Recent articles about Hawaii's Rising Costs

[alwysonvac]

Hawaii Shipping Cost increases starting January 1st
From Beat of Hawaii (dated November 2025) - https://beatofhawaii.com/hawaii-shipping-costs-jump-26-restaurants-and-stores-will-pass-it-on/

"....What is actually happening.​

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Effective 1/1/26, Hawaii’s inter-island freight rates rise 25.75% under a new permanent structure approved by regulators. This replaces the temporary 18% increase that expires on December 31, 2025. The new rate becomes the baseline every restaurant, grocery distributor, hotel, contractor, and retail supplier must use when moving goods between islands.​

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This adjustment follows a previous 46% increase in 2020, which means inter island shipping costs have risen roughly 80% in just the past five years. Even with these increases, the company projects a six million dollar loss in 2026. That reality raises uncomfortable questions about what comes next when the only carrier in a multi-island transportation-dependent state continues losing money despite nearly unprecedented rate jumps...."​

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Hawaii Leads U.S. in Dining-Out Spending
From Beat of Hawaii (dated June 2025) - https://beatofhawaii.com/hawaii-leads-u-s-in-dining-out-spending-what-travelers-face/\

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"...What visitors actually spend eating out in Hawaii.​

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The totals pile up fast for travelers eating out every day in Hawaii. Based on reader reports and our checks across the islands, here’s what most visitors can now expect:​

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A basic fast food meal at the airport often costs more than $20 per person. Entrées typically run between $30 and $45 at mid-range casual restaurants outside resort zones. Resort dining usually costs around $65 per person and climbs quickly, especially when drinks are added. Even plate lunch counters and food trucks, while still among the more affordable options, now tend to range from $15 to $25 per plate.​

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Those numbers don’t reflect the added charges regularly appearing at checkout, like Hawaii’s general excise tax, built-in service fees, and tipping expectations. And in many visitor-heavy neighborhoods, these prices are simply the only choices available without a car.​

The hidden fees that inflate Hawaii’s dining costs.​

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Hawaii’s general excise tax on meals is 4.712% statewide, based on food at restaurants and grocery stores. That includes a state base rate and county surcharges that now apply across all islands. The tax is typically added at checkout, on top of the listed menu price.​

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But the GET is just the beginning. Some restaurants, especially in resort areas, include automatic service charges ranging from 18% to 22%. Some apply these fees even to takeout orders. Visitors often receive receipts with a mandatory service charge and a blank tip line, without explaining what’s already covered. That $22 meal can suddenly become $29; unless you’re scrutinizing every line item, you may end up tipping twice...."​

Why Your Plate Lunch Is Becoming a Luxury
From Honolulu Magazine (dated August 2025) - https://www.honolulumagazine.com/why-your-plate-lunch-becoming-luxury/

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"...Let’s get to the point: The cost of eating out in Honolulu rose 5.8% in the year through July 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, dining out here costs 31.6% more than it did three years ago. The impact is even more of a blow when it hits our most beloved sanctums for comfort food...."​

Hawaii’s Middle Class Is Leaving.
From Beat of Hawaii (dated June 2025) - https://beatofhawaii.com/hawaii-leads-u-s-in-dining-out-spending-what-travelers-face/\

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"...A new survey from Hawaii Public Radio and Holomua Collective landed like a punch in the gut when we read it. It found that about 75% of middle-income households in Hawaii either expect they will have to leave the islands or are seriously considering it because of the high cost of living. That is three out of four people who make the day-to-day Hawaii you know work.​

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Middle income in Hawaii is not wealthy. It is hotel supervisors, restaurant managers, teachers, nurses, mechanics, and the small business people you meet behind the lunch counter or check-in desk. They do everything from keeping rooms clean, food coming, and businesses and planes running..."​