So you visited Hawaii, fell in love with the island, and now you want to move here. I’ve heard this a time or two hundred before. Living in Hawaii is indeed a dream-come-true; it’s essentially a permanent vacation with the ability to live a lifestyle that you don’t need an escape from. It’s warm and sunny nearly all year long, no matter where you live on the island you’re always within a half-hour drive to the ocean, you can actually swim in said ocean all year long without a wet suit, and the word “Aloha” seems to be your new life motto. Sounds like a paradise, right? So why wouldn’t anybody want to live in Hawaii?
In this post (part 1 of 2), I’m going to dive into the cons of living in Hawaii, more specifically the downsides of living on Oahu, as that is where I lived for 11 years and where my family is from. Keep in mind that this subjective article is going to be based on my upbringing and exposure to life outside of Hawaii and having had the privilege to experience other states, countries and lifestyles to compare to, so please take it with a grain of salt as I mean no offense with anything I write. I aim to provide a balanced and honest perspective of what it is really like to live in Hawaii as a resident. (Part 2 of this article are the Pros – What It’s Really Like To Live in Hawaii)
Throughout my life I have lived in California, Idaho, Seattle, and Mexico, as well as traveled abroad long-term, but I call Hawaii home, and I feel incredibly lucky and grateful to be able to do so. I lived on Oahu for a cumulative total of 11 years, and grew up visiting this beautiful paradise all throughout my childhood. My Grandmother’s side of the family was born and raised in Haleiwa on the North Shore of Oahu, and my maternal side of the family lives here. My full-time profession throughout my entire working career on the island, was a Travel Consultant / Concierge for Expedia’s activities division for the State of Hawaii, so I was exposed to visitors from all over the world every day, who shared their perspectives with me on visiting the island. I have several local born-and-raised friends as well, so these varied perspectives helped me to provide a well-rounded view of what it’s really like to live in Hawaii.
Why Living in Hawaii Sucks
Well, it doesn’t. It’s awesome…most of the time. Sometimes it’s annoying and frustrating, just like living anywhere else in the world. In part 2 of this post I’ll detail the pros, but below I will share 18 downsides of living in Hawaii:
1) Extremely High Cost of Living
I lived on Oahu for nine years before moving to Seattle (the first time), where there is no state income tax and no grocery tax. After living in Seattle for nearly four years and moving back to the island, I was sticker shocked for a good two months upon my return. Everything is imported, so goods come with a higher price tag. My favorite indulgent drink is a Bhakti Chai. In Seattle, it costs $4.99. In Hawaii it costs $7.99. Milk is usually $5 – 9. Get used to dishing out a few hundred more pennies here.
2) There Are No Seasons

The view of Kalaupapa on the friendly isle of Molokai, which is home to some of the tallest sea cliffs in the world
I am excluding the Big Island in this statement, which has something like 11 of Earth’s 13 different climate zones and even receives snow at the top of Mauna Kea!
This sentiment will be relative based on the reader. If you were born and raised on the East Coast of the United States shoveling snow and living in an Arc’teryx winter jacket for the better part of the year, you may like that Hawaii has a uni-season. But I love Fall colors and being able to go skiing in the mountains and see flowers bloom in spring (minus the hay fever). The fact that there are no seasons makes it difficult to remember where in the year we currently are. One time, my friend and I were driving to the North Shore and I asked her why there were Christmas lights everywhere. She looked at me quizzically and said, “Lisa, it’s December”. My brain did a double take before I muttered, “oh…. I thought it was July.” #Hawaiiproblems.
