[Hawaii Travel] Food costs in Hawaii are too expensive! Save money on food in Hawaii, where the yen is weak against the dollar and prices are soaring!

Weak yen and soaring prices are a concern when traveling to Hawaii

Traveling to Hawaii has finally become easier with the relaxation of restrictions on overseas travel.

However, as of January 2024, the yen is extremely weak at 148 yen to the dollar and the dollar is strong, as well as the rising price of goods in the United States, so even if you actually go on a trip to Hawaii, the cost of food there will be ridiculously high. I'm sure there are many people who are worried that this might be the case.

So this time, we would like to actually go to Hawaii, where prices are soaring due to the weak yen, and report on the real price situation from Waikiki.

It is rumored that just a simple meal costs around 10,000 yen, but is that true? I would like to deliver the real situation in Hawaii through my actual trip to Hawaii. Please note that the currency used in this article is calculated at 150 yen to the dollar, for reference only.

Check price at ABC store!

We started our price research in Hawaii by checking prices at ABC Store, a convenience store that everyone will visit at least once when traveling to Hawaii.

ABC Store's prices are originally high because they are set for tourists, but what are the prices like in Hawaii, where the yen is weak against the dollar and prices are soaring? I would like to check out the ABC store located on the first floor of the Hyatt Regency Waikiki.

Surprised by beer prices!

Drinks are the easiest way to understand what prices are! So I checked the beer prices.

American beer Budweiser (350ml can) costs $2.49 (373 yen). Even though it's a convenience store beer, it's quite expensive at nearly 400 yen per bottle.

Local beer in Hawaii is more expensive.

When I checked out Hawaii's craft beer, I found this one! Each bottle costs $2.99 (450 yen). The price range is similar to that of beer in the minibar of Japanese hotels.

For some reason, Japanese beer is the cheapest!

Then, when I checked out Japanese beer,...what! Isn't it the lowest price at $2.29 (344 yen) per bottle? In other words, since the yen is weak in Japan, does that mean you can get it cheap? It's interesting to see how the yen is weakening against the dollar even when you look at the price of a single beer.

Anyway, I can't believe that even a bottle of beer is so expensive... On my trip to Guam about a month ago, beer cost about $1.99 at the ABC store, so the price in Hawaii is about 1.2 times that of Guam.

Mitsuwa Marketplace @ International Marketplace

Next, to find out about the price situation in Hawaii, I visited a supermarket that sells Japanese food, including bento boxes and ingredients. Let's take a look at Mitsuwa Marketplace, a supermarket located on the second floor of International Marketplace.

If you want a quick meal in Hawaii, the best option is to buy a bento box at one of these places and eat it in your hotel room. I would like to check out how much bento boxes are sold for...

Lunch box for $10.99

Let's go to the bento corner where there are many types. Prices vary depending on the contents, but a regular fried chicken bento costs $10.99 (1,650 yen).

In terms of quantity, it's a little more voluminous than the bentos sold at convenience stores in Japan, but when converted to Japanese yen, 1,650 yen per bento is still expensive (lol).

What about poke bowls and sushi rolls?

Let's take a look at other lunch boxes. The poke bowl is also priced at $10.99 (1,650 yen), just like the bento box. California roll-type sushi rolls start at $11.99 (1,800 yen).

One pack of seafood-based sushi costs $17.99 (2,700 yen). The cost of a pre-made lunch box of nearly 3,000 yen seems shockingly high considering the combination of prices in Hawaii and the weak yen.

Spam nigiri for $4.49

Spam nigiri, a well-known Hawaiian B-class gourmet dish, costs $4.49 (674 yen) each. In Japan, it's a price that would allow you to buy a somewhat luxurious convenience store bento.

By the way, they also have Japanese-style rice balls, but they cost $3.49 (524 yen) each. The price is such that you might laugh out loud.

Mineral water

Next, I went to the mineral water corner.

A regular mini bottle (500ml) of water costs $0.99 (150 yen). It's not that expensive, right?

Water can be purchased at the same price as in Japan. Well, you can't survive on water alone, but there's no need to be so scared when buying water.

Beer is also cheaper than ABC store

If you look at the beer section at Mitsuwa Marketplace, Budweiser costs $1.99 (300 yen) a bottle, which is cheaper than the one at ABC Store.

