Moving to Hawaii from Hong Kong
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Hong Kong to Hawaii — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Hong Kong to Hawaii, you would find that Hawaii is 46.0% more expensive than Hong Kong overall. A HK$587,936 salary in Hong Kong would need to be roughly $75,225 in Hawaii to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Hong Kong to Hawaii.
What does your salary buy?
HK$587,936 → $75,225
To maintain the same standard of living in Hawaii
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.6 times more
Groceries
pay 2.0 times more
Transportation
pay 6.8% less
Housing
pay 53.1% more
Childcare
pay 15.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 1.7% 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?
Real numbers on people moving from Hong Kong to Hawaii, and how the trend has changed.
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
- · · ·
-
37.230,584
Hong Kong
Key Indicator Comparison
How Hong Kong and Hawaii stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Hong Kong 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 Hong Kong leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Hong Kong 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 | Hong Kong | Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 68°/61°F (20°/16°C) | 80°/67°F (27°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 83°/75°F (28°/24°C) | 85°/71°F (29°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 88°/80°F (31°/27°C) | 89°/74°F (31°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/68°F (24°/20°C) | 84°/71°F (29°/22°C) |
View all months
| Month | Hong Kong | Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) | 80°/66°F (26.7°/19.1°C) |
| Feb | 67°/60°F (19.4°/15.3°C) | 80°/66°F (26.8°/18.9°C) |
| Mar | 71°/64°F (21.9°/17.6°C) | 81°/68°F (27.3°/19.8°C) |
| Apr | 78°/70°F (25.6°/21.1°C) | 83°/69°F (28.2°/20.8°C) |
| May | 84°/76°F (28.8°/24.5°C) | 85°/71°F (29.2°/21.6°C) |
| Jun | 87°/80°F (30.7°/26.5°C) | 87°/73°F (30.6°/23.0°C) |
| Jul | 89°/80°F (31.6°/26.9°C) | 88°/74°F (31.1°/23.6°C) |
| Aug | 88°/80°F (31.3°/26.7°C) | 89°/75°F (31.5°/23.9°C) |
| Sep | 87°/79°F (30.5°/26.1°C) | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.6°C) |
| Oct | 83°/75°F (28.1°/23.9°C) | 87°/73°F (30.4°/23.0°C) |
| Nov | 76°/69°F (24.5°/20.3°C) | 84°/71°F (28.8°/21.9°C) |
| Dec | 69°/61°F (20.4°/16.2°C) | 81°/68°F (27.3°/20.2°C) |
Hong Kong Observatory
National Weather ServiceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Hong Kong 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.
Hong Kong passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States passport holder visiting Hong Kong
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 Hong Kong?
Headline costs are within a few percent between Hawaii and Hong Kong; rent and dining are where you'll actually feel differences.
How much money do I need to move to Hawaii?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a HK$587,936 comparable salary, that's around $18,806 in Hawaii for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Hawaii?
Working remotely from Hawaii's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Hong Kong and Hawaii.
What's the weather like in Hawaii compared to Hong Kong?
The average high temperature in Honolulu is 84°F, compared to 79°F in Hong Kong. Honolulu receives around 17.1 in of rainfall per year, while Hong Kong gets 95.7 in.
What language do they speak in Hawaii?
The official language in Hawaii is English. In Hong Kong, the official languages are Chinese and English.
