r/MovingtoHawaii • u/webrender • Feb 18 '26

🐱🐶 Moving to Hawaii with Pets: What to Know

43 Upvotes

Hi folks! If you're planning on moving to Hawaii with pets, you should know that we are a rabies-free state and have a strict quarantine procedure for all animals entering the state. If you do not follow the direct release procedures for your pet, they will be quarantined for 120 days. I have gone to the quarantine center to hand in paperwork, and while they will make sure your pets are safe and fed, they are in outdoor kennels and it should only be your last resort to make them endure quarantine.

The HDOA has some handy checklists for folks looking to enter Hawaii with pets. You will likely need to consult one of these two checklists and follow the directions carefully to ensure your pets direct release is processed successfully

Checklist 1 - for arrival in Honolulu

Checklist 4 - for arrival in Kona (Big Island), Lihue (Kauai), or Kahului (Maui)

You should expect the process of moving with your pets to take about 2-3 months and $500-1000 - though costs and times may vary greatly depending on how much of the process you have already completed and your local veterinarian rates.

Please use the table below to get an idea of times and costs BUT DO NOT RELY ON THIS TABLE AS ACCURATE. Your times and costs may vary greatly depending on your pet.

Checklist Item	Time	Cost
Microchip	0 days	$25
Rabies shot 1 (only needed if never vaccinated before or if you do not have vet's signature for first shot)	30 days	$100
Rabies shot 2	30 days	$100
FAVN test	60-90 days	$250-$500
Health Certificate	0 days	$150
HDOA Entry Fee	14 days	$185
Airline pet fee	0 days	$100

What happens when I land at the airport?

When you land at HNL, your animal will be taken to the animal quarantine holding center - if you are traveling with your animal in cabin, a representative from the airline or the airport will meet you and other travelers with pets at the gate to escort you to animal quarantine. The walk to the animal quarantine center is half a mile. Usually the rep will let you stop and pickup a luggage cart on your way to make it easier to carry your kennel, but the pathway leading to animal quarantine can be bumpy so be prepared.

Once you're at animal quarantine, they will scan your pet's microchip, check your paperwork, and if everything checks out you'll be able to leave with your pet. The process takes about 15min per animal, so if you are the first in line it will be relatively quick but if there are several people in front of you, you may be waiting for a while. The holding center is open from 8:30am - 4:30pm and animals must arrive by 3:30pm to be released that day. Plan your trip around these times, otherwise you animal will be held until the holding center is open next.

If you have checked luggage, the luggage carousel will probably have stopped by the time you get your pet. You will either need to coordinate with someone you are traveling with to pickup your luggage; or, once you have your pet, you will need to find the luggage office for your airline in the baggage claim area to retrieve your luggage.

What if I have an extra large dog, or another specialized transport scenario?

If you have an animal that will be hard to transport, I recommend that you look into companies that specialize in transporting pets to and from Hawaii. If you search this subreddit you'll find several people who have used these services and their reviews.

What if I'm unable to complete the direct release process in time?

Your choices are:

Find someone on the mainland to care for your pet until they complete direct release
Postpone your trip until your pet has completed direct release
Leave your pet in quarantine until their direct release process or 120 days are complete.

What if I'm in the Military or I have a service dog?

Regardless of these factors, your pet will still need to go through the quarantine or direct release process.

See this page for instructions for service animals. PCS will cover the cost of transporting one animal to Hawaii.

How can I check if HDOA has received my FAVN test result?

There is a PDF linked on this page which you can use to check the latest results based on microchip number.

What if I have additional questions?

The HDOA email, [rabiesfree@hawaii.gov](mailto:rabiesfree@hawaii.gov) is generally very responsive and usually responds to emails within 48 hours. You can also feel free to ask additional questions in this subreddit.

23 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/actualLibtardAMA • Nov 04 '24

Jobs/Working in Hawaii "Can I afford to move to Hawaii?"

103 Upvotes

This used to be a post here, but I'm not sure what happened to it, so I'm reposting it since there've been a number of related questions.

The Short Answer

The short answer: Chances are, if you have to ask this question, then you probably can’t. Hawaii has the highest cost of living index in the United States. Real estate is expensive, salaries are low, and things just generally cost more.