In places where seasons are present, it’s easier to live your life by the seasons. I.E. taking quiet time to not feel guilty about staying home in the winter to reflect, work on a project, or learn a new language. Anywhere else in the U.S. (save Florida), in January you hunker down and gain weight because it’s too cold to do anything outside. In April you do spring cleaning. In July you go outside and play every day until dark. And in September you drink pumpkin spiced lattes and go out of your way to step on a crunchy-looking leaf. Every day is July in Hawaii, which means you have to be really structured and disciplined living in Hawaii, otherwise it’s hard to get anything done because people are outside playing all day, every day. Beach volleyball or doing laundry? Hmm…really tough decision there. This is most certainly a case of FOMO (fear of missing out). Here we dictate seasons by things like when mangoes are ripe, or when the waves are big on the North Shore. (See my post on Things to Do on Oahu’s North Shore from a Local’s Perspective)

Big surf on the North Shore of Oahu at Waimea Bay in December
3) It’s 80 Degrees And Sunny All Year Long
Some of you are probably thinking “umm…doesn’t this belong in the ‘pros’ section? Break out the tiny violin, this girl is complaining about 80-degree weather.” I love the warmth, but I also enjoy variety, which, as we all know, is the proverbial spice of life. I actually get really excited when we have a thunderstorm or heavy winds, because it’s something different! I can actually put on a sweatshirt and maybe….maybe some pants. 80 degrees and sunny all year gets boring and old after a while. However, I’ve met countless people who disagree. They moved here from somewhere else, found their happy place, and will live and die here. To each their own.
4) Things Get Done On “Hawaiian Time”
You know that multi-billion-dollar project called “The Rail” that was meant to be finished back in 2013? Yep…still being completed….and several billion dollars over budget.
One time I was driving and saw a road sign that said, “Caution, men working ahead”…as I continued driving ahead, there were three construction workers taking a nap on the grass in the shade under a coconut tree. Hey, everybody needs a break; construction is a labor-intensive job! I just found the sign and the actuality to be quite hilarious. Only in Hawaii would you find construction crew on their work break, napping outside under a coconut tree in the shade.
*PIN THIS POST!*
5) Lack Of Recycling, Compost, and Overall A Terrible Waste Management System
Being a central hub for tourism, the islands go through waste – a LOT of it, especially plastic. And because we live on an island, we have to ship our trash out or burn it. There are virtually no recycling bins on the streets (only waste bins), nor in hotels or restaurants. The island doesn’t compost; they only have a green waste bin for plant matter, and they only recycle aluminum and plastics with a number 1 or 2 on the bottom, and corrugated cardboard – that’s it. Because of lack of recycle bins, people default to throwing everything in the waste bin, thinking it’s out-of -sight-out-of-mind.
After living in Seattle for several years, I became spoiled with how progressive and green the state is. Seattle’s recycle and composting systems are top-notch, and they really care about their environmental footprint, stepping up as leaders in the industry. In Hawaii, not so much. Instead of seeing green roofs and gardens, you’ll see parking lots and dilapidated structures being unused and wasting precious space. Instead of compostable takeaway containers, you’ll see plastic and styrofoam (it’s a stab to my heart every time I see this.) You would think that an island would try to be more sustainable, but it doesn’t seem to be a top priority here over tourism revenue.
6) Lack of (Non-Polynesian) Culture
Hawaii is wonderfully rich in its own Polynesian culture, however, if you want to find a great local jazz bar or live indie music on any given night, you may as well book a flight to San Francisco or New York City because you won’t find many options here. It’s difficult to even find a good radio station that plays jazz, blues, symphonic music, or anything other than rap, pop or Rasta music (a mixture of Jamaican and Hawaiian). (Thank goodness for Hawaii Public Radio and KTUH (University of Hawaii college radio – 90.1 on your radio dial)). Occasionally the University of Hawaii at Manoa will host musical events, but they are few and far between. Also, because we’re an island, big theatre Broadway shows or well-known musicians rarely come our way. And when they do, shows sell out immediately.
7) Traffic
In an article published in 2018, Hawaii News Now reported that Honolulu ranked 19th for worst traffic in the nation. In 2012 it was ranked the #1 worst city in the nation for traffic (yes, even topping L.A. and Seattle). In 2013, it was the second worst, and in 2015 the 10th worst, so we’re improving, yay! (source). We have 1.4 million people on the island, and they drive everywhere. The city’s infrastructure was built as an afterthought. We are an island after all.

