Moving from San Francisco, CA, to Honolulu, HI

Moving from one Pacific Ocean city to another 

San Francisco and Honolulu are located on the Pacific Ocean, but moving 2,400 across the ocean is no small trip. 

Hawaii’s capital city, Honolulu, has 351,000 residents within the city limits, or about one-third the size of San Francisco, which has 874,000. When you compare metro areas, Honolulu’s 1.02 million is much smaller than San Francisco’s 9.55 million. 

Keep reading to learn what else to expect when relocating from the West Coast to the Hawaiian Islands. 

Warm up in Hawaii 

San Francisco is known for mild weather, with summer highs rarely exceeding 70 degrees, but winter lows can feel chilly at around 46 degrees. The weather is warmer in Honolulu, typically between 65 and 85 degrees.  

Honolulu gets around 45 inches of rain annually, significantly more than San Francisco’s average of 25 inches. 

Like San Francisco, snow is extremely rare in Honolulu, and you can expect around 271 sunny days per year in your new home in Hawaii, similar to the 259 average days of sunshine back in California. 

Embrace a slower pace of life 

Honolulu residents enjoy the Aloha Spirit, which emphasizes friendliness and respect for nature, in all aspects of a slower-paced lifestyle.  

On island time, everything moves slower than you’re used to in San Francisco. While punctuality is vital for work and school, for leisure time, relaxing and slowly taking in the natural beauty of the island is the way of life for residents of the “Aloha State.” 

You won’t want to miss some of the top tourist attractions in the city, including the Aloha Tower, Diamond Head and the Honolulu Zoo. 

Working and learning in Honolulu 

Honolulu has a healthy job market with salaries above the national average. While the cost of living in Hawaii is higher than in most states, living in Honolulu costs similar to living in San Francisco.  

Tourism is the top job industry on the island of Oahu, and education, healthcare, government and military employment is also available.  

There are over 100 public and private schools for grades K-12, and the city is also home to 5 colleges and universities. 

Leave the West Coast for Honolulu with U-Pack 

U-Pack® is the best choice for a stress-free move from San Francisco to Honolulu through our service center locations across the country. Just handle packing, loading and unloading, and then we’ll take care of transporting your things. Get a free moving quote and see your price instantly, or call 844-362-5303844-594-3077 to speak to a moving consultant. We’re ready to help!