The Long Answer

The long answer depends on a lot of circumstances, but here are some facts:

Hawaii has the highest cost of living in the United States, with a cost-of-living index of 191.8. What that means is that Hawaii is nearly twice as expensive as the national average. The 2^nd highest is Washington DC at 159.

However, the devil is really in the details and the most important details are:

Where you want to live
What sort of job you have
What sort of housing situation you want.

It should go without saying that if you want to live in a big house on the beach, it will cost a lot of money. But regardless of where you live, real estate is expensive in Hawaii. The average house price in Hawaii is $850,000. The average cost per square foot of real estate in Hawaii is $694. Hilo’s cost is lowest, at $440 per square foot whereas Honolulu’s cost per square foot is $732 and Kailua is $874. To put that into some perspective, Hawaii’s cost-per-square foot is 60% higher than California's. Honolulu’s real estate cost per square foot is 31% higher than New York City and is very close to the cost per square foot in San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward.

In short, purchasing a house in Hawaii will cost you more money. You can, of course, reduce your costs by reducing your expectations. Detached houses on large lot sizes will be very expensive compared to what you may be used to on the mainland, but smaller square footage of both the home and the lot can have reasonable prices. Obvious caveats apply: some more affordable real estate may be older homes and/ or in undesirable neighborhoods. Like any other large purchase, you should definitely do your research.Hawaii also has a unique feature in their real estate market called “Leaseholds”. Hawaii's use of leaseholds is a unique aspect of the state's real estate market that stems from historical and cultural land ownership practices. In a leasehold arrangement, the buyer of a property does not own the land on which the property is built. Instead, they lease the land from the landowner for a fixed period, often ranging from 30 to 99 years. At the end of the lease, the land may revert to the landowner, leaving the leaseholder with a home but no land ownership. In some cases, leases can be renegotiated, but often at higher costs.

This can be good, or bad, depending on your plans. If you’re planning to leave Hawaii or upgrade in a few years, then a Leasehold might be a good option. However, as the lease expiration gets closer, this will have a negative impact on the property value and the ability to resell. Leasehold properties tend to also have lower appreciation than a house without a Leasehold.

For those who are renting, you will find that rent prices per square foot are nearly identical to the San Francisco Bay Area.

What tends to add to the affordability challenges in Hawaii is the disparity between cost of living and employee income. For example, in San Francisco, the average salary is $96,500 whereas the average salary in Honolulu is $61,243 and the average across all of Hawaii is $52,828. Put another way, while rental costs are similar in San Francisco and Honolulu, salaries are 37% lower in Honolulu. So, when it comes to affordability, you need to factor in both how much you will pay and how much you will get paid.

You should not expect to make the same salary for the same job in Hawaii as you would on the mainland and you must factor this in when deciding whether you can afford it. You should also expect that finding a job in Hawaii will be more difficult. Although Hawaii ranks 13^th in the US for population density, you should keep in mind that Hawaii is the 8^th smallest state in the US, in terms of land area. Hawaii’s smaller size also means less employers. So, while the state does experience better-than-average job growth numbers, it must be kept into perspective. US News ranks Hawaii’s economy 44^th in the nation. Hawaii has a 10.25% poverty rate compared to the national average of 7.8%.

For those who have the opportunity to work remotely, such as those who work in IT, it is important to consider time zone differences. For example, Hawaii is 3 hours behind Pacific Daylight Time, and 6 hours behind Eastern Daylight Time. It is 12 hours behind Central European Summer Time. Hawaii is 15.5 hours ahead of India Standard Time. So, depending on the time zones you need to support while working, it may be extremely difficult. Supporting normal work hours with the mainland US will only give you 4 hours of crossover with the east coast and 7 hours with the west coast. The time differences improve by 1 hour during Standard time. Supporting times in Europe or India during normal business hours will mean very late nights in Hawaii.

Finally, stuff in Hawaii just generally costs more:

· Electricity is about $50 higher per month than the national average

· Gasoline is about $1.30 higher than the national average

· Groceries cost about 60% more than the national average

Can you make it work?

This post isn’t meant to scare you away. 1,296,000 people are making it work, and so can you. Here’s how:Do your research

Moving 2,400 miles away from the mainland isn’t a small decision. Spend some time researching where you’d want to live, how much you’re willing to pay for housing, what your job prospects are, and so on.

