Guide to Living Off Campus 

University of Hawaii
Guide to Living Off Campus
Updated July 2005

Planning and Organizing Your Search
Physical Features
Location
Cost of housing
Questions to ask and considerations to make

PLANNING AND ORGANIZING YOUR SEARCH
When looking for a place to live, there are a few things to take into consideration. These include physical features, location, and types of accommodations.

Physical Features
Make a list of the physical features that are of concern to you and rank their importance. For example, if you have a severe allergy to dust and pollen, you might require air conditioning. Some other features you may want to consider are:

  • Parking
  • Secured building or security
  • Size of rooms
  • Dishwasher
  • Carpet or hardwood floors
  • Laundry facilities or Washer/Dryer in unit
  • Window coverings (draperies, venetian blinds, shades, etc.)
  • Window screens
  • Adequate cabinet, shelf and closet space
  • Tub or shower preference
  • Kitchen appliances
  • Adequate electrical outlets
  • Swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, spa
  • Tennis courts
  • Adequate locks for entry ways, such as doors and windows

    Location
    Please give some thought to your location. If you will be on foot or riding a bicycle, you will obviously need to be close to campus. However if you drive a car, ride a moped, or ride the bus, then you may be able to extend your search area accordingly. The O'ahu mass transit system is called The Bus, and has many routes around the island. You may want to look for accommodations on or near a bus line. For more information, please call The Bus at (808) 848-5555 or visit their website at http://www.thebus.org. Areas closest to the University of Hawaii at Manoa are (closest first) Manoa, Punahou, St. Louis Heights, Mo'ili'ili, Palolo, Wai'alae, Kaimuki, McCully, Makiki, Kapahulu, Ala Moana, and Waikiki. Simple maps are located on page 22 of this guide, and our office can provide you more detailed maps upon request.

    Cost of Housing
    You may have heard that the cost of living in Hawaii is higher than the continental United States. Next to the state of Alaska, Hawaii has the highest cost of living. What you have heard is true. You should anticipate paying 15-20% more for most food items than you would normally pay on the mainland. There is a lot to do here that is free, but also there are many attractions that require legal tender "green" resources. Don't get caught short on your finances for paying rent! Budget carefully to make it to the end of the year!

    According to our statistics, taken from listings posted with us over the past year, the following are average prices for vacancies in Hawaii:

    Questions to Ask and Considerations to Make
    While house hunting, you should also think of some questions that you would like to ask the landlord about the rental. Also, take a pencil or pen and paper with you and write down notes about each property you saw. You may want to remember which features each unit had, and make comments of the advantages and disadvantages of each unit. Take your time and look carefully at each property. We have included a checklist on our website of questions that we suggest you ask the landlord. Please see our "House Hunt Checklist."

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