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Many people dream of exploring the exotic Hawaiian Islands. And, why not? It’s paradise! But because of its physical distance to the American mainland, many people don’t know a lot about Hawaii including how much to budget for a vacation there or if it’s feasible to “do” Hawaii on a budget. I say if you look hard for the best accommodations, the cheapest airfare and go during the right time, Hawaii on a budget is totally possible! I’m planning to go to Hawaii on a budget and decided to share my research so you can plan your own trip to Hawaii on a budget…and Hang Loose!!

What Are The Hawaiian Islands Comprised Of?

Before we get into the cost, let’s review some basic information about Hawaii. The Hawaiin islands are actually made up of 8 islands, but two islands, Niihau and Kahoolawe, are closed to visitors. The other 6 islands that most people are familiar with are: Hawaii (The Big Island), Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, and Lanai.  

Which Islands Are The Best To Visit?

All the islands are worth visiting and all have their own unique appeal. Most first time visitors like to focus on the most familiar of Hawaii islands, which are Maui and Oahu. Maui is known for its beautiful black sand beaches while Oahu is known for iconic Waikiki as well as Pearl Harbor. 

 As far as pricing, Oahu and the Big Island are the most affordable. Maui and Kauai are the least affordable.

What is the Cheapest Time Of Year To Visit Hawaii?

There definitely can be a cost difference in Hawaii based on the time of year you go. The off season in Hawaii is between April and May and then again between September and early December. 

If you go during this timeframe, you’ll save money on everything compared to going in high season or peak season, which is basically mid-December through March and Summer Break. If you want to go to Hawaii on a budget, don’t going during peak travel times which also includes spring break!

How Long To Go To Hawaii?

Hawaii is far from mainland USA. For that reason I think you should go to Hawaii for a minimum of 7 days. Plus there’s so many things to see and do, if you’re not there for at least 7 days, you won’t have time to do as much as you should! And, if you stay for 7+ days in the same place, you’ll most likely get a discount on your lodging!

How Much Does It Cost To Go To Hawaii?

The biggest variables into the cost of a Hawaii vacation are Lodging, airfare and Food. Finding good deals on these items are essential!! If you make the right decisions with these big 3 items, the rest of your trip will fall into place and into budget.

Airfare To Hawaii Costs

When looking at airfare for your Hawaiian vacation, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that you have a wide variety of airlines to choose from. Go to Google flights to check prices. Google flights definitely is one of my top go-to’s on pricing airfare and finding cheap flights. By entering multiple dates I can always find a lower price on airfare. (I also like Momando and Skyscanner).

The bad news is that the flights to Hawaii aren’t cheap! There’s no getting around the fact that plane tickets to Hawaii are expensive! The cheapest airfare is usually going into Honolulu.

But some people want to island hop and hit a couple of islands. So sometimes it makes sense to fly into Maui then fly home from Honolulu.

In the month of November, the cost of flying from Omaha to Honolulu is around $550 per person round trip. And flying from Omaha to Maui is around $480 per person. So there’s not much of a difference. But then again the $70 difference per ticket could go towards a few bags of groceries for your stay! From Omaha, there are no nonstop flights, unfortunately.

Non Stop Or Not?

But, if you’re travelling from a bigger city like Denver you can choose a nonstop flight BUT it will cost more. If I had the choice, I think I’d do non-stop. It’s a long flight, yes – but there’s no waiting around an airport on the west coast to change planes.

Once you’re in Maui and want to island hop to Oahu (or hop over to any other islands,the quick plane trip will cost you less than $200. Hawaiian Airlines or Southwest Airlines are typically your best bet for the best flight prices.

But the cheapest way to island hop may not involve flying at all. Did you know that you can take a ferry between some of the Hawaiian Islands? Yep! I found that out while researching this article.

Cost Of Accommodations In Hawaii

The biggest dent to your budget will be your lodging costs. But don’t worry. You can still go to Hawaii on a budget. There’s so many types of accommodations to choose from as well as many different areas to stay in Hawaii so you have choices. For this article, I’m focusing on budget choices in both Maui and Honolulu.

Hotel rooms aren’t what they used to be either – most hotel rooms have at least a mini refrigerator these days. So even though you may be staying in a hotel you can still hit one of the local grocery stores and buy some essentials. And if you have points for any hotel stays, now is the time to use them! And you can check out my post on how to get free hotel stays if you don’t have enough points yet!