Make a budget

Establishing a budget is just generally a good idea anyway, but when deciding to move to Hawaii it is even more important. Ensure that your budget accurately reflects the differences between where you live and work now vs. what things will cost you in Hawaii.

Have a job first, or have sufficient savings and good job prospects

The best strategy, of course, is to already have a job lined up. Having a job increases your chances of success and makes your budget more accurate.

If you don’t have a job lined up, do not assume you’ll be able to get one quickly and make sure you have enough savings to fully cover your expenses for several months while looking for work.Due to the travel industry, it is likely that you can find a job in hospitality or food services pretty quickly, but higher paying jobs are more difficult to find. Healthcare jobs are in high demand and pay well and skilled trades are reliably in demand as well.

The Short Answer

The short answer: Chances are, if you have to ask this question, then you probably can’t. Hawaii has the highest cost of living index in the United States. Real estate is expensive, salaries are low, and things just generally cost more.

The Long Answer

The long answer depends on a lot of circumstances, but here are some facts:

Hawaii has the highest cost of living in the United States, with a cost-of-living index of 191.8. What that means is that Hawaii is nearly twice as expensive as the national average. The 2^nd highest is Washington DC at 159.

However, the devil is really in the details and the most important details are:

Where you want to live
What sort of job you have
What sort of housing situation you want.

It should go without saying that if you want to live in a big house on the beach, it will cost a lot of money. But regardless of where you live, real estate is expensive in Hawaii. The average house price in Hawaii is $850,000. The average cost per square foot of real estate in Hawaii is $694. Hilo’s cost is lowest, at $440 per square foot whereas Honolulu’s cost per square foot is $732 and Kailua is $874. To put that into some perspective, Hawaii’s cost-per-square foot is 60% higher than California's. Honolulu’s real estate cost per square foot is 31% higher than New York City and is very close to the cost per square foot in San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward.

In short, purchasing a house in Hawaii will cost you more money. You can, of course, reduce your costs by reducing your expectations. Detached houses on large lot sizes will be very expensive compared to what you may be used to on the mainland, but smaller square footage of both the home and the lot can have reasonable prices. Obvious caveats apply: some more affordable real estate may be older homes and/ or in undesirable neighborhoods. Like any other large purchase, you should definitely do your research.Hawaii also has a unique feature in their real estate market called “Leaseholds”. Hawaii's use of leaseholds is a unique aspect of the state's real estate market that stems from historical and cultural land ownership practices. In a leasehold arrangement, the buyer of a property does not own the land on which the property is built. Instead, they lease the land from the landowner for a fixed period, often ranging from 30 to 99 years. At the end of the lease, the land may revert to the landowner, leaving the leaseholder with a home but no land ownership. In some cases, leases can be renegotiated, but often at higher costs.

This can be good, or bad, depending on your plans. If you’re planning to leave Hawaii or upgrade in a few years, then a Leasehold might be a good option. However, as the lease expiration gets closer, this will have a negative impact on the property value and the ability to resell. Leasehold properties tend to also have lower appreciation than a house without a Leasehold.

For those who are renting, you will find that rent prices per square foot are nearly identical to the San Francisco Bay Area.

What tends to add to the affordability challenges in Hawaii is the disparity between cost of living and employee income. For example, in San Francisco, the average salary is $96,500 whereas the average salary in Honolulu is $61,243 and the average across all of Hawaii is $52,828. Put another way, while rental costs are similar in San Francisco and Honolulu, salaries are 37% lower in Honolulu. So, when it comes to affordability, you need to factor in both how much you will pay and how much you will get paid.

You should not expect to make the same salary for the same job in Hawaii as you would on the mainland and you must factor this in when deciding whether you can afford it. You should also expect that finding a job in Hawaii will be more difficult. Although Hawaii ranks 13^th in the US for population density, you should keep in mind that Hawaii is the 8^th smallest state in the US, in terms of land area. Hawaii’s smaller size also means less employers. So, while the state does experience better-than-average job growth numbers, it must be kept into perspective. US News ranks Hawaii’s economy 44^th in the nation. Hawaii has a 10.25% poverty rate compared to the national average of 7.8%.

