12 Reasons You Should NOT Move To Hawaii!

Introduction

Life in Hawaii may seem like a dream come true with its beautiful landscapes and tropical climate, but the reality can be quite different. Here are 12 reasons why it might not be the paradise you imagine. Let’s me begin with telling you that I absolutely love living here. But, there a degree of adjustment that I continually see outsiders going through. Hawaii is not for everyone. It seems like Hawaii brings out a love/hate response in people. For some, it’s heaven on earth and they can’t possibly imagine living anywhere else. For others, it’s hell on earth and they can’t wait to get out of here.

What’s really interesting: Chances are you won’t know what side you will come down on until you actually live here. So to help you out we compiled the most common reasons why for some people, Hawaii is hell on earth. If you think many of the below reasons will turn you off, you can thank us for saving you untold headaches because there’s a really good chance that Hawaii is not right for you.

Shorebreak by Brian Burger is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Image may have been resized or cropped from original.

Reason #1: It May Feel Like Poverty

Joyful by 23786473@N02 is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Image may have been resized or cropped from original.

The high cost of living on the islands is a significant challenge. The “middle class” in Hawaii often lives at what would be considered poverty levels on the mainland. Many families work multiple jobs, live paycheck to paycheck, and have substandard housing conditions compared to mainland standards. As of 2023, you need to be earning at least $150,000 a year to have what $75,000 a year provides on the mainland. If you’re considering living here, be prepared for a vastly downgraded lifestyle unless you’re already a multi-millionaire.

Reason #2: Challenges of Starting a Business While Living in Hawaii

Starting a business in Hawaii is notoriously difficult. Hawaii often ranks near the bottom in terms of business friendliness due to heavy regulations and high costs. If you dream of owning a business, be prepared for many hurdles. The high cost of living and doing business, combined with a small, isolated market, makes starting a business in Hawaii a daunting task. While there are successful businesses, it requires significant effort and perseverance. Remember, You need customers to build that trust and respect but you need trust and respect to get customers.

Reason #3: Public Education Issues When Living in Hawaii

Hawaii’s public school system usually ranks near the bottom compared to other states. In 2023, WalletHub ranked Hawaii #41 overall and #41 for quality of education. Many parents opt for private schools, which are in high demand and expensive. As a result, you might find yourself spending around $20,000 per year per student for private education. If you have children and are thinking about living in Hawaii, the education system is a critical factor to consider. Do you see the theme? It is expensive, depending on your situation, it can start to add up. Be ready.

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Reason #4: Pay is Below National Averages Despite Higher Cost of Living

Jobs in Hawaii typically pay less than their mainland counterparts, despite the much higher cost of living. Expect a significant pay cut if you move to Hawaii. Many people from big mainland cities find that while the cost of living in Honolulu is comparable to where they live, the pay scales are much lower. You have the high cost of resort or big city living combined with the low wages of a small town. That said, Hawaii is crowded in many areas. People do it. With a little preparation and awareness, so can you.

Reason #5: First-Time Home Ownership Nearly Impossible

This was the view I was greeted by in the morning as I came out the door to head to work in Paia, Maui from our home in Honokowai (Kahana). Image Copyright CyberCom, Inc.

The real estate market in Hawaii is extremely competitive and expensive. In 2023, the median price of a single-family home on Oahu was $986,000, and a condo was $631,000. Unless you can put down a substantial down payment and afford a high mortgage, buying a home can be nearly impossible. Many residents end up renting, and rental prices are also high and continue to rise. I recommend you get in touch with an experienced local real estate professional to help you pick the right island and area to meet you budget. Fill out our form and we’ll put you in touch with the right pro: https://www.livinginhawaii.com/help-me-find-a-home/

Reason #6: Traffic is Really Bad

Yes, even our Sunday morning drives are packed in!Sunday morning traffic by kimubert is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Image may have been resized or cropped from original

Various national reports show Hawaii’s traffic as some of the nation’s worst. We know of friends that moved to LA from Honolulu and they think Honolulu is worse. The freeways look like parking lots during rush hours, turning a normally 30-minute commute into a two-hour crawl. Every workday. On some parts of Oahu, people have to get up at 5am to get to work by 8am. No lie.

What’s really bad about the traffic is that it’s extremely peaky. If your travel time can flex from 30 minutes to 2 hours, what time do you leave the house to get into town by 10am? Who knows? This forces you to leave early, and then you might arrive really early, on time, or late. This wastes a lot of time and makes one want to avoid driving whenever possible.

But wait, there’s more. Here’s the real kicker: because our mostly mountainous islands have few highways, most locations on the island are only accessible from a single highway. When we get the occasional big highway accident, the entire island chokes on traffic. There have been some horror stories of people taking 8 hours to get home. It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen.

If you don’t like sitting in traffic, you’ll either need to live really close to where you work, which typically means much higher housing costs, or work near where you live, which typically means much lower-paying jobs. The combination of limited roadways, high commuter volume, and geographical constraints makes driving in Hawaii particularly challenging.

Reason #7: Fewer Choices, Less Competition, Poorer Service, Higher Prices

Because of Hawaii’s disincentives, there is less competition for anything in our small, closed market. Less competition is almost always bad for consumers, and here it applies to much more than just high prices. Companies just don’t have to try as hard to win your business, creating for many a “take it or leave it” approach. This lack of competition also permeates our politics: Hawaii is a single-party state, featuring the lowest voter turnout in the nation.

This all contributes to an attitude of apathy for many. For a while, there was a popular bumper sticker “Ainokea!” (pronounced eye-no-kay-ah) which is local slang for “I no care.”

You would think our conditions would be ripe for change and consumer revolt, but in Hawaii, our Aloha Spirit culture creates a shrug-and-bear-it type of attitude.

Hawaii’s small, isolated market means fewer choices for goods and services. This lack of competition often results in poorer service and higher prices compared to the mainland. Many businesses operate with a “take it or leave it” attitude, and consumers have limited alternatives. This can affect everything from grocery shopping to dining out and accessing essential services. For those considering moving to Hawaii, the limited options and higher costs are significant factors to weigh.