New Mexico to Hawaii Moving Guide
Updated June 23, 2025

Planning a interstate move from New Mexico to Hawaii? This moving guide will help you compare living in New Mexico vs Hawaii across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like arid climate vs tropical weather), food & health (like Green Chile vs Poke), real estate & housing (pueblo revival vs plantation style), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Hawaii), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Green Chile and Carne Adovada, but get your taste buds ready for Poke & Kalua Pork
- Hawaii housing costs are 186% more expensive than they are in New Mexico
- Rent in Hawaii is 115.27% more expensive than in New Mexico
- Our top recommended New Mexico to Hawaii movers is JP Moving
Top New Mexico to Hawaii Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best New Mexico to Hawaii movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

JP Moving
Best moving company overall for New Mexico to Hawaii

Two Men and a Truck

Ewa Moving Co.
New Mexico to Hawaii Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from New Mexico to Hawaii
- Arid climate
- Limited coastline
- Sparse greenery
- Lower job opportunities
- Cultural isolation
- Tropical weather
- Beautiful beaches
- Lush landscapes
- Strong tourism sector
- Diverse cultures
- High cost of living
- Potential cultural disconnect
- Tourist crowds
- Island traffic
- Less seasonal variety
- Low cost of living
- Rich cultural history
- Quiet small towns
- Easy navigation
- Distinct seasons
Pros of moving from New Mexico to Hawaii
- Say goodbye to arid climate and hello to tropical weather
- Look forward to moving away from limited coastline and moving to Hawaii with beautiful beaches
- Swap the sparse greenery of New Mexico for lush landscapes in Hawaii
- Get ready for a strong tourism sector in Hawaii
Cons of moving from New Mexico to Hawaii
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from the low cost of living in New Mexico to live with the high cost of living in Hawaii
- You'll lose out on the pro of rich cultural history and have to settle with the con of potential cultural disconnect
- Time to bid farewell to quiet small towns and get used to the tourist crowds in Hawaii
- Swap easy navigation for island traffic
New Mexico vs. Hawaii: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | New Mexico | Hawaii |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Green Chile | Poke |
Most popular meat dish | Carne Adovada | Kalua Pork |
Most popular street food item | Breakfast Burrito | Spam Musubi |
Most popular vegan food | Blue Corn Enchiladas | Tofu Poke |
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 New Mexico to Hawaii, you will be trading the iconic Green Chile of New Mexico for the equally delicious Poke of Hawaii. And while the locals in New Mexico rave about their flavorful Carne Adovada and sumptuous Breakfast Burrito, Hawaii residents know they have tasty Kalua Pork and Spam Musubi to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Blue Corn Enchiladas they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Tofu Poke of Hawaii. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic New Mexico eateries like Sadie's of New Mexico, Frontier Restaurant, and El Modelo. 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, Da Kitchen Cafe, and Alan Wong's.
When comparing lifestyles, Hawaii shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than New Mexico. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in Hawaii compared to what you are used to in New Mexico. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in Hawaii.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between New Mexico and Hawaii
Comparison | New Mexico | Hawaii |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Pueblo Revival | Plantation Style |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Large plots, scenic views | Ocean views, proximity to beaches |
- The Pueblo Revival architecture that New Mexico is known for will be replaced with the Plantation Style architecture typical of Hawaii.
- Compared to New Mexico's real estate listings that commonly reference large plots and scenic views, Hawaii real estate listings often highlight features like ocean views and proximity to beaches.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes. Hawaii is more walkable than New Mexico.
- You might want to think twice before moving your bike. Hawaii is less bike-friendly than New Mexico.
- Hawaii has more of an urban feel than New Mexico.
- Hawaii housing costs are 186% more expensive than they are in New Mexico, with a median home price of $858,106 compared to New Mexicoβs $300,227.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Hawaii have increased 38% compared to a 56% increase in New Mexico.