Traffic has become terrible on the island of Oahu – image from Google
8) Poor Public Transportation
Remember that rail system I spoke about earlier? Hawaii residents are still waiting on its completion, though I’m pretty sure people have stopped holding their breath by now. Besides our public city bus (called “TheBus”), which takes ten minutes to go one mile, there is no public transit system. (And no, contrary to popular belief, there are no bridges in between all the islands, and no underground systems either….unless you consider a submarine a mode of transportation.) In March of 2017, Biki, Hawaii’s first bike share system, was finally introduced; a baby step towards improvement. I get it, it’s not like we can easily chum up ocean water and build an underground system in Hawaii, but we could at least improve road conditions and add bike lanes to encourage bicycle commuting.
9) Hawaii is Not Bike-Friendly
I commuted to work 8 months out of the year when I lived in Seattle (the other 4 months were too rainy). With safe and protected trails like the Burke-Gilman Trail, biking in Seattle is not only friendly, it’s fun and popular! Here on Oahu, people don’t even know bike signals.
Example: I used to bike commute to work into Waikiki. I hand signaled to turn right by turning my elbow up at a 90-degree angle (the proper right-turn hand signal). I had the right of way, but a bus driver was making a left-hand turn. He saw my signal, smiled, waived at me, threw me a shaka, and proceeded to cut me off. He thought my right-hand turn signal was me waiving hello at him!!

Biking Kaena Point on the West Side of Oahu
10) Hawaii is Behind the Times
Being an island, inevitably we’re behind on latest trends, especially technology-related. It took forever to finally get the credit card chip reader here. Meanwhile, other mainland states are racing ahead with contact-less systems. I suppose you could say we’re a bit archaic. Jurassic Park was filmed in Hawaii, after all.” 😉

Kualoa Ranch on Oahu, is the site location of multiple films including “50 First Dates”, “Jurassic Park”, “Mighty Joe Young” and the new series “Hawaii Five-0”
11) There is No Trader Joe’s or IKEA, and Few Consignment Stores
Okay, I know, this is a major first-world problem, but Trader Joe’s was where I bought all my cheese at a reasonable price! Thank goodness we have Costco, but when it comes to buying bulk items or furniture, we have very little in the way of a central place we can purchase used and/or refurnished furniture for cheap. This is what Facebook Marketplace is for, and it’s pretty good here because of the constant influx and departures of military families.
12) Lack of Farm-To-Table Eateries
Again, I’ve been terribly spoiled having lived in Seattle and frequently visiting Vancouver, B.C., two of the great foodie capitals of North America. I find Oahu’s foodie scene disappointing, as many restaurants cater to tourists and are overly priced, mediocre-tasting, and the ingredients are poorly sourced. Locals here love their spam, their sugary smoothies and their bento boxes and plate lunches; all of which come in plastic containers in a plastic bag. That being said, we are slowly starting to see the farm-to-table and local, organic sustainability movement catch on with the newer eateries that have opened up over the past year. You can visit my (second) most popular blog post to-date (the one you’re reading now is my top-rated!) blog post on A Local’s Ultimate Oahu Foodie Guide.
The local farm-to-table concept is also spreading to neighbor islands, Kauai, Maui, and Big Island. Check out my food blog posts (linked in this paragraph for where to find the best food on each island.)
13) Tourism Is Rampant
This is a point of contention for me because the tourism industry is directly responsible for my livelihood. It pays my bills and I love having the opportunity to interact with people from all over the world every day. I love living in a place filled with multiple cultural backgrounds and ethnicities because I believe diversity makes the world a far more interesting and dynamic place that we can all learn so much from.
However, because the island sees so many visitors each year, natural places and habitats such as Hanauma Bay on Oahu and Molokini Crater on Maui are becoming trampled and degraded. Reefs are being stepped on and erosion is occurring on many of the hikes. Whenever a place attracts a plethora of people, we need to take precautions to mitigate destruction and overpopulation. I grew up snorkeling at Hanauma Bay as a kid and have fond childhood memories of it, but unfortunately it has now turned into a massive tourist destination. Hawaii has passed a law that requires “reef safe sunscreen” to protect the dying reefs, but how will they ensure it is enforced?

