Hawaii Budget Guide
Thinking of taking a trip to Hawaii? Having traveled to Hawaii twice now, I’ve been able to assemble some great tips for visiting the Hawaiian Islands. From the historical sites of Oahu to the out-of-this-world volcanic landscape of the Big Island, here is my Hawaii Budget Guide, with ways around spending less and still maximizing your time discovering what the Hawaiian Islands have to offer.
So lets just jump right into it…
Flights
If you’re like me and flying to Hawaii from Toronto, Canada airfare is going to cost a pretty big chunk of change. The key here is to start keeping an eye on flights early on a variety of airlines and booking sites. Using a site like Skyscanner or the app Hopper that has a ‘check whole month' feature is helpful because you can see when the cheapest day to travel is.
On the rare occasion Air Canada has direct non-stop flights to Honolulu departing on weekends (Saturday, Sunday). I kept an eye on Skyscanner for weeks before I booked my flights and eventually picked up a round-trip ticket from Toronto to Honolulu for $485. Generally speaking, a “good deal” to Hawaii in by books from Toronto is anywhere between $400-650.
Best Time to Book
I’m often asked: when is the best time to visit Hawaii? There are multiple answers to that question. In my opinion, there’s really not a bad time to go to Hawaii. Just about any month is a great time to visit Hawaii.
You’ll always be able to find warm, tropical weather in Hawaii. Due to Hawaii’s proximity to the equator, temperatures don’t vary drastically from season to season like they do in North America, Europe, etc.
In summer months, daytime high temperatures range from mid to upper 80s. In the winter months, daytime highs average in the upper 70s to lower 80s. You’ll be able to see lush, green landscapes any time of year that you visit Hawaii. Vibrantly coloured tropical flowers bloom year round in Hawaii, even in the winter months. Ocean temperatures around Hawaii allow for year-round swimming and ocean activities. Though, you should always check ocean conditions before going out.
High Season
The high season in Hawaii is probably as you guessed it, June – August and during the Christmas Period to Early January.
Low Season
The low season in Hawaii and where you’ll probably find the best rates available is during late spring (mid April to Early June and during the fall season, so September to about mid December.
Which Airports to Choose
When choosing which Airports to fly into, I found the cheapest are Honolulu (no surprise there), Kona which is on The Big Island and Maui’s Kahuliuli Airport.
Living
Have a Home Base
While island-hopping in Hawaii probably sounds appealing, it makes much more sense financially to pick one island and stick to it. Airfares from one island to another aren’t cheap — for example, going just from Oahu to Kona on the Big Island can set you back $150. Plus, exploring only one island means you can devote more time to it and travel a bit slower.
If you decide to go this one-island-only route, I suggest Oahu, home to the state capital, Honolulu. Yes, Honolulu is probably the most touristy city in Hawaii. But it is also the largest city in the state, meaning there’s the most opportunity here to find ways to save money.
Airbnb
One of the trickiest parts of planning a trip for me is finding just the right place to stay. My trips to Hawaii are pretty active and include plenty of exploring so I don’t want to pay a bundle on a fancy beach resort when I’ll be off trekking to the summit of Haleakala for sunrise or hiking through the bamboo forests of Hana. However sometimes a budget hotel can leave a little to be desired when I’m in the mood to lounge at the beach or poolside.
So I’ve got the perfect solution for you… You can save a bundle and still get amazing amenities by staying in Airbnbs.
Reminder Hawaii has its Hawaii Transient Accommodations Tax, which applies to lodging as well as many hotels also charge a resort fee usually between 20-25 US per day.
Oahu
Average cost 100-180CAD per night
Waikiki
https://www.airbnb.ca/rooms/4856461?source_impression_id=p3_1561583489_W5ngl8Zu3K06FcYy
North Shore
Average cost 200-250CAD per night
https://www.airbnb.ca/rooms/23007317?source_impression_id=p3_1561583867_f6TR50qm9HI9um6R
The Big Island
Average cost 90-150CAD per night
Transportation
Once you’ve planned your flights to Hawaii, then you’ve got to figure out the logistics of getting around. Each island has some public transportation, but for the most part, they’re not designed to help tourists get around. First things first, determine whether you need to rent a car. At first glance, that may sound like a silly idea, but you may not need a rental car at all. There are a couple of Hawaii vacation scenarios I can think of that will allow you to skip renting a car altogether. For example, if you are staying in Waikiki Beach, you can get away with not renting a car at all, and when you don’t rent a car, you don’t have to pay for parking and gas.
My best recommendation for a great deal on a car rental is Discount Hawaii Car Rental. The company offers a great rate, with a lowered young drivers fee (usually 10/day) and the option of two additional drivers. https://www.discounthawaiicarrental.com/ (just an fyi, this is not sponsored). A car rental for a 8 day period with insurance costed us between $500-600 CAD (also consider we opted for a Jeep which costed a bit more than a standard rental and we had a young drivers fee added).
Food
Food in Hawaii has a bad reputation for being insanely expensive, just like accommodation, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a way to save on that aspect.
Supermarkets should be your best friend in a developed beach city such as Honolulu. On your first day, make sure grocery shopping at Walmart or Target is on your itinerary. Even if you don’t plan to cook, stock up on breakfast, lunch and snacks that you can pack to go. After all, you’ll likely spend your entire day sightseeing or engaged in physical activities so you need all the energy you can get.
Lastly, never pass up on food trucks, a phenomenon of which Hawaii has become a trendsetter. Serving all types of food from Mexican, Puerto Rican, fusion, seafood or classic Hawaiian, these food trucks are not only affordable but also where you would usually find the best food.
To Sum It Up
I want to reiterate that your exact costs depend on your preferences and a bit of luck. You might catch an airfare sale and save $100-$300 per person. You might find a hotel deal that includes breakfast. I could go on and on. But hopefully this helps you out with your planning.