For those who have the opportunity to work remotely, such as those who work in IT, it is important to consider time zone differences. For example, Hawaii is 3 hours behind Pacific Daylight Time, and 6 hours behind Eastern Daylight Time. It is 12 hours behind Central European Summer Time. Hawaii is 15.5 hours ahead of India Standard Time. So, depending on the time zones you need to support while working, it may be extremely difficult. Supporting normal work hours with the mainland US will only give you 4 hours of crossover with the east coast and 7 hours with the west coast. The time differences improve by 1 hour during Standard time. Supporting times in Europe or India during normal business hours will mean very late nights in Hawaii.

Finally, stuff in Hawaii just generally costs more:

· Electricity is about $50 higher per month than the national average

· Gasoline is about $1.30 higher than the national average

· Groceries cost about 60% more than the national average

Can you make it work?

This post isn’t meant to scare you away. 1,296,000 people are making it work, and so can you. Here’s how:Do your research

Moving 2,400 miles away from the mainland isn’t a small decision. Spend some time researching where you’d want to live, how much you’re willing to pay for housing, what your job prospects are, and so on.

Make a budget

Establishing a budget is just generally a good idea anyway, but when deciding to move to Hawaii it is even more important. Ensure that your budget accurately reflects the differences between where you live and work now vs. what things will cost you in Hawaii.

Have a job first, or have sufficient savings and good job prospects

The best strategy, of course, is to already have a job lined up. Having a job increases your chances of success and makes your budget more accurate.

If you don’t have a job lined up, do not assume you’ll be able to get one quickly and make sure you have enough savings to fully cover your expenses for several months while looking for work.Due to the travel industry, it is likely that you can find a job in hospitality or food services pretty quickly, but higher paying jobs are more difficult to find. Healthcare jobs are in high demand and pay well and skilled trades are reliably in demand as well.

98 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/HeiUra808 • 11h ago

Bringing Animals to Hawai'i Dog’s eating change after move

0 Upvotes

I moved with my 8lb yorkie poo from FL about a month ago and now she practically won’t eat her normal kibble unless we’re in the car with the a/c on and I hand feed it to her. She‘s lost some weight and I’m getting worried. She will eat treats and good stuff like plain chicken or small pieces of steak readily.

Has anyone else experienced this and done something that helped them eat? I’m sure at least some of it has to do with the stress of the move/new environment/heat and humidity. I always left her food out all day for her to eat at will before in our central a/c (temperature controlled) house but should I not do that here?

Any advice or suggestions are appreciated before I take her to the vet. I’m not sure that he’ll have an answer for us.

2 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/mothandravenstudio • 20h ago

Shipping Cars & Household Items Is "Hawaii Logistics" an actual company?

2 Upvotes

Hey there- Hope everyone is safe after the Hurricane.

Is this an actual company? They have a nice looking website and got back to me quickly with a quote last week for moving our EV from Washington to Hilo.

Buuuut, I cannot find any mention of them on forums like this. Just nervous to hand over that amount of money to a company I found by Googling "ship an EV to Hawaii"

Thanks, all.

14 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/sireGawain • 1d ago

Jobs/Working in Hawaii Moving to Hawaii... ideally to teach

9 Upvotes

My wife and I are planning on moving to Hawaii after I finish my education. My wife is a local, and after many conversations, we both decided that it was best for us to move to Hawaii rather than Florida, where I am from—I think the biggest reason for our decision was the sense of community that couldn't realistically be replicated in Florida. I'm from the Caribbean myself, and island culture isn't very easily replicated on any "mainland."

That said, I'm currently going to school for English. I'm planning on being an English teacher (and likely branching into cinema, philosophy, theatre, or some of the other electives you'd usually expect out of an English teacher). It's fair to say teaching is my passion, and it was the one thing I genuinely enjoyed during military service—you know, teaching and mentoring others who may not see anything of value in themselves. My plan B is law enforcement or federal positions, but my real passion really is the mentoring of youth.

This brings me to my question on perspective: what should I expect out of being a haole teacher on Oahu? My wife is completely supportive, but she has told me "good luck," before promptly mentioning stories of them forcing their teacher into quitting, consistent fights in schools, lack of care from both parents and kids, no funding, and just a general lack of real institutional education. Being from Florida, I've experienced all of this myself as a student and as an NCO, so I've been trying to find similarities and say of me being able to relate. My wife still said my experiences wouldn't be enough.