Buy a late night snack with Uber Eats

Well, I got hungry in the middle of the night, so I decided to order a midnight snack using Uber Eats.

We were staying at Moana Surfrider in the middle of Waikiki (in-room dining is still suspended as of late October 2022), and there are quite a few Uber Eats restaurants that will bring food to you 24 hours a day.

This time, we ordered a meal at a popular American hamburger chain restaurant [JACK IN THE BOX] for a late night snack. I had it delivered to the front door of my hotel (it was around 2am), but I would like to see how much it costs to eat at Uber Eats in Hawaii.

Order combo set

This time I ordered a combo meal that included a hamburger, nachos, fries, onion rings, and a drink. I also added the churros that Mizuki wanted to eat.

This combo meal from Jack in the Box was enough for two people, especially since we don't eat much, but it cost about $20 in total, including everything you see in these photos, plus shipping and tip. (3,000 yen).

If you divide it between two people, it will cost you 1,500 yen per person, so I think the price you pay on Uber Eats in the middle of the night is not that different from what you would pay on Uber Eats in Japan.

Breakfast at hotel

The next day, we decided to have breakfast at Moana Surfrider's breakfast restaurant [The Veranda].

Breakfast at Moana Surfrider's restaurant was not a buffet style in October 2022, but an ordering style where you ordered from the menu. In addition to the usage fee, a tip (15% to 20%) is also required.

Pancakes are $31

When I checked the breakfast menu, Moana Surfrider's pancake breakfast was quite expensive at $31 (4,650 yen/drink included) without service charge.

It is unclear whether this high price is due to Moana Surfrider being a luxury hotel or whether it is affected by rising prices. If you want to have breakfast at Moana Surfrider, you should aim to spend around 5,000 yen per person.

Acai bowl

You can also order an acai bowl at Moana's breakfast, which is a little cheaper at $20 (3,000 yen). The prices are reasonable, but the quantities are very large. The taste was delicious and I was very satisfied.

If you are a high-level Marriott member (Platinum elite member or above), you can receive a breakfast subsidy of up to $18 per day, so you can actually eat this acai bowl for $2.

If you make good use of the hotel's advanced membership system, you can significantly reduce your food costs in Hawaii.

Article マリオット ボンヴォイ アメックスで旅費を劇的に節約！高級ホテルに無料宿泊＆マイルで飛行機代も無料！ シェラトンやマリオット、リッツ・カールトンに無料宿泊したり、部屋のアップグレードがあったり、無料でレイトチェックアウトできたり…。世界中を旅するモリオとミヅキの旅行をアップグレードさせた「 マリオットアメックス プレミアムカード 」の魅力とメリット、デメリットを交え詳しく紹介していきたい。

Moana Surfrider's breakfast buffet is back!

The breakfast buffet will resume in the summer of 2023, and the variety of meals has increased considerably.

The buffet price is $44 (6,600 yen) for adults and $22 (3,300 yen) for children, so for a family of four, breakfast alone will cost about 25,000 yen (tax and service charge included). It's in the price range of a luxury hotel.

Please refer to the article below for detailed breakfast details at Moana Surfrider.

Restaurant 【ハワイ 朝食 おすすめ】ビュッフェ再開！モアナサーフライダーの朝食はハワイで一番美味しい！【モアナサーフライダー ウェスティン】 ハワイ・ワイキキの人気リゾートホテル「モアナサーフライダー ウェスティン」の朝食レポート！メニュー内容から最新料金、そしてマリオット上級会員向けの朝食メニューまで、モアナサーフライダーの朝食の詳細をお届け。

To Longs Drugs in Waikiki

Next, we visited Long's Drugs, a drugstore chain located along Kalakaua Avenue, to research prices in Hawaii.

Long's Drugs is a discount shop-style pharmacy where you can purchase not only medicines but also groceries, just like Japanese drugstores.

6 beers for $9.49

First, check the price of beer.

There aren't many types of beer, but they sell six bottles of beer for $9.49 (1,424 yen). At 237 yen per bottle, it's about the same price as buying beer at a convenience store in Japan!

Water is also cheap

Also, the cheap large plastic bottles of water (1L) cost $1.19 (180 yen) each, which is also cheaper than the ABC store in Waikiki. In other words, if you want to buy beer, water, or other drinks during your stay in Waikiki, you can get a good deal by shopping at Longs Drugs, although the selection is limited.

