Moving to Hawaii from Canada
What to Expect
Considering a move from Canada to Hawaii? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Canada to Hawaii, you would find that Hawaii is 53.1% more expensive than Canada overall. A CA$106,234 salary in Canada would need to be roughly $104,004 in Hawaii to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Honolulu averages 84°F vs 52°F in Ottawa, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Canada and Hawaii.
What does your salary buy?
CA$106,234 → $104,004
To maintain the same standard of living in Hawaii
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 56.1% more
Groceries
pay 2.1 times more
Transportation
pay 20.4% more
Housing
pay 63.1% more
Childcare
pay 82.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 32.7% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Canada to Hawaii.
people moved from Canada to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
13.793,897
Canada
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Hawaii compared to Canada.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Hawaii performs significantly better than Canada across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Canada performs better than Hawaii across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Hawaii generally does better on employment & economy, though Canada leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Canada performs better than Hawaii across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Ottawa | Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) | 80°/67°F (27°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) | 85°/71°F (29°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 89°/74°F (31°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 84°/71°F (29°/22°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ottawa | Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) | 80°/66°F (26.7°/19.1°C) |
| Feb | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) | 80°/66°F (26.8°/18.9°C) |
| Mar | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) | 81°/68°F (27.3°/19.8°C) |
| Apr | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) | 83°/69°F (28.2°/20.8°C) |
| May | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) | 85°/71°F (29.2°/21.6°C) |
| Jun | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) | 87°/73°F (30.6°/23.0°C) |
| Jul | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) | 88°/74°F (31.1°/23.6°C) |
| Aug | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) | 89°/75°F (31.5°/23.9°C) |
| Sep | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.6°C) |
| Oct | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) | 87°/73°F (30.4°/23.0°C) |
| Nov | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) | 84°/71°F (28.8°/21.9°C) |
| Dec | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) | 81°/68°F (27.3°/20.2°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service of Canada,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Canada passport holder visiting United States
Visa Free
United States passport holder visiting Canada
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Hawaii than Canada?
On average Hawaii is around 39% pricier than Canada, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Hawaii?
Budget about $26,001 for 3 months in Hawaii (based on a CA$106,234 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Hawaii?
From major Hawaii cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Canada and Hawaii are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Hawaii compared to Canada?
Hawaii performs significantly better than Canada across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Hawaii compared to Canada?
The average high temperature in Honolulu is 84°F, compared to 52°F in Ottawa. Honolulu receives around 17.1 in of rainfall per year, while Ottawa gets 37.1 in.
What language do they speak in Hawaii?
The official language in Hawaii is English. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.