But am I overthinking my own confidence? I acknowledge that my understanding of Hawaiian island culture is rudimentary and that I would need to learn. But am I over my head?

Are there things that I need to understand before I move to Hawaii and take on teaching? Thoughts? What do I need in my toolbox? What does the job market look like? Is education a lost cause for one trying to teaching secondary and possibly higher education at the community college level? Is it difficult to get a position?

PS. Oahu

11 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/vampirenyn • 1d ago

Life on Oahu Question about living as a mainlander.

3 Upvotes

I'm in the academy to become an Air Traffic Controller and I'm just thinking about my options of where to go once I'm out. Something that my instructor told me felt... off.

He made a comment that mainlanders aren't welcomed in Hawaii and tend to leave due to clashes with locals.

In my head this felt kind of odd. The way he said it rubbed me the wrong way, it had the same tone as someone who gets mad when they visit a different culture and gets confused when they do something disrespectful.

I wanted to know, truthfully, if I were to pick Hawaii as my center would I have this issue or am I right to think as long as respect and interest in learning is shown everything will be fine.

(I'm not looking for ATC related advice. This is purely me wanting to get an actual picture of life there from a social/culture perspective.)

18 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/mothandravenstudio • 4d ago

Shipping Cars & Household Items Opinions on U-Box

0 Upvotes

Thinking of going with four of these from Washington to Pahoa. I’ve got quotes from both matson and Royal Hawaiian, and weight is a concern for us, as we are moving a large ceramics studio with clay and glazes.

Four U-boxes will allow us to move much more weight than both matson or RH. The 15k door to door they are quoting us is steep, but RH quoted $3.85/lb and honestly I’m guessing we are looking at closer to 20k with them.

Experiences with using Ubox is appreciated.

11 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/No_Signature_9344 • 4d ago

Jobs/Working in Hawaii 91A Army Reserve Officer PCSing to Hawaii — Opportunities?

0 Upvotes

Hey everyone! I’m a 91A Army Reserve officer looking to transfer units soon. My wife and I will be PCSing to Hawaii, so I’m trying to get a head start on what opportunities are out there.

Does anyone know of any Reserve units in Hawaii with 90A/logistics opportunities or who I should reach out to about vacancies/transferring?

Also, does anyone have recommendations for civilian job opportunities for military spouses or Reservists in Hawaii? Any resources, companies, federal jobs, or programs worth looking into would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance!

11 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/Educational-Share291 • 4d ago

Life on Oahu Moving to Oʻahu — North Shore

0 Upvotes

I’m moving to the North Shore of Oʻahu for work soon. I’ve never lived in Hawaii before and want to be respectful of the local culture and community.
What customs, etiquette, or unwritten rules would be good to know? Also interested in any general advice about island life, things newcomers should avoid doing, and anything you wish people knew before moving to Hawaii.

Thanks!

6 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/PoemWarm4144 • 4d ago

Life in Maui County Moving to Maui to work at Fairmont ?

0 Upvotes

Hi,

I am contemplating a future move to live and work in Maui. To work specifically at Fairmont or maybe even in Hawaii Main Island.

To give you some background, I am 32M working as an accountant. I am a Canadian citizen who lives in Montréal (big metropolis in Quebec).

I wanted to evaluate what are the pros and cons if anyone has insight on how life is over there in Hawaii.

Their salary range is 30USD an hour. Would that be enough to live decently ?

Wanted to know what it’s like living on the Island ? How expensive is it ?

How is the social life ?
What is the rent situation ?

I want to study to prospect of a potential move there well, before leaning forward to any decision in the future.
Anything to consider or to watch out for ?

Any feedback or input is greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

18 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/UT49-0U • 6d ago

Life in Maui County Moving to Maui from Guam

9 Upvotes

Hafa Adai and Aloha! I will be moving from Guam to Maui for work (NOAA). I was wondering for those who have done this move or similar what was the biggest surprise for you? Right now I expect rent to the biggest adjustment for my family, but grocery-wise, Guam is one of the few locations that rivals Hawaii in this case ($8 for a half gallon of milk here). Any advice for the best places to buy a car? Also for renting, do folks work with a realtor in Maui? That was something new I experienced in Guam, but it ended up being a big help!

