Colorado to Hawaii Moving Guide
Updated June 12, 2025

Planning a interstate move from Colorado to Hawaii? This moving guide will help you compare living in Colorado vs Hawaii across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like cold winters vs year-round warmth), food & health (like Rocky Mountain Oysters vs Poke), real estate & housing (ranch, mountain modern vs plantation style, modern tropical), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Hawaii), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Rocky Mountain Oysters and Bison Burgers, but get your taste buds ready for Poke & Kalua Pig
- Hawaii housing costs are 56% more expensive than they are in Colorado
- Rent in Hawaii is 44.70% more expensive than in Colorado
- Our top recommended Colorado to Hawaii movers is Movemasters, Inc.
Colorado to Hawaii Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Colorado to Hawaii
- Cold winters
- High altitude effects
- Limited beach access
- Dry climate
- Mountain hazards
- Year-round warmth
- Sea-level living
- Beautiful beaches
- Tropical climate
- Island adventures
- Higher cost of living
- Isolation from mainland
- Limited job market
- Humidity
- Limited nightlife
- Outdoor recreation
- Scenic drives
- Diverse culture
- Four seasons
- Craft beer scene
Pros of moving from Colorado to Hawaii
- Say goodbye to cold winters and hello to year-round warmth
- Look forward to moving away from high altitude effects and moving to Hawaii with sea-level living
- Swap the limited beach access of Colorado for beautiful beaches in Hawaii
- Get ready for a tropical climate in Hawaii
Cons of moving from Colorado to Hawaii
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from outdoor recreation in Colorado to live with a higher cost of living in Hawaii
- You'll lose out on the pro of scenic drives and have to settle for the con of isolation from the mainland
- Time to bid farewell to a diverse culture and get used to a limited job market in Hawaii
- Swap four seasons for humidity
Colorado vs. Hawaii: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Colorado | Hawaii |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Rocky Mountain Oysters | Poke |
Most popular meat dish | Bison Burgers | Kalua Pig |
Most popular street food item | Green Chili | Spam Musubi |
Most popular vegan food | Quinoa Salads | Taro Dishes |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Colorado to Hawaii, you will be trading the iconic Rocky Mountain Oysters of Colorado for the equally delicious Poke of Hawaii. And while the locals in Colorado rave about their flavorful Bison Burgers and sumptuous Green Chili, Hawaii residents know they have tasty Kalua Pig and Spam Musubi to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Quinoa Salads they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Taro Dishes of Hawaii. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Colorado eateries like The Buckhorn Exchange, Beau Jo's Pizza, and Snooze, an A.M. Eatery. After the boxes are unpacked in Hawaii, don't wait too long before making your way to Hawaii's acclaimed eateries like Helena's Hawaiian Food, Leonard's Bakery, and Duke's Waikiki.
When comparing lifestyles, Hawaii shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Colorado. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in Hawaii compared to what you are used to in Colorado. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in Hawaii.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Colorado and Hawaii
Comparison | Colorado | Hawaii |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Ranch, Mountain Modern | Plantation Style, Modern Tropical |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Mountain Views, Outdoor Spaces | Ocean Views, Proximity to Beaches |
- The Ranch and Mountain Modern architecture that Colorado is known for will be replaced with the Plantation Style and Modern Tropical architecture typical of Hawaii.
- Compared to Colorado's real estate listings that commonly reference mountain views and outdoor spaces, Hawaii real estate listings often highlight features like ocean views and proximity to beaches.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away. Hawaii is less walkable than Colorado.
- You might want to think twice before moving your bike. Hawaii is less bike-friendly than Colorado.
- Hawaii has more of an urban feel than Colorado.
- Hawaii housing costs are 56% more expensive than they are in Colorado, with a median home price of $858,106 compared to Coloradoβs $549,126.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Hawaii have increased by 38% compared to a 40% increase in Colorado.
