Can I live on Hawaii for $3000 a month. No. Not usually

begin quotes:

 

 No, living in Hawaii on $3,000 a month is extremely difficult, as your housing costs alone would likely exceed your income, leaving little for other essential expenses. The average cost of living in Hawaii is nearly double the national average, and even a modest lifestyle requires significantly more income than $36,000 annually. 

Why $3,000 a month is not enough

• Housing is the biggest hurdle:

  Average rent, even for a small apartment, can be over

  

  $\$3,000$

  per month, and a one-bedroom studio on Oahu can range from

  

  $\$1,000$

  to over

  

  $\$1,600$

  . 
• Other high costs:

  Shipping costs make groceries and utilities expensive. A single adult's living expenses, excluding rent, can easily exceed

  

  $\$2,500$

  per month. 
• Taxes are high:

  The state has a top income tax rate of 11%. 
• Moving expenses:

  The cost of actually moving to Hawaii adds another financial burden, including packing, shipping, and flights. 

What a modest budget might look like

If you were to share housing and live a very frugal lifestyle, some estimates place monthly expenses between

$\$1,600$

and

$\$2,650$

. 

• Shared housing:
  

  $\$800-\$1,200$
• Groceries:
  

  $\$300-\$500$
• Transportation:
  

  $\$150-\$300$
• Utilities:
  

  $\$150-\$250$
• Miscellaneous:
  

  $\$100-\$200$

This budget leaves very little room for other necessities or any discretionary spending, and relies on a low housing cost that is difficult to secure. 

What a realistic budget requires

• For a comfortable lifestyle, a single adult may need an annual income between
  

  $\$70,000$
  and
  

  $\$100,000$
  , and a family of four would need between
  

  $\$120,000$
  and
  

  $\$200,000$
  . 
• A single person in Hawaii needs to earn about
  

  $\$129,361$
  to live comfortably.