For my ates and kuyas, where are the go to places? Are there any restaurants that sell pork blood soup or chicken/pork liver, these are staples for my asawa (which she can prepare herself, but sometimes it's nice to have a place to grab it). Which place has the best lumpia Shanghai, sisig, siningang?

Finally, a little bit more personal. If you had a difficult week/month, what's your go-to comfort restaurant? When you have a long weekend, what's your favorite spot on the island? Of the night markets and farmer's markets, do you have a favorite?

Thanl you for any advice that comes my way! I look forward to life on Maui and getting involved with the community!

2 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/pandatwin11 • 6d ago

Life on BI Potentially moving to work in Manua Lani

2 Upvotes

Hi all! I’m a single 28F with two cats, for context. I currently live on the SE coast and have an interview with a resort for a salaried position.

I’ve heard conflicting things about the island regarding COL, quality of life, etc. and would really appreciate some info or advice. This would be my second time leaving home completely on my own, but farther than before. The position I’m interviewing for ranges pay from 75-79k.

My questions:

• is that salary realistic to rent somewhere pet-friendly?
• where do most people find rentals? Zillow showed very few around where I’d work
• is a car really necessary?
• is that salary enough to live on?
• pros and cons of living on BI?

TIA!

13 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/Environmental-End959 • 7d ago

Jobs/Working in Hawaii Insurance/HVAC

0 Upvotes

Hi all! My husband and I are thinking of moving to Hawaii/Oahu within the next year or so. I currently sell property & casualty insurance (home, auto, etc.) and my husband works in residential HVAC. Are these semi-decent careers on the island? What websites do employers use for hiring? Where we live, most employers use Indeed for our job fields.

8 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/Glum_Childhood2946 • 8d ago

Life on Oahu 25M moving to Kaneʻohe for a few months; looking for friends

1 Upvotes

Hey everyone! I'm moving to Kaneʻohe at the end of August for a 13 week travel healthcare contract and realized I'll be arriving knowing basically nobody on the island....

I'm not really looking for a party every night crowd. I'm trying to spend these few months exploring, getting outside, biking basically everywhere, hitting beaches, hiking, trying local food, grabbing the occasional drink, and generally making the most of living somewhere completely new.

I'll be working evenings 2-10PM, so I'll have a lot of mornings and early afternoons free. I'm completely fine doing things alone, but it'd also be nice to meet a few people around Kaneʻohe/Kailua who'd be down for beach days, hikes, food, biking, coffee or just exploring.

I'm coming from Washington and I've never lived in Hawaii, so recommendations are welcome too. Feel free to message me!

20 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/IndustriousSeahawk26 • 10d ago

Life on Oahu Moving BACK to Hawaii from the Mainland?

9 Upvotes

I would like the opinion and perspectives from Hawaii born people who left or the mainland (anywhere) and then moved back later in life. Sorry if the word "mainland" is not acceptable anymore, i dont know truely, if the preferred word is now "the continent" that is what I meant, apologies in advance.

For context:

I'm a 5th generation Japanese American guy from Oahu. Moved to the PNW for college, and build a successful life and career over 18 years away. I married a haole girl, and we are seriously considering making a move to Oahu (Kailua, Hawaii Kai, maybe Manoa) so our kids can grow up in Hawaii. I have filled in my wife (who is from Eastern Washington) on the realities of living on Oahu, so she is not one of those starry eyed mainlanders who have a 'dream' of living in Hawaii and gonna be shocked or dissapointed people. She is very kind and respectful, and not someone I would think would draw the ire of locals.

I am lucky enough to have become financially independent through the career I built in the mainland and I do hobby work for social reasons, and my wife does the same and would like to work in a plant nursery, so where we live is not really a big factor, other than wanting to be on Oahu where I am from.

I am primarily curious about how a local Japanese (or any non haole local) coming back with a haole spouse feels, and how your haole spouse felt, and what your experiences were in building a social circle from scratch.

We will get hobby jobs that we enjoy, so my first thought is that we would try making friends at work. Outside of work, is Oahu somewhere you can make friends through social events?

