What is the best Hawaiian island to live on full time?

If you want lush landscapes and a laid-back old Hawaii lifestyle, Kauai may be right for you. If amenities, urban life, and spectacular surf are your preferences, you may like Oahu. If you like rural living but also might enjoy some amenities and tourists along with beautiful landscapes, Maui may be your place.



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Kauai, known as the “Garden Isle,” has the lowest violent crime rate among the four major Hawaiian islands. Its smaller population and close-knit communities contribute to a sense of security and safety.

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The Big Island of Hawaii, also known as Hawaii Island, is the largest and most affordable Hawaiian island to live on. With its diverse climates and landscapes, this island offers a wide range of living options. The cities of Hilo and Kailua-Kona provide more affordable housing compared to other parts of the island.

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Oahu is the driest out of the main Hawaiian islands when it comes to the weather. With the shining sun year-long most of the time, usually along the coast, you can't have a bad weather day.

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Oahu has the largest and best, state-of-the-art medical facilities in all of Hawaii.

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Molokai: The Friendly Isle This island has a reputation for being the “most Hawaiian” of the Hawaiian Islands, thanks to its aloha spirit, the residents' embracement of the old Hawaii lifestyle, and small tourist numbers.

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Hawaii ranked the highest out of all 50 states and Washington, D.C., in state health care system performance in 2022, according to a study from the Commonwealth Fund. The Aloha State was also deemed the best state for health care in the nation in a U.S. News and World Report analysis published last year.

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If you want lush landscapes and a laid-back old Hawaii lifestyle, Kauai may be right for you. If amenities, urban life, and spectacular surf are your preferences, you may like Oahu. If you like rural living but also might enjoy some amenities and tourists along with beautiful landscapes, Maui may be your place.

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THE BIG ISLAND'S MOST POPULAR Home to the Kohala Resort Area, the sunny Kohala Coast gets an average of just 10 inches of rainfall per year, making it the most popular part of the Island for vacationers! This area has the highest number of sunny days in the entire state of Hawaii!

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To live comfortably in Hawaii, an annual income of around $70,000 to $100,000 for a single person, or $120,000 to $200,000 for a family is recommended. Is it expensive to live in Hawaii? Yes, Hawaii is known for its high cost of living due to factors such as housing, groceries, utilities, and transportation.

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Oahu is the cheapest Hawaiian island to visit, with a total cost of $3,015. A Ko Olina Resort lagoon on Oahu. Maui is the most expensive island to visit, coming in over $2,000 more expensive, with a total cost of $5,142. The Grand Wailea in Maui, a luxury resort.

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Using data from The Hawaii Tourism Authority and Kayak.com, the cheapest island to visit is Oahu. Airfare, hotel, and rental car for two people for a week costs $2,625 on Oahu. The most expensive Hawaiian island to visit is Maui, where the same average costs for a week are $3,600.

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  • Living in Hawaii is expensive. One of the greatest challenges of living in Hawaii is the high cost of living. ...
  • There are limited job opportunities in Hawaii. ...
  • Hawaii is prone to natural disasters. ...
  • Hawaii is far from the rest of the nation. ...
  • There is a lot of traffic congestion.


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Among the Hawaiian Islands, Molokai is known as the Friendly Isle, and those who live there would consider it the best island to live on by far. With many longtime families and few visitors living on remote Molokai, it is one of the most secluded Hawaiian Islands.

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Montserrat. This island has the lowest crime rates in the entire Caribbean.

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Honolulu and Maui have some of the cleanest air in the country, while Hawai'i County has some of the worst. The American Lung Association's 2020 “State of the Air” report found that Honolulu and Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina continue to have clean skies despite increased volcanic smog.

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Additionally, August and September are Hawaii's warmest months, with August being the hottest month overall. You can expect the average high temperature to reach around 87 degrees daily, while the average low temperature tends to stay around 76 degrees in August.

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Although it's a more complex transition than a relocation on the mainland, moving to Hawaii offers plentiful rewards: beautiful weather year-round, easy access to miles of gorgeous white sand beaches, abundant outdoor activities, and, of course, Hawaii's unique aloha spirit that infuses the local culture.

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Many, like the Purdys, have headed to Las Vegas. According to 2021 population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, the biggest growth of Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander populations was in Clark County, Nevada, which includes Las Vegas, and Sacramento County, California.

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The best time to visit this Hawaiian island to avoid tourist crowds is April to June and September to November. Lanai and Molokai are the least visited islands and are the perfect rural getaways for introverts.

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Hawaii is the No. 2 happiest state in the U.S. and ranked the highest for emotional and physical well-being. It also has the lowest rate of adult depression and the fourth-lowest divorce rate.

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21 Honest Pros and Cons of Living in Hawaii—from a Resident
  • Con: You May Never Own a Home. ...
  • Pro: It's Easy to Embrace Condo Living. ...
  • Pro: Lots of People Go Off the Grid. ...
  • Con: But It's a Significant Up-Front Investment. ...
  • Con: You May Never Feel Like You Truly “Belong” ...
  • Pro: You'll Discover an Incredible Culture Here in Hawaii.


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