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#373885 - 28/04/03 06:24 AM Living Expenses
off2cjb Offline
Member

Registered: 23/10/00
Posts: 4557
My current employer is opening up a position over there in Oahu and I was wondering if some of you could answer some questions for me.

What is the local economy like? What is rent and housing like? What does gas cost? What does milk cost? Where are the best schools? You know, anything else you can think of that might be important. Thanks.

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#373886 - 28/04/03 05:39 PM Re: Living Expenses
DocNo Offline
Member

Registered: 01/10/01
Posts: 3153
Loc: NoVA
Hawaii is expensive - everything has to come in by ship...

Use a cost of living calculator:

http://nytimes.monstermoving.com/Find_A_Place/Relosmart/rs.asp

that's actually one of the more detailed ones I have seen (a quick search on google for "cost of living calculator move" caughed up a good list).

The state of Hawaii website also had lots of good stuff: http://www.state.hi.us/

I had an opportunity to work on the island of Kaua‘i and I often wonder how things would be different now if I had taken the job. Kaua‘i, BTW, is the island they used for the title scene of Jurassic Park with the big waterfall....
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Murderous Fire!

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#373887 - 28/04/03 05:47 PM Re: Living Expenses
DocNo Offline
Member

Registered: 01/10/01
Posts: 3153
Loc: NoVA
[Freak]

OK, for grins I did it from Fairfax, VA to Honolulu and I would immediatly loose money on the deal if my salarly stayed the same - taxes, housing costs and big time on misc expenses...

I would be taking a 22% pay cut eek

And crime and population density is higher in HI - didn't expect that!

Hmm, interesting. If my salary increased, I would still go smile
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Murderous Fire!

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#373888 - 28/04/03 06:52 PM Re: Living Expenses
DKX01 Offline
Member

Registered: 09/05/02
Posts: 323
Loc: Oceanside, CA
I like it over here, but it is very expensive! Being in the military, I can get a reduced price on certain things by shopping on military base facilities, but out in the general population....expensive! I don't know what it's like in Virginia, but I've never paid close to $4 for a gallon of milk before, or $9 for 6 lousy pork chops :rolleyes: And that was at Safeway!

Yep, everything has to get shipped in, so the price is higher. I think as long as you stay away from shopping near any tourist traps, it's a little better. They rape tourists over here. But I guess what it comes down to is your salary and how you like to live. A nice apartment in a good area with pretty good schools can cost you up to $1400/month. Some people rent out their houses for a little less than that. There are some s**t holes out there for around $800/month, but they're generally in high crime areas.

All in all, I like the beaches and the weather, but it gets old kind of fast, because the island is kind of small. The schools are ok, depending on where you send your kids, but nationally Hawaii doesn't fair too well. Wheeling is very limited over here on this tiny little island. Really the only open land is on one or two hidden beaches, and the Kualoa Ranch (which they only open up 2 times a year to Nissan for 4xFamily Fun Day mad ) Most land is privately owned and gated off.
Don't get me wrong I have my share of fun over here, but it's really hard to scratch the 4 wheelin' itch...
I've had to take up spearfishing and boogie boarding as my new weekend hobbies...

Good luck!
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-Derek

DKX01

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