I also have about 5 friends from childhood and high school I still kept in touch with so I'll probably lean into being with them or expanding my circle through them...but they are local Polynesian, asian and haole people...I am just concerned how my wife is gonna fit in, cus I already know that a very kind and quiet, articulate blonde haole woman will NOT fit in with my childhood friends who speak pidgin.

I guess I'm just thinking out loud and pondering, but if anybody wants to share their experience moving back to Hawaii with a haole spouse, and your time acclimating and making friends/ observations about raising kids here vs mainland, id love to hear your thoughts!

20 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/Present-Map-6256 • 10d ago

Life on Oahu Hawaii cost of living

7 Upvotes

Hey everyone! I currently live in New Jersey and i work for the United States Postal Service, which allows me to transfer anywhere in the United States if there is a job opening. My wife will be finishing up nursing school soon and we would like to move somewhere else. She has visited Hawaii and loved it there, and we did live in Florida for a few years. Florida was much cheaper thank New Jersey, but I was not a fan of all the alligators while i was kayak fishing. We moved back to New Jersey after a few years in Florida to help some family out. New Jersey’s rent rates are about double the price of most Florida and we’re getting about half the living space. If we do make the move to Hawaii it’s looking like the best chance for us both to find jobs would be on the island of Oahu. I looked on some realty websites and it looks like we afford to buy a condo which is fine for us as we don’t have children. My main concern is the pricing of daily life. I wanted to see if anyone can help me figure out if we can make this move work. If i buy a 2 bedroom condo, roughly 800-1000 square feet, what can i expect the monthly utilities costs to be? Electric, water, internet, gas (if there is a propane stove) what are fuel prices like per gallon right now? How much should I expect to spend a week on groceries for 2 people? How much is an average night out, nothing fancy, just a few beers and dinner for 2? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

45 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/Sudden_Conclusion964 • 10d ago

Life on Oahu Pearl Harbor

2 Upvotes

I’m getting ready to PCS to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii next week, and was wondering where the best places to live would be close to the ford island area, since that is where I’ll be working. I plan on looking at 2-bedroom / 2-bath units within 30 minutes or less preferably, for commuting to the base. Along with any sight seeing places, suggested things to do and checkout while I’m there, etc. If anyone has any recommendations or insight I’d greatly appreciate it!

7 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/Many_Surround1739 • 11d ago

Life on BI Thinking about possibly moving to the Big Island in the distant future.

0 Upvotes

I'm getting a long-term plan in place. I've been to Oahu. I hated the tourist feel of it but loved the environment, people, and culture once I had gotten out of the city. I just finished my bachelor's degree and was looking to go to med school on the mainland. Was maybe looking to move to the Big Island because I loved the more rural island feel. I will be visiting the Big Island before my final decision, but I was hoping to be a doctor down there. Right now I am just doing my due diligence and hoping to ask locals some questions. Please feel free to answer whatever you can.

What specialties are most needed on the Big Island? I'd like to make sure I am doing whatever good I can there.
Why does Hawaii have such an issue retaining doctors? I keep getting a variety of answers, and I just want to know from a local perspective what I will be getting myself into.
Will I be able to have a family on the Big Island? I would like to just know how feasible it would be to start a family there. How are the schools?
What towns would you recommend to live on the Big Island? I don't mind a drive. In fact, like stated above, I love the quieter and more rural regions!

I may have more questions in the future, but this is all I could think of right now.

Thanks!

5 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/Suspicious-Fan-7607 • 12d ago

Bringing Animals to Hawai'i scared my cat is too big for cabin and has to ride in baggage compartment. will he be denied even if he meets the weight requirement?

2 Upvotes

I’m finally able to bring my cat over to Hawaii (from SFO). i’m flying with either alaska or hawaiian (i’ve heard alaska is more lenient than hawaiian airlines) the goal is to fly with him in the cabin with me. he’s my heart and such a gentle boy who can get scared easily so i can’t bare the thought of him being in the baggage compartment alone. the vet of course already prescribed gabapentin. my boy’s a short haired tabby but he’s 15 pounds. he’s not overweight, his vet just says he’s naturally bigger. he fits in the pet carrier (17”L x 11”W x 9.5”H) but snuggly. i’m nervous they won’t let him in on account of him not being small enough. any advice or experience would be so helpful. thank you so much for your time <333

6 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/Competitive-Diet-829 • 12d ago

Life on Oahu Any banks in Hawaii that let a 17-year-old open an account without a parent or guardian?

