Relocating to distant lands and exotic islands has never been closer and more appealing, especially during the Coronavirus pandemic. Living in Kauai, one of the most beautiful Hawaiian islands, sounds like all dreams come true, right? Then you’re about to embark on a lifetime adventure where the breathtaking views are something that will become a part of your everyday life.
An anonymous saying, “Hawaii is a place where necessities are expensive, and luxuries free,” explains how things work on the Islands. Relocating across the world doesn’t just mean you’ll have to deal with making a moving abroad checklist and gathering needed documents for traveling. It also takes many free moments to plan living and working in Kauai, the oldest Hawaiian island that dates back nearly 5 million years. We’ll answer questions such as how expensive is it to live on Kauai and is it safe to live in Kauai, which will help you get a bigger picture.
Explore the Reasons Why Living in Kauai, Hawaii Will Do You Good
Deciding where you’ll spend the next chapter of life’s journey depends on personal preferences. That’s how for some people one place is perfect and for others, it represents a nightmare. If you’re considering the Aloha State as the place you can call home, you’ll need to decide on one of the islands that suits your lifestyle best.
Hawaii is a US country located in the Pacific ocean, around 2,000 miles from the mainland. It’s composed only of islands – Hawaii, Maui, Kahoolawe, Molokai, Lanai, O’ahu, Kauai, and Niihau. Many of us who wish to move to these amazing islands are having trouble deciding between Maui and the Garden Isle. If you’re having the same struggle, check the rest of this article because we’ll discuss some pros and cons of the Garden Isle.
There are many reasons why we move – finding better opportunities for every specter of our lives is completely understandable. But if you want to enjoy nature, from ocean to mountains, then the land that is only 10% discovered, and the rest of 90% is waiting to be discovered is most certainly worth considering. Here are some living in Kauai pros and cons you might find useful when figuring out how to live in another country.
Pro Reason #1: On Every Step You Take There’s a Beautiful View
Relocating to another country and making a new home somewhere you’ve never been before is a hard thing to do. However, nothing can lift up your spirits just like breathtaking landscapes, right? If you’re in love with those beautiful beaches, then the smallest Hawaiian island is the place you need to consider. The water is warm almost all year round so you can go swimming any time.
Imagine how the view of the water, green mountains, sunsets, sunrises will affect you after all the relocation stress. You just need to relax and let nature bring you only positive thinking.
Con #1: Limited Choices and Possibilities
Since the Garden Isle is the smallest of eight Hawaiian islands, with a population of 72,000 residents, you can figure there are limited possibilities in many things you did in a bigger place. For example, when there’s a special occasion, you’ll get to choose between three, four tops fancy restaurants.
Pro Reason #2: You’ll Embrace Slower Pace of Life With the Island Time
You decided it’s the right moment to change something because the metropolis lifestyle is overwhelming, and you need to slow everything down. Then relocating to the Garden Isle is the best option, not only because you won’t have to deal with breaking the language barrier, but because you’ll finally realize what the slow pace of life means.
So, once you embark on this journey, you’ll need some period to adjust to the unknown surroundings so that the expat communities will be helpful. But when you embrace the laid-back lifestyle of the locals, you’ll begin to feel like a local, too.
Con #2: Sometimes You Need to Have Work Done
Since everyone is so relaxed, you need to know that most locals don’t have exactly the same concept of time management. So, if you organized a meeting and you’re expecting that everyone respects your free moments, don’t count on it. The same thing stands with the trades that usually are reliable. For example, you have to get some appliances at your house. It could take a whole month until you find a handyman that will fix it.
Pro Reason #3: Outdoor Entertainment Is Free
There are many reasons why relocating to Hawaii is a good idea. But probably the one that makes this whole relocation irresistible is nature and all the possibilities you can experience outdoors. It’s amazing if you’re relocating with pets, too, because you won’t have to worry about enough greenery. So, you don’t have to think about your monthly entertainment budget between snorkeling, surfing, hiking, and chasing waterfalls since everything is free.
