You can reduce the cost to move to Hawaii if you play it smart. First, let’s get you some reality on your average cost vs. a low cost move.
Fill out the form below (if you’re on mobile it might be easier to open the form in a new browser here) and you’ll get an answer in under a minute.
How did we come up with the estimate on the cost to move to Hawaii?
We’ve partnered with the probably the best moving company in Hawaii to give you two estimates. One takes all the contents of your house and estimates their cost to move to Hawaii. The other assumes you’ll sell all of your furniture and appliances and just move your personal items. This really makes it easy to figure out your options.
How can I reduce my cost to move to Hawaii?
Get your free estimate and it will be pretty obvious: get rid of your stuff! Instead of moving furniture and appliances, sell them over there, move here, and then figure out what you want to buy locally. Unless you have some family heirloom stuff to move, you’ll greatly reduce the cost to move to Hawaii if you just get rid of as much as you can. Chances are your new home here in Hawaii will be a lot smaller than your mainland home so most of that stuff won’t fit anyway.
How does moving my car reduce the cost to move to Hawaii?
This moving estimate excludes a car which is a whole other story. In 2023, the rough cost to move a car to Hawaii is between $2,000 and $4,000. If you have a car that has a lot of years left (i.e. low miles, good condition, etc) then it might make sense. If you’re close to getting a replacement anyway, sell it now and buy something here.
Another thing to consider is size. Hawaii typically has small parking spaces so unless you must have a big car, you’ll want a small, reliable, fuel-efficient one in Hawaii. Big cars like SUVs and full-size pickup trucks get more than their share of parking lot dings because they have a hard time fitting in many spots.
Convert your photos to digital to reduce the cost to move to Hawaii
Do you have a lot of old photo albums? Convert those photos to digital and then get rid of them! I use the Google Photoscan app on my phone and it works great and brings those old family photos back to life and makes them usable again. Plus, you’ll really save on shipping costs.
Get rid of books you don’t read and reduce the cost to move to Hawaii
Books are some of the heaviest items there are. A box of books will probably weigh more than anything else you can fill that box with. And chances are you’ve never gone back to 99% of your collection to re-read any of those books you have. Get rid of them! Drop them off at the library and a good cause. If you ever need to read one of them again (because you know you won’t anyway!) you can just buy it back and that will cost you way less than moving and storing them. Besides, you’ve probably gone Kindle anyway!
What kind of clothes can I get rid of to reduce my cost to move to Hawaii?
It’s hard to believe that you’ll never use a warm jacket in Hawaii but it’s true. When I first moved here in the mid-80s I brought my favorite jackets and never ever even once wore them. So don’t make my mistake and get rid of them. The only reason you might have to keep even one is if you live in a cold place on the mainland and will want to visit family again during cold season. The only other reason might be if you plan on travelling to cold places and need the right gear. But if you’re like me, you won’t want to go to a cold place ever again and you can leave your heavy coats with family that can greet you at the airport with warm gear. Get rid of all your fall and winter clothes! You can probably get rid of your spring clothes too. Hawaii is summertime year-round!
