A Guide to Moving to Hawaii Affordably
With so many U.S. workers operating remotely from home, there’s never been a better time to pick up stakes and move to your dream locale. For many, the sultry black sand beaches of Hawaii have been beckoning, awaiting their arrival.
But with the relatively high cost of living and the less-than-stunning wages, Hawaii can be a challenge to move to. Not to even mention the fact that it lies nearly 2,500 miles away from the U.S. mainland.
In this guide, we’ll reveal everything you need to know about moving to Hawaii, including how to ship your car and take it along for the ride!
Article Overview
How to Move to Hawaii
Moving to a new state poses certain challenges and complications. Moving away from the United States mainland is a different kind of beast entirely.
Not only will you need to deal with all of the common problems associated with moving, but you’ll also need to plan for trans-Pacific transport and travel. Fortunately, this process can be summed up in a few key steps.
To move to Hawaii, you’ll need to:
- Find a home on the Hawaiian islands
- Pack your bags
- Sell or rent out your current home
- Find a reliable car transport service
- Travel to the islands
To help you better understand this process and what it means for you, we’ll discuss each step in greater detail. After all, the idea of packing your bags and shipping off to the gorgeous Hawaiian islands is one thing–Getting it done is another!
Find a Home
The very first thing you’ll need to do before moving to Hawaii is to decide where you’d like to settle. There are eight major Hawaiian islands from which to choose, and each poses unique advantages and disadvantages.
You’ll also need to decide between buying a home in Hawaii and renting one. If you’ve already traveled to Hawaii and visited all of the items, this process should be relatively straightforward.
However, if this will be your first time in Hawaii, you may want to rent a home for the first year. This will allow you to explore your new locale and decide upon the perfect house for you and your family.
After you’ve found a great place to live, either by purchasing it or renting it, you can begin the bag-packing process.
Pack Your Bags
When it comes to packing your bags, you have two primary options. You could choose to hire a moving and packing company to get all of the hard work done on your behalf, or you could attempt to save a few bucks by packing your own home.
Either way, you’re going to want to find a secure location to store your belongings, furniture, and expensive appliances. And while you’ll likely be using your personal vehicle to get you around, you may also need to consider auto storage options.
Once your home is all packed-up, you and your household may need to seek temporary housing until your new home is ready. During this time, you may want to try and sell or rent out your previous home.
Sell or Rent
Now, if you were only renting the previous home, you might want to skip this step entirely. Your landlord will take on the responsibility of finding new tenants.
Of course, you’re vacating the home before your lease agreement has ended, you may need to continue paying rent on that property, or your landlord may agree to allow you to sublease to new tenants.
But if you’re a mainland homeowner that’s hoping to move to Hawaii, you may need to do a little extra work before you head for the airport to start your new Pacific adventure. This means finding tenants to rent your old home or selling the property.
This process isn’t often immediate, so patience is crucial. But while you’re waiting to hear back from prospective renters or buyers, you can use this time to research transportation companies.
After all, it’d cost a fortune to ship all of your belongings (including your vehicle) via the airline you’re using to get there. Most airlines charge hundreds of dollars for excess baggage, so it’s essential to find a transport company to ship your stuff.
Find a Transport Company
There are tons of transport companies that specialize in long-distant or overseas moving needs. However, finding the most reliable transport company for your belongings can be tricky.
One of the best ways to find a transport company for your Hawaii move is to ask friends and relatives about their recommendations. Then, you can peruse online options and compare quotes, reviews, and service packages.
Travel
Finally, you’ll need to secure transport for yourself and your household. Fortunately, several major airlines make regular stops at Honolulu.
From there, you can hire a boat or private plane to get you to your final destination. Of course, if you’ve decided to settle in Oahu, you can give yourself a huge pat on the back as soon as you land in Honolulu.
Cheapest Way to Move to Hawaii
The absolute cheapest way to move to Hawaii includes several steps. The first step is securing a low-cost home. Some areas of Hawaii are intrinsically more expensive than others.
The second step is eliminating non-essential belongings that you may want to bring along with you. The fewer items you’ll be shipping to your new home, the fewer moving costs you’ll incur as you travel.
Thirdly, you may want to become accustomed to purchasing your new home’s groceries, furniture, and other goods via outlet or bulk-buying shopping centers. This will also help to keep costs low.
Lastly, you may want to wait to make your move until August, September, or October. During these months, flights to Hawaii from the mainland US tend to be at their cheapest.
How to Transport Your Car to Hawaii
If you’re determined to hold on to your personal vehicle, you’ll need a car transport company to pick the vehicle up, store it, and haul it to your desired destination. Some companies offer a California-to-Hawaii service, which may help.
Still, depending on your vehicle’s size and the exact pick-up and destination points, transporting your car along with you could cost between $1,000 and $2,000.
Best Areas of Hawaii to Live In
Finding the best place to live in Hawaii can be challenging. Some islands are highly developed and feature up-to-date infrastructure. Others are more rural and difficult to navigate. The best option for you depends on your precise needs and preferences.
Molokai
Molokai is known as the Friendly Isle. It has some truly spectacular weather, and while there aren’t any traffic lights on the island, there are several schools. If you’re looking for an island to call home with your children and spouse, Molokai might be it.
Not only is it gorgeous, relatively temperate, and home to several desirable services (including a hospital), but home prices on this island are surprisingly low. You could purchase three single-family homes on Molokai for the same price as one on Oahu.
Oahu
If the gentle rural nature of Molokai is too out-of-touch for you and yours, you might enjoy Oahu a little better. There are far more people living on this island, and the housing prices reflect this popularity.
However, Oahu has some of the best, most up-to-date infrastructure of any of the Hawaiian islands. There are parks, restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, highways, and everything else you’d expect of a US state.
Maui
Surfers have been going to Maui for decades in hopes of catching the perfect waves. Nowadays, it’s the ideal destination for those who love history, nature, and gorgeous homes. Still, Maui is growing quickly and is likely to be just as pricey as Oahu.
Unlike Oahu, Maui’s infrastructure is several decades old. While this means that the island does offer a little more than its rural cousins, this infrastructure is flimsy in some areas.
Some of the roadways in Maui are difficult to navigate, especially when it’s raining. Maui also has some of the lowest and highest elevations, which can put excess strain on your vehicle.
Big Island
Though all of the Hawaiian islands are often referred to as “Hawaii”, the largest of these islands is actually the one called Hawai’i. It is also called Big Island.
Though it may be the largest and most well-known of the Hawaiian Islands, it also happens to be the youngest. It’s also home to no less than five active volcanoes, making it the most volcanically active of this island chain state.
Due to the inclement weather and hazardous conditions that occasionally plague Big Island, it has some of the lowest real estate prices out of any of the Hawaiian islands. But if you’re not ready for an adventure, this might not be the best option for you.
Moving to Hawaii Has Never Been Easier
The Hawaiian Islands are gorgeous, unforgettable places to live. The best part? Moving to Hawaii has never been easier, especially when you have the right information to help you prepare for your move.
If you’d like to learn more about auto shipping to the islands, be sure to contact us today!
Since 2007 Dave has written all the content and blogs for American Auto Shipping and during this time added the duties of customer support and transport logistics.
He currently resides in Washington with his three kids and their mom and cat. A fan of Marvel movies and good stories, when not shipping cars Dave can be found working on his novel, enjoying a good book or playing some tournament HALO.
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