Doug, thanks for the very informative spreadsheet. I used it as a starting point, and backed out the stuff that didn't apply to us - kid expenses, schooling, taekwondo, etc
Once that was done, it sure looks like my original estimate is reasonable. Gives me hope that I can manage the move in due course.
I'm working up a blog post on this, and here are some (very rough draft) bullet points on living in Hawaii. Please let me know what I've overlooked!
Upon further reflection, here are other observations about the islands:
- You'll either love the islands or hate them. You won't be ambivalent. I'm a steely-eyed killer of the deep who has only cried a handful of times in my life, and one of them was when I had to contemplate yet another military move from the islands. (Nope, we didn't move.)
- If you have Mainland relatives then visits will always be complicated. Some island residents chafe at not "being there" for Mainland Mom or Dad. Older island residents miss out on a lot of grandkid moments because their kids "escape" the islands to the exotic Mainland colleges and tend to build their careers on the Mainland until they're in their 30s. One of the major reasons for residents (especially military) leaving the islands is Mainland family. Of course if your family is born & raised here, or if your parents aren't in your life, then it's not a problem.
- I should have mentioned that our electric bill is so low because most of our power comes from our photovoltaic array. I'll also point out that our actual monthly electric use is about 350 KWHrs, which costs about 25-35 cents/KWHr. (Depends on the price of oil.) Your home will have a solar water heater, which will provide more hot water than you can ever use. Air conditioning is not essential for a happy life here, and a heating system is unnecessary except at much higher altitudes.
- Those who enjoy "transportation lifestyles" will chafe here. You can't just get in a car and drive in a straight line for hours. You stay off the roads around rush hours. You can't drive 85 MPH for more than a few seconds. A plane flight to the Mainland is five hours (or more) and a neighbor island can be over $100. Bicycle lanes are sparse. Buses are not as frequent as they could be. However walking and hiking are year-round activities. Water sports rule.
- Your clothing budget will be very low. Especially "winter wear" (whatever that is) and shoes.
- I use less gasoline in Hawaii than I did in San Diego, Texas, the Bay Area, or the DC area. It costs more per gallon here but the total cost is lower here because you drive a lot less.
- Hawaii has some of the nation's highest personal income tax rates. However property taxes are low. Excise tax (a regressive sales tax) is relatively low.
- Hawaii is one of the nation's most tax-friendly states for retirees. As in top three.
- "Mainland" food is a luxury item here. I'm referring to raspberries, blueberries, grapes, potatoes, many kinds of bread, cow's milk, and many cereal brands. However I chuckle when I see people who actually pay money to eat a mango. It's easy to grow papaya, pineapple, bananas, tangerines, oranges, avocados, lemon, tomatoes, and many Asian/Indian fruits high in vitamin C whose names you've never heard of. If you want to live in Hawaii on a budget then you must eat local cuisine. A fruit tree wouldn't hurt, and a veggie garden will be a bonus.
- Mainland franchise restaurants are expensive. Local restaurants are generally cheaper. The good news is that there are about 20 cuisines to choose from, except that Hawaii is may be lacking in Tex-Mex and Indian. That's not a complaint-- IMO the Mainland is lacking in kal-be, kimchee, and curry powder. Hawaii's lunch wagons and takeout are the world's best.
- Hawaii's public school reputation is undeservedly poor. All large multicultural school districts with immigrant populations struggle with the same issues. Private schools offer more individual attention, smaller classes, and better tech. However the "lifestyle" cost of most private schools is also very high: long commutes to downtown locations during rush hours, living too far away from the school for frequent visits outside of school hours, not being able to easily participate in sports. Private school logistics can all be worked out, but families end up sacrificing a lot for it. Nearby public schools (and parental attention) are almost always better than remote private schools.
- IMO the most important criteria for any high school is: distance. Our daughter benefited tremendously from being only a mile away, close enough to ride her bike at all hours. We parents also benefited by being able to attend any school event with minimal advance planning... especially if that advance planning had to come from a teen.
- Driving in Hawaii is very scary, and motorcycling even more so. People are so damn polite here that they violate the rules of the road in order to politely let others go first. OTOH we'll brake in panic at the sign of rain, we'll slam on our brakes whenever someone within three lanes slams on theirs, and we'll randomly change lanes a mile or so in advance because we don't get a lot of lane-changing practice. We will not (WILL NOT!) use our horns, except that an occasional "howzit honk" is OK if you're doing a shaka outside your car window.
- Cell phone connectivity on Oahu is not that good, especially compared to the Mainland. Same for Internet bandwidth. Limiting factors include terrain (ridges & valleys) and undersea cables. However it is relatively straightforward to make a good living here from the Internet... unless the surf is up.
- If you were not born here (or raised here for at least half of your first 20 years) then do not attempt to speak pidgin. You can let Hawaiian words into your vocabulary if you don't put verbal quotes around them. It's OK to speak a foreign language if you've actually lived in a country that requires you to use that foreign language.
- When you hear pidgin, do not make assumptions about that person's education level, literacy, or intellect. You will be wrong and they won't tolerate your attitude, either. Exhibit A for this syndrome is a former elementary school teacher and holder of an English degree. During five years here she never figured out why she could never get any help in a retail establishment...
- Nobody in Hawaii gives a crap about your Mainland stuff-- where you're from, what you did, who you knew, what you drive, what you owned. Seriously. No, really, we don't care. We're not hostile or envious-- we just genuinely don't see how it has any relevance here or why you would still care. We may seem polite but... we really don't care, and pretty soon you'll be standing in the corner talking to yourself. Get over your Mainland culture. Learn local culture. Japanese culture is OK too.
- If you're going to insist on talking about Mainland sports then you better know the name of everyone on your chosen team who is Hawaiian or who grew up here. You should know the names of their local families, too. The best advice, however, is to get over your Mainland sports and start following University of Hawaii sports... and high school football.
- All your Mainland family, relatives, & friends think that you have plenty of spare bedrooms and that you live in the middle of Waikiki. Well, maybe they don't really think that, but they're shocked to learn that you don't spend all your liberty time in Waikiki and that your favorite surf spot is 90 minutes away from there.