Con #3: Lacking Indoor Activities
Since the island’s size, you’ll visit almost every exciting place pretty quickly. This can be a potential problem for those who don’t prefer outdoor activities. However, this is when your creativity comes to show. Try organizing some programs where you can meet locals and learn their costumes and culture.
Pro Reason #4: Perfect Weather All Year Around
Many people don’t take into consideration this factor when figuring out how to move abroad. Whether you’re relocating for love or just want to start over and move alone, you should check what you can expect from the weather. People that like warm weather almost all year round – this is the place for you. However, you need to be prepared for some rainfalls between December and March – considered a period of cold winter conditions. Even if you now can’t realize the importance of the weather, it can be a great help when it comes to adjusting to a new environment.
Pro Reason #5: You’ll Feel Super Safe at Any Time of the Day
The crime rate here is low, making it the perfect home for those relocating for kids. You won’t feel safer than here, and your kids can go out and play at any time of the day. It’s a big change because, in the urban areas where people are staying in condos and not knowing the next-door neighbor, of course, you won’t feel safe. But here, the situation is entirely different.
Pro Reason #6: Material Things Don’t Matter Here
This probably doesn’t make any sense for someone, but if you spent your life staying in NY, you’d know exactly how important this is. Branded clothes, expensive cars, and similar things just don’t play the same role here as in other places. Some of the wealthiest people here will get unnoticed because they look like everybody else – board shorts, slippers (flip flops on the mainland).
Con #4: Shipping Delivery Will Take at Least a Week
Shipping overseas here doesn’t mean the same as it does on the mainland. Let’s explain: if you have Amazon Prime (which delivers in two days), your delivery to the island will last up to seven business days. And you’ll still have to pay the same amount as Amazon Prime people pay in the mainland. Another example is when some appliance breaks, and if they don’t have it in the store depot, you’ll have to wait around four weeks to arrive at the home depot. So, for everything that’s not on the island, you’ll need to wait.
Pro Reason #7: The Average Household Income Is Higher Than the US Average
Since the median household income here is around $63,000 and the US average is $53,000 a year, it makes this County a preferable place to move. Although the job market isn’t vast, which is reasonable due to the island’s position, the job market growth is predicted to be 31% in the next ten years.
If you’re not sure whether an overseas shipping vehicle is the best idea when you have a lot of budgeting and saving to do, then you should consider all the options there are. Although the transportation system isn’t the greatest, having a car is still the best option. Transporting a car overseas will be a more affordable option than renting one once you move.
Con #5: Cost of Living in Kauai, Hawaii Is Definitely Not Free
Being in a paradise-like this can’t be free. One of the friendliest countries in the world, such as Aloha islands, has a higher cost of living than the US average, according to BestPlaces.com. So it’s completely normal to ask yourself can I afford to live on Kauai?
Besides the cultural shock, you’ll have to get used to the fact that everything will be much more expensive here. That way, you’ll be paying about $1,200 for a studio; utilities are expensive, too (Hawaii’s power is the most expensive in the nation); and since everything has an import tax, food costs more than double here than on the mainland. In that case, knowing some of the cheapest places could come in handy when picking the affordable home on the Garden Isle:
- Kappa – the largest city where the costs are lower than on the rest of the islands.
- Waimea – the most affordable place where you can still get the feeling you’re in the city and nature.
Pro Reason #9: Island Hopping
Do you want big city life or you’re a more adventurous kind of person and want to explore? Or just hanging around with the locals? You can get everything here because this is one of the islands where all varieties are gathered in one place. Getting a chance to experience different kinds of things is one of the reasons why many expats decide to make such a big change.
Is Kauai Nice to Live – Let the Professional Overseas Moving Company Take Care of Your Move
We all want what’s best for us, and we’re looking to ease as much as possible in everyday life. When it comes to relocating overseas, it’s not always easy to set priorities because, at that moment, everything seems essential. That’s why, between deciding what to pack and how to keep in touch with friends, let the professional relocation company help you with their international moving services.
You won’t have to deal with packing fragile items because efficient movers can do that instead with their packing services. Also, if you need a storage facility for some of your stuff you’re still unsure what to do with, the relocation company will offer that service.