Many places such as Hanauma Bay and Diamond Head are becoming trampled with tourists, adding to the destruction of the natural ecosystems
14) We’re In The Middle Of Nowhere
Sometimes I look at where we’re located on a world map and when I see the tiny dot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, my hands start to sweat. * Knock on wood *, but if any disaster or attack were to happen (and it has before…think Pearl Harbor), we would really be in trouble. Knowing that there’s only one way off of this tiny little land mass is a bit unsettling. Teleportation, anyone? Also, with the eruption of the volcano on the Big Island in 2018, people freak out about the safety on other islands. Oahu is 200 miles away from the Big Island, and even the Big Island itself is fine on the Kona side. Here’s my response to that (image from Google):

Someone shared this photo on social media, and while funny, it’s a bit inaccurate. The lava destruction occurred on the Eastern shore of the Big Island, and in this photo the volcano points to the Western Kona side, which was out of harm’s way.
15) Island Fever Is a Real Thing
Granted, I would take island fever over SADD (seasonal acute depression disorder) living in a cold, dark place any day. However, if you want to remain sane, you need to travel frequently. And in order to travel frequently, you need to have the money to do so, which leads me to my next point…
16) The Wages Don’t Match The Cost Of Living in Hawaii
Making a livable income in Hawaii is very difficult unless you’re in the right industry, or if you live in a 10 x 10 box, on a boat, or with five other people and pay under $1,000 per month in rent. There are some jobs that pay quite well, especially in the tourism industry, but they can be difficult to come by. We call this problem the “paradise tax”.
17) Petty Theft Is Common
Though this is true most anywhere in the world, it is especially prevalent as a tourist target. Break-ins are one of the most common crimes on the islands, and they’re usually targeted at tourists who are all too trusting and leave valuables in their vehicles. Be cautious and don’t leave valuables in plain sight in your car or at the beach. This goes for locals, too.
18) Tourists Come First, Nature Comes Second
You know the popular song that goes “they paved paradise to build up a parking lot…oooo bap bap bap..oooooo”? That’s pretty much how it works here. Especially on the ever-growing island of O’ahu, tourism reigns king, and laws and regulations are often overlooked simply because they know that the end result will equal…you guessed it…more tourism spending and revenue for the state.
I hope this post gives you a realistic perspective from a local resident about what it’s really like to live in Hawaii. If you are considering a move to Hawaii, or just love to come back time and time again to visit, I don’t blame you! I just ask that when you do visit or move here, to take care of the ‘aina (land) with care and respect. <3 Malama Pono (take care).
Part 2 can be found in my next post for the pros of what it’s really like to live in Hawaii…
Do you live in Hawaii or have you visited the islands? Would you add anything to this list that you feel are downsides to living in Hawaii?
*Did you like this post? Pin it!*
20 Comments
CareerBreakAdventures
June 20, 2018 at 12:59 pmI love this list. I savor four distinct seasons as well and beach weather year round would not excite me. And no one likes red light cameras… 😊
April
July 8, 2022 at 7:54 pmNot to worry. I’m never going back, especially Kauai, which used be my favorite. That whole money grab to get to the North shore, not to mention it is so poorly mismanaged and does not allowed to go where you want to go, and when – so very on Hawaiian. I’m never going back to Hawaiian islands going back to the Caribbean for good!
What It's Really Like to Live in Hawaii - the Pros (Part 2 of 2) - Cultural Foodies
June 22, 2018 at 2:42 am[…] my previous post, part 1 of 2 titled 18 Reasons Living in Hawaii Isn’t Always Rainbows and Butterflies, I detailed 18 cons & downsides of what it’s really like to live in Hawaii to provide a […]
Sean Smith
June 27, 2018 at 5:50 amUnfortunately I have experienced #17 on day 2 of an 8 day stay. Backpack went AWOL from Waikiki, and it didn’t get blown away by the trade winds!
This aside, can’t wait to get back one day.
Cheers, Sean, Adelaide, Australia.
culturalfoodies
June 27, 2018 at 7:19 pmHi Sean! Nice to hear from you! I’m so sorry this happened to you, I was so disappointed when you told me this at the hotel. 🙁 I hope the rest of your stay was fabulous, despite the unlucky second-day occurrence! Did you ever get any of your things back?
