fine of $100 to $200 if you are caught using a handheld cell phone while driving. Instead, you can safely pull over to the side of the road, turn off the engine, and then use your handheld device.
• All passengers inside the vehicle must wear seat belts.
• Motorcyclists are not required to wear a helmet when off base, but must wear a helmet while on base.
• If all seats inside the truck are occupied, passengers are allowed to sit in the back of the truck.

Get a Hawaii driver’s license or state ID to become a kama’aina.

Once you’ve gotten used to your island lifestyle, get your Hawaii driver’s license. If you have a local license, you are eligible for kama’aina discounts, which can be up to 10 percent at places like surf shops, hotels and restaurants. Kama’aina means «child of the earth» in Hawaiian, so not only will you receive discounts, but you’ll be one step closer to making Hawaii your home.

For more information on getting a driver’s license in Hawaii, as well as car registration and voting registration, see the Newbie’s Guide Built in Hawaii .

Get ready to transport your belongings across the Pacific Ocean.

When moving to Hawaii, it’s important to simplify your belongings and only send items that are absolutely necessary. If you’re considering paying for a moving company, check out some of the recommended moving companies we’ve found. Most companies will give you a quote based on the distance you are moving and the number of items you need to move. The moving company can also give you advice, and most of them can also pack your items for you.

When moving from the mainland, you will need to ship items, including possibly a car. There are many companies, such as Pasha Hawaii and Horizon Lines, that make shipping and moving to and from the mainland easy. Call several companies until you find one that suits you. If you’re coming from the West Coast of the United States, such as California, a standard vehicle typically costs around $1,100.

In addition to renting a container for trans-Pacific shipments, USPS or UPS shipping is available and additional bags can be checked during the flight.

Leave the suit and tie.

Casual clothing is common on the islands. Due to the warm climate and the aloha lifestyle, most men wear aloha shirts to work and women wear dresses. Even in the urban environment of Honolulu, it is rare to see a person wearing a suit and tie or heels. Additionally, «flip flops» are known as «slippers» or «flip flops» in Hawaii and should always be removed before entering the home.

Which school will your children go to?

The Hawaii Department of Education is the state and local agency that operates all public schools in the Hawaiian Islands. There are no separate local school districts like on the mainland. Research schools to see which might be a good fit for your child. You may want to live in an area with a higher-rated public school, or apply for a geographic exception (GE) to attend a public school outside your area.

Homeschooling, public charter schools, and private schools are also popular in Hawaii. In fact, Hawaii has one of the highest private school enrollment rates in the country. Most private schools are in urban areas of Honolulu, and tuition typically runs around $20,000 per year, and some schools, such as Punahou and ‘Iolani, have competitive admissions. Find out more about all the different education options on the island to ensure your children have a smooth and successful transition.

Are you ready to immerse yourself in the local culture and lingo?

Hawaii has a strong sense of community with an emphasis on family and helping neighbors. However, keep in mind that unless you grew up in Hawaii, you will likely never be considered a local. Although visitors are often called haole, the term is not usually used in a pejorative sense. Fitting into the local culture is about treating and respecting others. Understand that Hawaii has a long history of conquest by the United States and therefore come to Hawaii to learn from the locals and not to mold the Hawaiian way of life into your previous culture.

As you settle into your new home and start making friends, you will find that many Hawaiians speak pidgin and Hawaiian. Pidgin originated from Hawaii’s plantation history, when immigrants from Japan, Portugal, China and other countries worked together on sugar and pineapple plantations. Since everyone spoke different languages, they created a pidgin by combining words, sentence structures, and intonations from other languages. Knowing a few Hawaiian and pidgin words will help you get used to the islands:

• Mahalo — thank you
• ‘Ohana — family
• Kokua – help or assistance
• Pau — done, finished, all gone
• Malihini (mah-lee-hee-nee) — stranger, stranger, tourist, non-islander
• Shishi — to urinate
• Shoyu — soy sauce
• Aunt or uncle (unko) is a respectful term for an elderly woman or man.
• Brah or sistah is a casual address to a man or woman.
• Grinding — delicious food or «it» food

When learning a local culture or language, do so carefully, as locals may laugh if you pronounce it incorrectly or try too hard.

Live in paradise and seek out breathtaking landscapes and locations. 

When you finally move to Hawaii, take time to look around and enjoy the beauty. Truly, there is no place on Earth better than Hawaii — huge, volcanic mountains, sparkling blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, colorful sunrises and sunsets; you have gone to heaven. 

There are many popular destinations that any Hawaii resident will want to visit, as well as «secret» places that can only be found after exploring the Hawaiian Islands for some time. Each of the islands has its own major tourist spots that appeal to visitors as well as Hawaii residents.

On Oahu,  reserve tickets online to visit Pearl Harbor , the historic site that began the U.S. involvement in World War II. Also, take time to visit Waikiki and the popular snorkeling spot of Hanauma Bay nearby on Hawaii Kai. On Oahu’s North Shore, stop at world-famous surf spots like Banzai Pipeline and head to Laie to learn more about the Pacific Islands at the Polynesian Cultural Center. 

In Maui, take a cruise from Lahaina Harbor to see the amazing whales that migrate to the warm waters of Hawaii from December to April. Climb Haleakala, a 10,023-foot dormant volcano that is also one of Maui’s most popular tourist attractions. Take the road to Hana, where you’ll find 620 switchbacks and 59 bridges, as well as waterfalls and natural pools. And when you want to relax, don’t forget that there are many popular luaus, such as the Old Lahaina Luau, that offer hula and delicious Hawaiian dishes.

If you call Kauai your new Hawaiian home, you won’t want to miss the «Grand Canyon of the Pacific» that is Waimea Canyon. Its colorful rock formations and deep gorges offer epic views. Wailua Falls near downtown Lihue and the Na Pali Coast are two other popular spots on Kauai for those who enjoy experiencing Hawaii’s beautiful nature.

On the Big Island of Hawaii, or Hawaiian Island, you’ll want to stop at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which contains dried lava from Kilauea’s many recent eruptions. You might even be able to see splashes of red lava or steam from the Kilauea crater, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. After exploring the active volcanoes of Kilauea, check into Parker Ranch for views of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, two dormant volcanoes on the Big Island. Tourists love Parker Ranch, where they can immerse themselves in the life of a paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy).

Each of the Hawaiian Islands has spectacular scenery and places to explore, so while moving can be stressful and life in Hawaii isn’t always easy, be sure to take time to enjoy beautiful Hawaii. Thousands of people visit Hawaii every year as tourists. As a resident of Hawaii, you will have the unique opportunity to call one of the world’s most popular travel destinations home. Appreciate the beauty of Hawaii—from its attractions to its landscapes and culture—and you’ll be reminded why you chose to call Hawaii home.

Moving to Hawaii is an adventure. If you come with an open mind, a humble spirit and the understanding that living on an isolated island is not always easy, you will enjoy the beauty of Hawaii’s paradise and all it has to offer.