- Rent in Hawaii is 115.27% more expensive than in New Mexico.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between New Mexico and Hawaii
Comparison | New Mexico | 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 | Wildfires, Floods | Hurricanes, Volcanic Eruptions |
Air Quality | Good | Good to Moderate |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 86Β°F / 64Β°F | 85Β°F / 75Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 49Β°F / 23Β°F | 78Β°F / 65Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 13.9 | 63.7 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 23.6 | 0 (except in higher elevations) |
- The shades won't be used as much for your move from New Mexico to Hawaii. Hawaii gets 3% fewer sunshine days than New Mexico.
- Hawaii has higher humidity and a higher average UV index compared to New Mexico.
- Say goodbye to the possible wildfires and floods in New Mexico, but be on the lookout for potential hurricanes and volcanic eruptions in Hawaii.
- The average summer high temperature in Hawaii is 1 degree cooler than in New Mexico.
- The average winter lows are 42 degrees warmer than they are in New Mexico.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in Hawaii. Hawaii receives 49.8 more inches of rain compared to New Mexico.
Financial & Community Snapshot: New Mexico and Hawaii
Comparison | New Mexico | Hawaii |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $59,726 | $92,458 |
Cost of Living Index | 96.45 | 165.7 |
State Income Tax | 4.9% | 11% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.78% | 0.28% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 7.8% | 4.44% |
Top 3 Industries | Oil & Gas, Federal Government, Tourism | Tourism, Military, Agriculture |
Affluence | Moderate | High |
Poverty | High | Moderate |
Homelessness | Moderate | High |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Hawaii tend to earn about 55% more than those in New Mexico
- The COLI in Hawaii will be 72% higher than what you are used to living in New Mexico
- The state income tax in HI is 11% compared to 4.9% in NM
- The affluence in Hawaii is high compared to moderate in New Mexico
- The poverty level is moderate in Hawaii compared to high in New Mexico
- In terms of homelessness, it is moderate in New Mexico and high in Hawaii
Political and Religious Climate in New Mexico vs. Hawaii
Comparison | New Mexico | Hawaii |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Democrat-leaning | Democrat-leaning |
Local Politics | Progressive in urban areas | Mixed, with some conservative leanings in rural areas |
Religion | Diverse; Catholicism prevalent | Diverse; Buddhism, Shinto, and Christianity |
- New Mexico tends to lean democrat-leaning in its political climate
- Hawaii, on the other hand, is often described as democrat-leaning
- Hawaii's religious environment can be described as diverse, including Buddhism, Shinto, and Christianity
- New Mexico's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as diverse, with Catholicism prevalent
Education Guide When Moving from New Mexico to Hawaii
Comparison | New Mexico | Hawaii |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of New Mexico New Mexico State University Eastern New Mexico University | University of Hawaii at Manoa Hawaii Pacific University Chaminade University of Honolulu |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Double Eagle Elementary (Albuquerque) Wood Gormley Elementary (Santa Fe) La Cueva High (Albuquerque) | Momilani Elementary (Pearl City) Manoa Elementary (Manoa) Noelani Elementary (Honolulu) |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Desert Ridge Middle (Albuquerque) Sydney Gutierrez Middle (Roswell) Eisenhower Middle (Albuquerque) | Iolani School (Honolulu) Punahou School (Honolulu) Kamehameha Schools KapΔlama (Honolulu) |
Top 3 High Schools | La Cueva High (Albuquerque) Albuquerque Institute of Math and Science Eldorado High (Albuquerque) | Iolani School (Honolulu) Punahou School (Honolulu) Kamehameha Schools KapΔlama (Honolulu) |
Top 3 private high schools | Albuquerque Academy (Albuquerque) Santa Fe Preparatory School (Santa Fe) Bosque School (Albuquerque) | Iolani School (Honolulu) Punahou School (Honolulu) Hawai'i Preparatory Academy (Kamuela) |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Sandia Preparatory School (Albuquerque) Bosque School (Albuquerque) Albuquerque Academy (Albuquerque) | Iolani School (Honolulu) Punahou School (Honolulu) Kamehameha Schools KapΔlama (Honolulu) |
Top 3 School Districts | Albuquerque Public Schools Rio Rancho Public Schools Los Alamos Public Schools | Hawaii Department of Education (statewide) |