What are some costs I should expect to pay?

-- Roy Annehig (rhiggins@wilmington.net), January 23, 1999

Answers

McDonald's Big Mac meal is about $4. A plate lunch (usually two scoops of rice, 1 scoop of macaroni salad, and an entree) is between $4-6. Telephone call is .35. Bus fare is $1 (you can circle Oahu on that dollar). Super unleaded gas is $1.69/gallon. Gallon of milk in about $5. A nice sit down dinner will cost about $15-$25 per person.

-- Roy Inouye (roy@bothi.com), January 23, 1999.

Don't forget that swimming at the beach, watching the sunset from Waikiki beach, or hiking along the Pali are all FREE 8)

-- Kunane Leigh (kunane@nursery.com), January 23, 1999.

$3-5 for a beer in Waikiki. $8-9 for a cold pack of beer from a liquor store.

-- Steven Helton (shelt@lava.net), January 24, 1999.

How to eat (and live) lavishly in Hawaii on a shoestring budget. It took me some searching but I'm have rich tastes but miserly spending habits. "As momma alwayz said I got champagne taste on a beer budget".

So far I've been here I've been most pleased with some of the cheaper places to eat (as is often the case as the higher priced places are looking just for profits and don't take as much pride) and thoroughly displeased with some of the more expensive places to eat.

Macgoo's Pizza is a boisterous place but great fun for the under 40 somethings (actually now that I think about it I have seen some open minded older gents and ladies there) and you can get a half gallon pitcher of 4 dozen or so assorted microbrews and other fine beers for only $5 to $6! This is a lot of beer and 2 of you probably won't be able to finish it. Also you can order a huge plate of food that can easily be shared between 2 or more people for $10. I recommend the Kona brews which are normally expensive by the bottle. Lilikoi is good and the Hula Hefeweizen comes damn close to a German Hefewiezen. I was really impressed. I recommend the Blackened Ahi salad for light eaters (to share with a mate) or the fetuccini for the more indulgent. Warning this place is anything but posh and I recommend you come early as the croud turns into an uproar by 8pm that can be heard from 2 blocks away. Clearly a popular place for good reasons. (I just wish they'd level the floor, somehow get the hot and steamy air ventilated out from the canopy and purchase some more comfortable chairs and less wobbly tables.)

Thai Food: Montien Thai: Pad Thai noodles = $6.50 Best Chinese: I've had so far (and I've sampled many and being very disappointed on many occaision until I found -->) California Wok in the Ala Moana Shopping center. $5.25 for a Kung Pao Chicken Lunch. Some Dim sums in China town are good too but can't be had for the prices of Dim Sum in Hong Kong or Canada.

Mekong is another good Thai but their prices are going up.

The price for Japanese Tepanyaki food is nuts ($27 a head) and it's so simple anyone could make it (anyone who cooks). I don't get the concept of Japanese food. It's fun once though.

BaliIndonesian is now serving a mean Lunch buffet for only $5.95! YES! (but they need to ditch the paper plates) and Ahimsa Indian Curries on the same block is a delicious $6.95 lunch Buffet.

For a truly nice dining experience I recommend the Old Spagetti Factory in Ward Center complex. The place is decked out like a 16th century Italian castle. It's like eating in a museum. I was thoroughly pleased with the ambiance though it might need a bit of touch work, but with the prices no doubt they get too much traffic to refine everything. You'll be pleased with a nice dinner for two topped with real parmesan cheese (not that kraft junk) for $20.

Keep in mind these ideas were cheap yet quality.

-- Jack (Tropicalgreen2003@yahoo.com), April 17, 2003.