Kaka'ako - Oahu's Vibrant Arts & Foodie Neighborhood - Cultural Foodies
January 28, 2019 at 7:20 am[…] Thinking about moving to Hawaii? Check out my posts on What It’s Really Like to Live on Oahu (the pros) and 18 Reasons Living in Hawaii Isn’t Always Rainbows and Butterflies (the cons). […]
Janine Nissa
March 14, 2019 at 5:52 pmI never realized traffic would be an issue there!
culturalfoodies
March 14, 2019 at 8:00 pmOh yes, at one point several years ago we had the fifth worst traffic in the nation, but it has decreased since then, thank goodness. Infrastructure here on an island is kind of an afterthought, lol.
Chad W Thompson
September 9, 2020 at 5:17 pmGood article… I cringed when I read the Jack Johnson part. Lord have mercy that’s common music knowledge not even some rare unknown piece of trivia. I can promise you half your readers at minimum will notice that huge error. For the love of all things holy please fix it!
culturalfoodies
September 10, 2020 at 9:05 amChad, I realize that this is not originally a Jack Johnson song, but you also have to note my age. I’m a millennial so the artist I am most familiar with for this particular song is Jack Johnson. But I changed it just for you! 🙂
Julia
June 1, 2019 at 4:19 amGreat article – thank you. We’re new to Hawaii, just moved to Kauai though considering relocating to the Big Island next year if we’re going to buy property here – wanting to grow our own food as much as we can. And though Kauai is so great for that it’s SO expensive. We’ll see what happens over the next year. In the meantime we have been fortunate to find a great rental in Anahola. I love Jack Johnson though feel compelled to mention the parking lot song is an original of Joni Mitchell’s called Big Yellow Taxi. Such a great song. And sadly becoming the norm on this precious planet 🙁 Thanks again for all your insights and shared information. Mahalo.
culturalfoodies
June 2, 2019 at 8:20 amHi Julia, welcome to Hawaii! Thank you for the fact about the parking lot song; I had no idea that was a re-make by Jack Johnson! I suppose that goes to show that this has been an issue for a long time. Kauai is beautiful but you’re right, so expensive. We love the Big Island so much, especially the Waimea area because it feels like the country. Big Island definitely has more affordable options for land and houses because there is so much more available land there. I’m with you; we love growing our own food, but unfortunately living in an urban environment it’s difficult with just a few planter boxes available for space. Best of luck to you in buying a home in the near future! And thanks for reading my blog post. 🙂 Aloha – Lisa
Sam
November 17, 2020 at 9:45 amDamn maybe you shoulda stayed in Seattle!
Syd
February 25, 2021 at 10:59 pmI know this is pretty late but i’m a high schooler and i’ve always wanted to get off this darned island. Everything is the same- nothin really exciting to do. Yes, I know there’s always the “go to the beach” option and i’ll certainly miss it if I move to a different state…. however, I want something new for a change. The jobs here in Honolulu do not appeal to me. I personally prefer colder temps and here in Hawaii, it’s hot all the time. While everyone in the world is enjoying the winter snow and all sorts of seasons; it’s the same here on Oahu. My whole family lives here on Oahu- making the decision to move away even harder. However, I know for a fact I won’t stay on this island for my whole life.