Please note that Longs Drugs requires a membership card to purchase at a discounted price, so make sure to get one at the register before making your purchase. It is possible to create a membership card even if you do not live in Hawaii.

The article was written before the coronavirus, so the prices of the products in the article are quite different, but I have attached an article that describes how to make a membership card, so please use it as a reference.

Travel Info [Actual experience report] Hawaiian souvenirs can buy cheaply! How to get superior shopping more cheaply · Tricks How to buy souvenirs in Hawaii cheaply

Lion coffee

They also had Lion Coffee, a classic Hawaiian souvenir, so check the price.

The price is 10.19 dollars (1,530 yen) for about 200g. If I remember correctly, I remember that Lion Coffee could be purchased for around $5 in Hawaii before the coronavirus, but compared to that, the price of Lion Coffee has doubled.

To nordstrom rack

Since I'm in Waikiki, I decided to stop by Nordstrom Rack, which sells brand-name items at low prices.

This used to be a place where you could buy bargain items at a great price, but I would like to see if that has changed in Waikiki post-coronavirus.

UGG boots

A quick way to compare prices is to check out famous brand products that are also sold in Japan. So, I found these UGG boots.

The price you're looking for is 99.97 dollars (15,000 yen). The same thing is sold in Japan for around 23,000 to 28,000 yen, so it's about 10,000 yen cheaper than buying it in Japan!

Despite the weak yen, Nordstrom Rack's value for money is still going strong in Waikiki.

To the food court at Royal Hawaiian Center

Next, we visited the food court on the second floor of the Royal Hawaiian Center in the center of Waikiki.

The biggest concern for Hawaii travelers during their stay is the cost of food, but if you want to save money, it's easy and quick to do it at the food court.

I'd like to try it out and find out just how much food costs at Waikiki's food court.

The cost of food at the food court is around $20 per person.

This time, we went to the Royal Hawaiian food court, and Mizuki bought the Panda Express plate set ($12/1,800 yen), and I bought the steak + garlic shrimp ($18/2,800 yen).

This Royal Hawaiian food court is detailed in a separate article, so please refer to the article below for store details and price ranges.

Article 【コロナ後ハワイ】ハワイのフードコートでの食費は？全店舗値段調査【ロイヤルハワイアンセンター フードコート パイナラナイ】 コロナ後のハワイ旅行で一番驚いたのが食費の高さ！比較的安価で食事ができるフードコート「ロイヤルハワイアンセンター パイナラナイ」の価格（値段）調査をしてきました！何がどのくらいで食べられるのか？ハワイ旅行の参考にしてくださいね。

When I looked around, I found that you can usually eat at the food court for around $20 per person.

It feels like it's a few dollars more expensive than it used to be, but considering it's a food court in Hawaii, I don't think it's that expensive on a dollar basis.

However, in terms of yen, it's about 25 dollars (3,750 yen) including drinks, or 7,500 yen for two people. 15,000 yen for a family of 4!! 15,000 yen for a quick meal at the food court is a bit scary. I wonder if something can be done about this weak yen...

Try a steak at a restaurant

Since I came all the way to Waikiki, Hawaii, I would like to eat at a restaurant outside once in a while! So I decided to go to a restaurant.

One night, we used OpenTable (a restaurant reservation service that can be used in the United States / smartphone app or web) to go to a steakhouse in Waikiki [Aloha Steak House] where you can eat delicious and hearty steaks at a relatively reasonable price.

[Aloha Steak House] is a restaurant that is featured in the JCB coupon book distributed in Hawaii, and if you present the coupon when ordering, you can get a 10% discount on your meal (pay with a JCB card). Coupons change depending on the season, so if you want to eat at a bargain price, check local free newspapers.

By the way, you will need to tip around 20% when eating at a restaurant. Let's see how much it will cost.

Sirloin steak & garlic shrimp

At Aloha Steakhouse, we ordered sirloin steak & garlic shrimp ($45/10oz steak), Caesar salad ($18), spicy chicken wings ($16), and beer ($4 x 2).

It might be hard to tell from the photo, but both the steak and the salad were exceptionally large, and the chicken wings, about 8 pieces, were incredibly voluminous. It was so much that two people couldn't finish it. I usually don't like to leave food, but even I ended up leaving some due to the generous portions.

