moving to oahu

clondo

We are moving from Cali to Oahu in a few months. I have two boys, 4 1/2 and 3 weeks. Any advice as we make the move? Places to shop, daycare recs,etc. I have been reading things are more expensive on the islands and I wanted to get advice from the locals! TIA

kyleeduke

Hey there! Hubby and I have been here on Oahu for about a year and a half. Any idea what area your will be moving to? I can give you info, but it depends on where you'll be living. Yes, everything is more expensive here on the island. I bought a gallon of milk the other day at Safeway and it cost 6 dollars. Gas is around 4.25 depending on where you fill up. But, the sun is always shining and the beaches are awesome!

lisakeiko

I hope you'll like living in Hawaii!  Yes, it can be expensive but after a while, you'll get used to the higher prices and just try to do the best you can to save where you can.  We spend $100 a year on an executive Costco membership that pretty much pays for itself since one of the perks is 2% back on your purchases.  This year we got back around $115 so membership was 'free'.  You also get access to cheaper gasoline at three Costco locations on Oahu.  It's usually anywhere between 15-25 cents lower per gallon than regular gas stations.  For our food, we get meat and bread in bulk and freeze them.  We love Costco!  There are also tons of farmers markets all over the island.  It's a great way to get small amounts of produce for a reasonable price while supporting local farmers and businesses.   

 

issarobinson

Moving to Hawaii can be exciting but I'll admit it was a bit of an adjustment for me. Cost of living is high, I would say close to San Francisco housing but food is definitely more expensive than anywhere in Cali. If you're in the military there are much cheaper places to shop or if not a Costco card is worth getting for sure! Avoid Safeway at all costs, if you can help it - I can easily spend over $100 on one meal with a few extras at Safeway. Foodland is a local grocery and a lil' better than Safeway but still pricey IMO.

Do you know the area you'll be living or if you have a job lined up already, where that is located? I ask because depending on where you live and where you work, traffic can be a real pain in the ass!!! If you're able to, try to live on the windward side or east side because traffic wise it's not as bad. I live in Makakilo which is pretty far west and worked in town for about 9 months and it was usually a 2 hour commute everyday, just traveling 20 miles. Summer months are a little better when school is out, but for the most part it stays the same.

Places on the west side can seem appealing, like Ewa Beach, Kapolei/Makakilo, or Waikele/Kunia because they have the modern, newer "mainland" style homes that most people moving from the mainland are used to. Plus the homes tend to be "cheaper" in price but that's mostly due to congestion issues in the area and because it's much dryer than the east side so a lot of people don't find it as "beautiful" because it's not as lush or green. If you do choose to live on this side, I would highly suggest staying away from Ewa, it's probably the most congested of all.

I also lived on the north shore for a while so, again, depending on where you'll be working that can be a nice place to live. The only problem living out there is there isn't much to do. It's very country, very middle of nowhere without actually being in the middle of nowhere if that makes sense! But it's very beautiful and tropical and if surfing is your thing it's the best place to be.

Shopping wise there is of course Waikiki but it's more of a tourist spot so it's much more expensive and can definitely freak you out if it's the first place you stay because you'll be shocked by the price of things (esp. if you hit up the ABC stores which are small convenient stores literally on every corner in Waikiki). Ala Moana is a HUUUGE outdoor mall, a must see for sure, but also pricey because it attracts tourists. If you're looking for a basic mall there are a few around the island but the one closest to where I live is Pearlridge and pretty much has every store I like to shop at.

I hope I answered some questions you might have, but if not ask away!!

clondo

Thank you for your responses. DH has a job lined up and its in central Oahu. Of course, looking at a map doesn't do it justice!! Its hard to tell How far apart everything is. I do have a Costco card and love Costco! Another issue I'm freaking out about is preschool and daycare! Once we get there I will have to look for a job also. Today we are actually meeting with the owner of the company DH is working for so I will have more details.

issarobinson

If you're talking right smack in the middle of Oahu, Mililani is a really nice town to live in. I wouldn't consider Wahiawa personally, though you can always google street view to get an idea.

I'm currently pregnant with my first child so I don't have much knowledge on the daycare's around here.

lisakeiko

We live in town and most of the places we go to are usually within 10-20 miles away.  Traffic can get bad and turn a 20-mile commute into a 1.5 hour drive.  I used to live in Waipahu (about 10 miles south of Mililani) and to go to school and work in town, it'd take over an hour in the mornings and over an hour to get back home at the end of the day.  The traffic is even worse now with all of the new housing out on the west side of the island, in Ewa Beach and Kapolei.  I'd keep that in mind when you look for a job.    Better to find something closer if you don't want to spend so much time in your car. 

Mililani is nice, and like issarobinson said, I'd also stay away from Wahiawa.  It's fine to pass through but I wouldn't want to raise my kids there. 

You should check out https://www.patchhawaii.org.  It's a great resource if you need help finding childcare in Hawaii.