About the cost of living in Hawaii

The cost of living in Hawaii is a popular topic when considering moving to the big island.   Living and Retiring in Hawaii: The 50th State in the 21st Century, discusses how a monthly budget of $2,500 or  $30,000 annually works for a family of two in Honolulu. 

"The 'high cost of living in Hawaii' is like most things here:  true for some and a myth for others.  For us, it's a myth."  says H. Skip Thomsen in Affordable Paradise: The Secrets of an Affordable Life in Hawaii.  We believe that both of these books have accurate and reliable information about the cost of living in Hawaii.

Want proof that the cost of living in Hawaii is realistic?  Check out the detailed expenses of a retired couple living on $35,000 per year in east Hawaii, click here.  Our customer wants to spread the word that Hawaii is affordable.

While Living and Retiring in Hawaii: The 50th State in the 21st Century emphasizes the expenses of moving and living in Hawaii, we like Affordable Paradise: The Secrets of an Affordable Life in Hawaii for the details on the various subdivisions of the big island and describes many locations.  The place names can be very confusing - district names, area names, city name, subdivision names are bewildering to newcomers.

Map of Big Island, Hawai'i

East Hawaii consists of (from top to bottom of map):  Waimea, Hamakua Coast, Hilo, Puna districts
West Hawaii consists of (from top to bottom of map):  Kohala peninsula, Kailua-Kona, South Kona, Kau districts

map cost of living in Hawaii

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2007 Cost of Living in Hawaii:  expenses for retired couple in East Hawaii, Big Island


General Monthly Annual %
Homeowners Insurance   $369 1%
Umbrella Liab Insurance   $402 1%
Hurricane Insurance   $266 1%
Property Tax   $880 3%
Propane fuel   $340 1%
Electric $125 $1,500 4%
Phones $125 $1,500 4%
Internet $52 $624 2%
TV $65 $780 2%
$367 $6,661 19%
Vehicles      
Gas $220 $2,640 8%
Repairs and maintenance $50 $600 2%
Insurance   $1,348 4%
$270 $4,588 13%
Medical/Life/Disability/Meds      
Drug co-pays $90 $1,080 3%
Doctor co-pays $24 $288 1%
Medical Insurance $432 $5,184 15%
Medical Insurance $432 $5,184 15%
Co-pays/Other $24 $288 1%
$1,002 $12,024 34%
Other      
Food, sundries $400 $4,800 14%
Eat Out $100 $1,200 3%
Subscriptions $20 $240 1%
Dogs $25 $300 1%
Vacation  $50 $600 2%
Haircuts $15 $180 1%
Clothes $40 $480 1%
Farm, sheep, plants $25 $300 1%
Miscellaneous $300 $3,600 10%
$975 $11,700 33%
     
Totals All Categories $2,614 $34,973 100%
     

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