Your Brief Moving to Hawaii Guide: Reasons to Move, Things to Know, and Tips to Keep in Mind

The Best Reason for Moving to Hawaii: Living Life in the Aloha State Island

This beautiful island state is made up of several big islands located just 2000 miles west of the mainland United States. Regardless of whether you’re moving abroad alone, it’s quite a long trip, so you’ll have to make sure you’re well prepared. Once you arrive, it will be well worth the trouble, and you’ll be sunbathing on the beach in no time.

Why Should I Move to Hawaii?

If you’re wondering why you should move to the Aloha State islands, the answer is simple: island life. You’ll be living in warm weather with easy access to the beach and plenty of fun and exciting things to do and explore. It’s like moving to the Bahamas, without having to deal with borders. Here is a list of other benefits of relocating here:

• Good conditioned roads and highways for easy travel,
• The people are usually warm and welcoming,
• There is a low crime rate,
• It’s tough to run out of things to do, especially outdoors,
• You get to experience a melting pot of different cultures.

How Much Will it Cost to Move to Hawaii?

As we mentioned earlier, relocating here is much like relocating overseas, just without the same documents needed to travel abroad. First, you’ll have to find an excellent area to live, contact an overseas shipping company, purchase flight tickets, and a lot more. Overall, the cost to move to the Aloha State can easily be over $5,000 depending on where you’re relocating from.

Is it Expensive to Live in Hawaii?

Just relocating to the islands is one thing, but living here is an entirely different beast. On average, the cost of living in the Aloha State is 76% higher than the national average, and according to Numbeo, you’ll be spending up to $4,500 for a four-member household without rent. For a single home, you’ll spend up to $1,300 without rent. Of course, these costs are dependent upon where you reside, but in general, living overseas can be expensive as opposed to the mainland.

What is the Job Market Really Like in Hawaii?

Since living in the Aloha State can cost a lot, you’re going to have to secure a good job to have a decent life. Doing so will take a lot of time and effort, as many people from the mainland try to get a shoo-in for the Hawaiian employment market. Your safest bet is to land an online interview or visit the Aloha State to search. You’ll want to write down some relocation questions to ask the employer if you’re lucky enough to get an interview for work while there.

The Best Jobs for Making Decent Money

As we mentioned earlier, finding a decent paying career here takes time, but if you look in the right areas, you’ll be surprised at what vacancies you find. Finding employment should be one of your very first steps for relocating here and how to move abroad in general. Here is a list of big industries and their entry-level positions to help you narrow down your employment search:

• Healthcare practitioners and tech where they have nurse aide entry-level positions,
• Architecture and engineering with civil designer entry-level positions,
• Education with teachers aide entry-level positions,
• Management with management and sales training entry-level positions.

You can find many of these jobs on online job platforms, and if you’re patient enough, you can land one of these where they will start you off with a 45 to 50k salary per year.

Steps to Getting Housing in the Aloha State

Your next step should be finding housing. It’s doable, and there are plenty of good options, but remember, the cost of living here can be high. Depending on where you live, you could be spending up to $2,000 a month on rent alone. You’ll also need to understand Hawaiian tenant rights, rules, and regulations when it comes to renting or owning property. You’ll also need to know which area is best for you.

Renting a Place in Hawaii

Assuming that you’re aren’t too familiar with what’s required of you to rent or own property in the Aloha State, we’ll go over a quick list of what you need to rent a property:

• Check online listings for apartments or houses in desirable locations that you like,
• Schedule an appointment with the land or property owner,
• You’ll need to provide several documents: proof of employment, renters insurance, a full credit report, and sign a legal contract,
• Provide a security deposit equal to the rent amount and first, and maybe last month’s rent.

Best Neighborhoods in the Island State

Now that you’ve gotten familiar with the process, you’ll need to know about the different cities, towns, and neighborhoods. Here is a list of locations that are well populated and perfect for newcomers:

• Honolulu: Located on the third largest Hawaiian island of Oahu, it has a population of 402,000 people and is a big and dense urban area. Residents have access to public transportation, an excellent school system, and convenient amenities. The median home value here is $714,000, and the rent value is $1,500.
• Pearl City: This city is also located on Oahu and is considered one of the best places to live for young professionals. There are bars, restaurants, clubs, and parks to enjoy and take your canine companions if you’re moving with dogs. The median home value here is $650,000, and the rent value is $1,900.
• Hiko: Considered to be one of the cheapest places to live in Hawaii and located on the same island. It has a total of 47,000 people with a dense urban feel. There are plenty of bars, clubs, and restaurants for young adults, excellent schools and parks for families. It even has some great outdoor activities for retirees. The median home value is $320,000, and the rent value is $1,000.

How to Rent in the Aloha State

Many people who live in the Aloha State rent a property, and it’s about as complicated as it is in the mainland U.S. Check out this video to help you further understand the renting process.

Tips for Moving to Hawaii

Now that we’ve gone over everything you need to know about relocating to the 50th state, you can choose your new destination without a hitch. Let’s just go over a few essential tips for relocating here for good measure before we finish up:

• Pick an island you would like to move to based on your budget and preferences,
• Make sure you learn about the culture of the island of choice,
• Schedule a visit before you decide to move and look at possible neighborhoods or towns,
• Start sending job applications as early as possible to find work,
• Start shopping around for housing as soon as you land a job,
• Contact an overseas shipping company that offers excellent moving services,
• If you plan on having a vehicle, schedule an overseas vehicle shipping service,
• Purchase your flight ticket in advance to get a better deal.

Now you’re ready to live your new island paradise life in the great state of Hawaii – don’t forget to send your friends and family a postcard!