After factoring in the JCB card coupon discount and adding a 20% tip, the bill came to about $108 (16,200 yen) for two people. Well, it's expensive, but it's probably within the expected price range if you eat at a restaurant outside.

Waikiki Trolley to Ala Moana Shopping Center

The price situation in Waikiki is roughly like this, but since Waikiki is a town for tourists, prices may be higher than in other areas.

So, I would like to visit Ala Moana Shopping Center, which can be accessed from Waikiki using the Pink Trolley, and take a look at the prices there.

Food court is a little cheap

I came to the food court at Ala Moana Shopping Center. Ala Moana Shopping Center is the world's largest open-air shopping mall. There are many stores lined up in the food court.

As for the price range of the food court at Ala Moana Shopping Center, I've looked around and it seems like the average price is around $15 per person. Compared to the Waikiki food court, it's about $5 cheaper.

Foodland Farms

Now that you're at Ala Moana Shopping Center, let's check out the Foodland Farms supermarket inside.

Foodland is an American supermarket chain that operates mainly in Hawaii, and Foodland Farms is a high-end brand that also sells organic vegetables. Let's see what the price range is.

Lunch boxes are cheap!

Enter the store and go to the bento corner. There, there were a lot of bento boxes. What is the price? $6.99 (1,050 yen).

In Waikiki, most bento boxes cost over $10, but at Foodland Farms you can buy them for about $7. It's still expensive when converted into Japanese yen, but compared to Waikiki, you can buy bento lunches about 30% to 40% cheaper. Anyway, there are so many different kinds that I get excited about which one to choose (lol)

Beer is cheap too!

Beer is also cheaper than Waikiki! For example, with Japan's Ichiban Shibori, you can buy a set of 12 350ml cans for $11.99 ($10.99 if you buy two sets), which means you can buy it for less than $1 (less than 150 yen) per bottle. This pricing is cheaper than buying beer in Japan!

They also sell poke

Foodland Farms also offers a variety of poke, which is a familiar Hawaiian local food.

The price is based on weight, so it's hard to tell, but one scoop can cost as little as $3, so if you want to eat some poke, it's convenient to buy here.

Spam nigiri is also cheap

Spam nigiri were also sold in another corner, but they were also priced at $1.99 (300 yen), less than half the price of the spam nigiri sold at Mitsuwa in Waikiki.

In addition, in order to purchase food at a discounted price at Foodland supermarkets, you will need a Maikai member card, so if you don't have one, make one (you can easily create one if you have your passport).

Since this article was written before the coronavirus, the prices in the article are quite different, but I have attached an article that describes how to make a membership card, so please use it as a reference.

Travel Info [Actual experience report] Hawaiian souvenirs can buy cheaply! How to get superior shopping more cheaply · Tricks How to buy souvenirs in Hawaii cheaply

I rode the Pink Trolley all the way to Ala Moana Shopping Center, but it was worth the effort to find out that the prices in places farther away from Waikiki were one or two times cheaper than in Waikiki.

Later, I heard from a local Hawaiian that you can buy items at a cheaper price at Don Quijote and Walmart near Ala Moana Shopping Center, so if you can stretch your legs, go there as well. It would be good to see.

Prices in Hawaii are high, but it depends on your ingenuity!

This field survey revealed that in the current climate of a weak yen and a strong dollar, prices in Hawaii are quite high for Japanese people. However, the highest prices in Hawaii are in Waikiki, and I found out that if you go out for a while, you can easily buy a lot of things at a surprisingly good price.

Eating all meals at restaurants can be quite expensive, but you can significantly reduce food costs by smartly using food courts, occasionally eating bento boxes, using Uber Eats, and dining at restaurants occasionally.

Even in Waikiki, prices vary depending on the store, so when traveling to Hawaii, first check the price range of stores near where you will be staying. You may be able to save time by referring to this article when looking for shops that offer the cheapest prices possible.

Knowing the general price range can help you navigate through a Hawaii trip during this period of extreme yen depreciation and dollar appreciation. It's not impossible to make the most of it. Since it's a special trip, don't be too frugal – loosen the purse strings a bit... but tighten them where necessary. Use this feature on Hawaii's current cost of living to plan a cost-effective trip.

Have a wonderful trip to Hawaii!See you soon!