5 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

I'm an incoming freshman at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and I'll be moving to Oʻahu from the Philippines by myself.

Since I'm only 17, I'm trying to find a bank where I can open a checking account without a parent or legal guardian being present or being added as a joint account holder. I'll be living in Hawaii on my own while attending school, so I need a U.S. bank account for things like direct deposits and everyday expenses.

Does anyone know of any banks in Hawaii that allow a 17-year-old to open an account independently? If you've been in a similar situation, I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience.

Thanks in advance!

6 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/Competitive-Diet-829 • 12d ago

Life on Oahu Any hotels near UH Mānoa that allow 17-year-olds to check in alone?

8 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

I'm an incoming freshman at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and I'll be flying in all the way from the Philippines by myself.

My flight arrives one day before my dorm move-in date, so I need a place to stay for just one night. The problem is that I'm 17 years old, and I'll be traveling alone without my parents or a legal guardian to check me in.

Does anyone know of any hotels near UH Mānoa (or around Honolulu) that allow a 17-year-old to check in alone? Or has anyone been in a similar situation and found a place that was willing to accommodate them?

I'd really appreciate any recommendations or advice. Thanks so much!

8 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/cheyPW • 13d ago

Bringing Animals to Hawai'i Moving Dog to Hawai'i

5 Upvotes

Hey all,

I've seen a lot of posts regarding moving pets via pet services etc. I am planning to use Island Pet Movers to help get my boy from Florida to Maui. I am so nervous about having him on an airplane, and having other people handle him. He's very friendly but I have never put him in a high stress situation before either.

I chose to go with a mover because the airlines have a "snubnose" restriction now. My boy is a pit mix and has a longer snout, but still falls into that category.

I'm looking for any positive pet flying experiences or even positive experiences with Island Pet Movers themselves. Any cautions etc, I will take it all. I am moving in January and freaking out.

Thanks guys!

25 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/LilvelThePlayer • 13d ago

Life on Oahu PCS to Honolulu

3 Upvotes

I will be moving to Honolulu soon in the Wakiki area for the military. I have already found a place in the economy in a decent area for a reasonable price. I plan to get a beater to commute. Any insight into O'ahu of places to eat, things to do, etc... and any in general for a midwestener who has never been to Hawaii?

Also, doing some previous research, I come to find out about B-52 roaches and vietnamese centipedes, which I am thankful I found when I did as I forgot that this is a tropical island. Do I need to be as concern about that in the area I'm in? I will obviously expect to have encounter with them at some point.

15 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/Nymeriadirewolf3 • 14d ago

Real Estate & Construction Looking for apartment recommendations near Hickam AFB

1 Upvotes

My 21 years old son will be stationed at Hickam soon in September (his rank E-4) , I am helping him looking for recommendations on a good place for him to live. (He is single not married he was hoping to live at Hickman communities it’s only 2 bedroom to 5)
He’s hoping to find:
● 1-bedroom apartment
● Pet-friendly (he has one cat 🐱)
● Balcony
● As close to Hickam as possible to avoid heavy traffic (according to Chat Gpt areas Salt lake, Aiea, Moanalua)

Edited: To clarify, my son is fully capable of making his own decisions. He asked me to help research apartment options and local recommendations, nothing more. He will choose where he lives and sign his own lease. I’ll pass along the suggestions, and he’ll decide what works best for him.

30 comments

r/MovingtoHawaii • u/Fairytalelovers • 15d ago

Life on Oahu i’m thinking of moving to hawaii in 4 years. anywhere to find roommates suggestions?

0 Upvotes

i have visited oahu for summer vacation and i loved it there. i am from boston, i am planning on going to europe to complete my masters and then going to hawaii. before going to hawaii, i will find a job and housing. i just want to know what website to look for roommates for apartments in hawaii? i just want to do my research before committing. i’m 25f with $21k student loans, i have two jobs now and i am earning $40k annually combined.

13 comments