Budget Lodging: Camping!

Are you a camper? Could you be a camper? Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. If I were to camp, it would be here. I found out you can camp in national parks, state parks and there are also private campgrounds.

Budget Condo Choice In Maui

For the best bang for your buck, you may want to opt for a condo or one of the vacation rentals in Maui. We found many great deals on beautiful Maui condos around Kaanapali Beach in the West Maui area of Lahaina. The Kaanapali area offers beachfront, 2 bed condos that sleep 4, with a full kitchen and a pool starting at only $1300 for 6 nights. Getting a condo is obviously a great way to save as much money as you can on this trip!

Budget Hotel Choice In Oahu

In Honolulu, the Queen Kapiolani is a steal! Check out the room with a view of Diamond Head! And while there’s no view of Diamond Head in some of the lowest priced rooms, at only $180 per night AND only about a block of, Queen Kapiolani is a great option for your budget Hawaii trip to Hawaii. It’s a nice place at a reasonable price. And that can be a rare thing!

Food Costs For Hawaii On A Budget

There’s no doubt that food is more expensive on the islands of Hawaii than on the Mainland. 

Obviously you’ll save money on food if you stay somewhere that has a kitchen. Even if your place only offers a small cooktop and mini-fridge, that’s enough to make breakfast or brunch everyday and save you tons of cash just by making some of your own meals. If you eat out most meals, you’re going to pay a ton and you don’t need those extra costs. Wouldn’t you rather spend that money on doing fun things?!

It’s a fact that any touristy town is known for high-priced restaurant meals. There’s no getting around it. Unless you make a conscious effort to NOT eat out a lot, that is! I like to have coffee for breakfast, then do a brunch, then dinner.

The best way to save money is to eat where the locals do – this will allow you to save money! This will be outside of tourist trap restaurants! You can get coffee in the hotel (obviously!) Or go to a coffee place – if you spend $5 no big deal in the grand scheme of things so don’t feel guilty! It’s your trip to Hawaii, too!

Other Thoughts On Budget Tips For Saving Money On Food

Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island all have a Costco on the island so stock up!

Try hitting one of the food trucks – they usually have good deals!

Farmers markets – hit up the farmers markets for fresh, succulent goodies and dig in!

Extras For A Great Trip To Hawaii On A Budget:

Car Rental

While I didn’t list this as an absolute essential, you might want a car for your vacation in Hawaii. If you’re staying in Waikiki, you can get around using the Waikiki Trolley and Ubers. If you’re going to Maui or another island you’ll probably want to do a rental car. Go to Autoslash to find the best deals on car rentals!

Excursions and Experiences: 

There’s no shortage of fun things to do in Hawaii. You can spend a lot or you can save money by doing a lot of free things on your trip. Again, the choice is yours. Obviously, if you really want to go to Hawaii on a strict budget then you’ll probably opt to skip tours and excursions. There’s so many free activities that you’ll be fine. i know I’m sticking with the cheap and free stuff.

Things like going to the beach and touring some of the national parks and state parks are great things to do that don’t cost a lot of money. In fact, they cost very little money. Hawaii is an outdoor lover’s paradise so take advantage of all the natural beauty that’s absolutely free!

I don’t really need to “do” a lot of the popular attractions when I’m in Hawaii. I just want to take in the scenery and explore the great outdoors. There’s so many naturally beautiful things to see and so many great beaches that I think most of the manufactured things to do wouldn’t measure up anyway!

If you do opt for some iconic Hawaiian experiences like Surfing Lessons, Plantation Tours, Ziplining and Luau’s, each will set you back up to $100 per experience.

And some things will cost more so I wouldn’t do those. Do you really need to do a helicopter tour?

Cheap And Free Things To Do In Hawaii

I’m planning to spend the majority of my time outdoors in Hawaii. Here’s where I want to go:

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park – Hawaii

Mauna Kea Mountain – Hawaii

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden – Hawaii

Haleakala National Park – Maui

Road to Hana – Maui

Kaanapali Beach – Maui

Waianapanapa State Park – Maui

Waikiki Beach – Oahu

Pearl Harbor National Memorial – Oahu

Diamond Head – Oahu

Whether you’re on a tight budget or you want to have the ultimate luxurious trip, Hawaii is a place you’ll fall in love with! There’s so much to see and do here and I want to experience it ALL! How About You? What do YOU want to do in Hawaii? Share your thoughts – I’d love to know!

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