- Rent in Hawaii is 44.70% more expensive than in Colorado.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Colorado and Hawaii
Comparison | Colorado | Hawaii |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Blizzards, Wildfires | Volcanic Eruptions, Hurricanes |
Air Quality | Good to Moderate | Good |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 80-90Β°F / 50-60Β°F | 85-90Β°F / 70-75Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 40-50Β°F / 10-20Β°F | 78-82Β°F / 63-68Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 15-20 | 20-100+, varies by location |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 60-100+ | 0, except for mountain peaks |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from Colorado to Hawaii. Hawaii gets 11% more sunshine days than Colorado.
- Hawaii has higher humidity and a higher average UV index compared to Colorado.
- Say goodbye to the possible blizzards and wildfires in Colorado, but be on the lookout for potential volcanic eruptions and hurricanes in Hawaii.
- Get ready for warmer summers. The average summer high temperature in Hawaii is 5 degrees warmer than in Colorado.
- The average winter lows are 53 degrees warmer than they are in Colorado.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in Hawaii. Hawaii receives 5 more inches of rain compared to Colorado.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Colorado and Hawaii
Comparison | Colorado | Hawaii |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $89,302 | $92,458 |
Cost of Living Index | 98.3 | 165.7 |
State Income Tax | 4.55% | 1.4% - 11% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.49% | 0.28% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 2.90% | 4.00% |
Top 3 Industries | Tech, Agriculture, Tourism | Tourism, Agriculture, Military |
Affluence | Comfortable | Mixed |
Poverty | Moderate | Higher |
Homelessness | Visible | Significant |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Hawaii tend to earn about 4% more than in Colorado
- The COLI in Hawaii will be 69% higher than what you are used to living in Colorado
- The state income tax in HI is 1.4% to 11% compared to 4.55% in CO
- The affluence in Hawaii is mixed compared to comfortable in Colorado
- The poverty level is higher in Hawaii compared to moderate in Colorado
- In terms of homelessness, it is visible in Colorado and significant in Hawaii
Political and Religious Climate in Colorado vs. Hawaii
Comparison | Colorado | Hawaii |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Swing state with a recent lean towards Democratic | Strongly Democratic |
Local Politics | Emphasis on environmental and gun control issues | Focus on indigenous rights and sustainability |
Religion | Mixed, with a significant number of non-religious people | Diverse, strong Asian influence in religious practices |
- Colorado tends to lean swing state with a recent lean towards Democratic in its political climate
- Hawaii, on the other hand, is often described as strongly Democratic
- Hawaii's religious environment can be described as diverse with a strong Asian influence in religious practices
- Colorado's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as mixed with a significant number of non-religious people
Education Guide When Moving from Colorado to Hawaii
Comparison | Colorado | Hawaii |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Colorado Boulder Colorado State University University of Denver | University of Hawaii at Manoa Hawaii Pacific University Chaminade University of Honolulu |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Bromwell Elementary - Denver Parker Core Knowledge Charter School - Parker Steele Elementary - Denver | Punahou School - Honolulu βIolani School - Honolulu Maui Preparatory Academy - Napili |
Top 3 Middle Schools | DSST: Stapleton Middle School - Denver Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School - Fort Collins Lesher Middle School - Fort Collins | Kamehameha Schools KapΔlama Campus - Honolulu Punahou School - Honolulu βIolani School - Honolulu |
Top 3 High Schools | Cherry Creek High School - Greenwood Village DSST: Stapleton High School - Denver Peak to Peak Charter School - Lafayette | Punahou School - Honolulu Kamehameha Schools KapΔlama Campus - Honolulu βIolani School - Honolulu |
Top 3 private high schools | The Colorado Springs School - Colorado Springs Kent Denver School - Englewood Colorado Academy - Denver | βIolani School - Honolulu Punahou School - Honolulu Hawaiβi Preparatory Academy - Kamuela |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Colorado Academy - Denver Vail Mountain School - Vail Denver Christian School - Lakewood | Punahou School - Honolulu βIolani School - Honolulu Le Jardin Academy - Kailua |
Top 3 School Districts | Cherry Creek School District Boulder Valley School District Lewis-Palmer School District | Hawaii Department of Education (statewide) |
Top Colorado to Hawaii Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Colorado to Hawaii movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.