culturalfoodies
March 2, 2021 at 9:03 amHi Syd, I hear you. Hawaii is amazing, but there’s so much more to discover, and I can imagine it must be very difficult to move away if you have family there. I was in the same boat – my whole family is still on island, but it was the best decision I ever made to move away and pave my own life. I’m excited for you to make a big move and try something new! Just remember that nothing is permanent and you can always go back. 🙂
He Sto
May 17, 2021 at 1:42 amYup, very good article that explains the cons of living here on Oahu and the rest of Hawaii. Hawaii is a very special place. I love Hawaii but after a year, I have discovered that I don’t love living here. My wife and I are fortunate. We planned our retirement for several years and we able to purchase a home in Makakilo with an ocean view and carry only a small mortgage. Over the years we bought a couple of condos in Waikiki and made enough money with the sale of our Colorado home to make housing affordable here on Oahu. We chose Oahu because it offers more, has more flights in and out, and has military facilities that we can use. However, as beautiful as Hawaii is, the article hits several points that override the joys of living here for many mainlanders like me.. The costs for everything is incredible (we are thankful for Costco and the military commissary). We did know that moving here so that was not a shock. Not only is it costly but choices for products is limited and in some cases, unavailable. While I didn’t miss the Colorado snow this past winter, I do miss inhaling a bit of cool, crisp air every now and then. Still, the weather here is far better than a blizzard. Missing even one of those helps make up for missing a little diversity in the weather. Hawaii is definitely behind I technology. You cannot even find really equivalent cable television services here but I do enjoy and crack up at some of the 1980s style television commercials. I doubt that technology will ever be equal to the mainland. Hawaii is a small market and therefore, a low priority. The entire state is less that half the population of the Denver metropolitan area. Then there is the government. The government seems inept at best and corrupt at worst. The HART boondoggle seems to be an appropriate symbol of government in Hawaii. While the government is inept,, the people here are great. Very warm and friendly in my experience thus far. With all that said, I could probably get past all some of those negatives but what will probably cause us to leave is my island fever. I had an untold number of trips to Hawaii before moving here and loved every one of them. I had regret each time I boarded a plane to the mainland and saw the lights of Oahu fading away. What I discovered after about 6 months is that island fever is real. I scoffed at the idea before moving here but it is real. We are on tiny dots in the North Pacific (barely north) with nothing around us. Weekend jaunts by car aren’t possible and don’t make financial sense by plane. Some people may not be bothered by island fever but it is real. At this point we have decided to start planning for a move back to the mainland. Probably in 2025. We will explore and enjoy living here for a little over the next 3 years before we depart for elsewhere, probably Texas where harsh winters are rare in the Austin area. This will be like a 3 year vacation in paradise except with yard work. Others considering a move to Hawaii will find this article very useful as it presents some very valid points.
culturalfoodies
May 17, 2021 at 9:51 amHi He, thank you for sharing your sentiment – I agree completely. My husband’s family lives in Boulder, so Colorado is like a second home for us, and that is certainly one of the things I missed most about being on the island – the lack of seasons. While I don’t care for snow for more than a few days, the seasons and the variety and cool, crisp mountain air are welcome reprieves from an otherwise even-keeled year-round mild climate. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts, and thank you for reading my article. 🙂 Aloha – Lisa
Me T
May 17, 2021 at 10:31 pmHi Lisa ! Just read your article. After living here for over 40 years, you are spot on. Would like to add some other cons. 1. The 747 ‘s that dive bomb you spiders as big as your hand and the centipedes, I live on the 3rd fl in Kakaako and have put screens on the 2 windows that my “affordable” housing apartment has only to wake in the middle of the night seeing something black on my carpet, thinking I must have dropped something I picked it up. The minute you feel those legs you know what it is. Then of course an adrenoline rush happens. 2.The homeless that come on the property digging through the rubbish at all hours of the night. Some of them have been very aggressive 3. Bicycles who race through stop signs and red lights. 4. And need I forget to mention the drivers who like to cut in at the last minute because they are privileged souls who don’t have to wait in line for the on or off ramps. 5. Employers who take advantage of their employees. At one of my 3 jobs we only get a 15 minute break during a six hour shift. You have to work over 6 hrs to get an unpaid 30 minute break. 6. Shipping costs to Hawaii. There have been several times I tried to order something online and the shipping was more or as much as the item. 7. The sad thing about Hawaii is that anytime there has been an earthquake or other diaster(ie missile alert) I have to call my mom in Los Angeles to find out whats going on. Having said all that again I have lived here for over 40 years. Hawaii is home. People tend to be nicer than the mainland, the variety of food, medical here is good and you can almost always run into someone you know giving you that sense of community. Lucky you live Hawaii. :))
Is Hawaii Good for Families? Find out the truth!
June 6, 2022 at 8:40 am[…] Living Cost, High temperatures, Traffic on roads, and tourists invoke every place. There is no exact environment saving methods take to save the islands is another negative. The list goes on. For more information visit Culture foodies. […]
Pookie
July 25, 2022 at 3:32 pmI love the article Lisa and thoughts
MAHALO