New Yorker wants to move to Hawaii!!!!

WindwardOahuRN, RN · May 19, 2007

I want to move to Hawaii from New York.
Hawaii is really my childhood dream.
Is it very expensive to live there?
How much it will cost me to buy a house?

http://hicentral.com/

http://www.alternative-hawaii.com/overpop.htm

http://swz.salary.com/CostOfLivingWizard/layouthtmls/coll_metrodetail_250.html

That last site is particulary interesting, especially if you compare your salary and COL where you are presently living to salaries and the COL of Hawaii.

Studies have shown that the average stay of a single professional (in ANY profession) is eighteen months. IME, it's true. The hospitals here should have revolving doors. In they come, full of woohooo-we-love-Hawaii-and-we-will-be-here-forever stuff and about two years later, out they go, dissing Hawaii bigtime. It just didn't work out, wasn't what they thought it would be, wasn't the "Paradise" they had dreamed of.

Yes, it is expensive to live here. You can rationalize the expenses for a while and then it often becomes too much of a trade-off for many. Especially if you have kids, want to buy a house, and end up working 24/7 just to keep your head above water.

We've been here seven years and we bought our home shortly after we arrived, before prices went through the roof. Our kids are grown and our pension plans were in place before we moved here.

Is it do-able to move to Hawaii and survive? Of course it is. But prepared to pay more for less. If you really want to be here you'll make it, after you adjust your expectations a bit.

And be aware that you might be romanticizing Hawaii beyond common sense. Do plenty of research and be realistic.

Commonly stated advice to newcomers cautions them to leave enough money in an account for a plane ticket back to the mainland.

Where in NY do you live now?

chuck1234 · May 20, 2007

Thank you so very much for your responding!!!

I live in New York City.

Currently, I am working for a city hospital.

I want to move on....city is not for me anymore.

I really like Hawaii, but I have never been there before.

I am not looking to buy a big mansion, but an ocean-front small single family house, and it is must be located in a quiet area.

Your advice is greatly appreciated, and thank you for your time.

WindwardOahuRN, RN · May 20, 2007

Thank you so very much for your responding!!!
I live in New York City.
Currently, I am working for a city hospital.
I want to move on....city is not for me anymore.
I really like Hawaii, but I have never been there before.
I am not looking to buy a big mansion, but an ocean-front small single family house, and it is must be located in a quiet area.
Your advice is greatly appreciated, and thank you for your time.

Well you'd better do a lot of research and come here at least a few times before you decide that this is your dream destination.

An "ocean-front small single family house" in a quiet area will run you about $2 million, at least. No joke.

chuck1234 · May 20, 2007

Well you'd better do a lot of research and come here at least a few times before you decide that this is your dream destination.
An "ocean-front small single family house" in a quiet area will run you about $2 million, at least. No joke.

I will take your advice, and I will come to visit Hawaii a few times.

I might even become a travel nurse and live there for a few months before reaching a final decision.

It is going to be a $2 million dollars house. I don't think I will be able to buy it....but this will not deter me to go over there. I just want to follow my dream...my childhood dream.

Thanks again!!!

mcubed45 · May 22, 2007

Thank you so very much for your responding!!!
I live in New York City.
Currently, I am working for a city hospital.
I want to move on....city is not for me anymore.
I really like Hawaii, but I have never been there before.
I am not looking to buy a big mansion, but an ocean-front small single family house, and it is must be located in a quiet area.
Your advice is greatly appreciated, and thank you for your time.

umm hawaii has cities. that where most of the hospitals are. while it's nowhere near the size of major cities on the mainland, much of hawaii is very much an urban landscape.

i think you should definitely take a vacation here and checkout possible places you'd like to work before you pack up and move. no offense, but a lot of mainlanders have some pretty bad misconceptions about Hawaii. it's a great place, just not what a lot of people think Hawaii is like.

the outer islands are a lot closer to what most people expect Hawaii to be. much more rural and unpopulated. you may want to consider living there, but realize the medical oppurtunites are significantly more limited. when people arrive on Oahu most are a bit confused why it looks so much like the city they just left.

mo-mo · May 25, 2007

Check out the Big Island. Hilo and Kona are still pretty small 'cities'. Housing is cheaper than Oahu...I think your plan to come as a travel nurse is very wise. Come check it out!