Last Updated: 8/25/2026
Moving Between Hawaii and Las Vegas: What to Know About the Ninth Island
Why Is Las Vegas Called Hawaii’s Ninth Island?
The connection between Hawaii and Las Vegas goes back decades.
One important chapter began in the 1970s with the California Hotel and Casino in downtown Las Vegas. After initially struggling to attract its intended California audience, the hotel began marketing to Hawaii travelers. The property embraced Hawaii visitors with familiar food, travel packages, and an atmosphere designed to feel welcoming to people from the islands.
The connection grew from there.
Over time, Las Vegas became much more than a vacation destination for Hawaii residents. People from Hawaii began putting down roots in Southern Nevada, building a community where newcomers could find familiar foods, cultural organizations, events, hula halau, and connections with other former Hawaii residents.
Royal Hawaiian Movers has been part of that movement for decades. After helping thousands of Hawaii residents relocate to Las Vegas, we’ve seen the Ninth Island grow from a popular vacation destination into a place many Hawaii families now call home.
That established community is one of the things that can make moving thousands of miles from Hawaii feel a little less unfamiliar.
Why Do Hawaii Residents Move to Las Vegas?
After helping so many people make the move, one thing is clear: there’s no single reason people leave Hawaii for Las Vegas.
For some families, housing and the overall cost of living are major factors. Others move to be closer to family already living on the Mainland. Employment, education, retirement, and the opportunity for a different lifestyle can all play a role.
Las Vegas offers a combination that has made it particularly attractive to Hawaii residents.
A Familiar Community
Leaving Hawaii often means leaving behind much more than a house. You’re leaving family, friends, food, traditions, and a way of life you’ve known for years.
Southern Nevada’s established Hawaii and Pacific Islander communities can help make that transition easier. You’ll find Hawaii style restaurants and markets, cultural organizations, hula, community events, and plenty of people who understand where you’re coming from.
It won’t replace home, but we’ve heard from many customers over the years that having those connections can make adjusting to Mainland life easier.
Different Housing Options
Housing is often one of the biggest considerations we hear about from customers planning a move from Hawaii to Las Vegas.
Depending on your budget and where you choose to live, Las Vegas may offer different housing options than you’re accustomed to in Hawaii. That could mean more square footage, a larger yard, newer construction, or simply a wider selection of homes. However, don’t assume everything will automatically be inexpensive because you’re moving to the Mainland.
Housing markets change. Compare current home prices or rents in the specific Las Vegas communities you’re considering with your current housing costs in Hawaii.
No Nevada Individual State Income Tax
Nevada does not impose an individual state income tax, an important financial difference from living in Hawaii.
Taxes, however, are only one part of your household budget. Sales taxes, property taxes, insurance, utilities, transportation, housing, and other expenses should all be considered when comparing the true cost of living.
Employment Opportunities
Both Hawaii and Las Vegas have significant hospitality and tourism industries, so people with experience in hotels, restaurants, entertainment, retail, and related industries may find some familiar career paths.
Las Vegas also offers opportunities well beyond tourism.
If employment is one of the reasons for your move, research your specific industry, salary expectations, commute, and benefits before deciding where in the Las Vegas Valley to live.
Cost of Living in Hawaii vs. Las Vegas
- Housing or rent
- Electricity and other utilities
- Groceries
- Transportation
- Auto insurance
- Health care
- Childcare, if applicable
- State and local taxes
- Homeowners or renters insurance
- Travel back to Hawaii
Where Should You Live in the Las Vegas Area?
One advantage of having moved thousands of people from Hawaii to Las Vegas is seeing just how different each family’s destination can be.
When people say they’re “moving to Vegas,” they don’t necessarily mean they’re moving near the Las Vegas Strip.
The Las Vegas Valley includes numerous communities and neighborhoods with very different housing, commuting, schools, amenities, and lifestyles.
Las Vegas
Las Vegas itself offers a wide range of neighborhoods, housing types, price points, and proximity to employment and entertainment.
When comparing neighborhoods, don’t focus only on the house. Map out where you’ll actually be going every week.
Your commute can become an important part of daily life after moving from Hawaii.
Henderson
Henderson is another popular destination in Southern Nevada and one we’ve delivered many Hawaii households to over the years.
It includes numerous neighborhoods and master planned communities, so compare housing, schools, commuting distance, amenities, and other priorities within individual areas.
North Las Vegas
North Las Vegas is its own city, not simply the northern part of Las Vegas.
It provides another set of housing and commute options to consider when deciding where to settle in the valley.
Wherever you’re looking, try to spend time in the neighborhood before signing a lease or purchasing a home.
Visiting Las Vegas on vacation doesn’t tell you much about what everyday life there will be like.
What Is It Like Moving From Hawaii to Las Vegas?
Get Ready for a Very Different Climate
This may sound obvious, but moving from Hawaii’s tropical climate to the Mojave Desert can be a significant adjustment.
Las Vegas summers are extremely hot and dry. Winters can also be much colder than many Hawaii residents expect.
That affects more than your wardrobe.
Your home’s air conditioning, energy efficiency, landscaping, vehicle, outdoor activities, and even when you choose to exercise outside can become important parts of everyday life.
You’ll Probably Drive More
Mainland distances can take some getting used to.
The Las Vegas Valley is spread out, and depending on where you live and work, your daily driving may be significantly different from what you were accustomed to in Hawaii.
On the other hand, living on the Mainland means destinations that once required a flight can become a road trip.
Mainland Travel Gets Easier
Southern California, Arizona, Utah, and destinations throughout Nevada are accessible by car.
That can be one of the most exciting adjustments to Mainland life.
The tradeoff, of course, is that Hawaii is now the destination that requires crossing the Pacific.
What Should You Bring When Moving From Hawaii to Las Vegas?
This is an area where our experience moving Hawaii households really matters.
After helping thousands of people make this exact move, our biggest recommendation is not to automatically assume you should move everything you own.
- Go through your home room by room and ask:
- Do I actually use this?
- Would it be expensive or difficult to replace?
- Does it have sentimental value?
- Will it work in my new home?
- Is it worth moving across the Pacific?
Furniture deserves particular attention.
If you’re moving into a larger home in Nevada, you may want to keep more than you initially thought. If you’re changing styles or already planning to replace furniture, moving everything may not make sense.
At the same time, arriving in Las Vegas and replacing an entire household at once can get expensive quickly.
Our moving team can help you understand how the amount you’re bringing affects your moving options so you can make a more informed decision.
Should You Ship Your Car From Hawaii to Las Vegas?
This is another question we’ve helped Hawaii customers work through thousands of times.
For many people moving to Las Vegas, having a vehicle is important because of how spread out the valley is.
Whether you should bring your existing vehicle depends on:
- Its age and condition
- What you still owe on it
- Its current value
- Transportation costs
- The cost of buying a comparable vehicle after you arrive
- Whether the vehicle fits your new lifestyle
If you own a reliable vehicle that you plan to keep for several more years, transporting it may make sense.
If you were already planning to replace it, selling before the move may be the better option.
There’s no universal answer. Do the math before deciding.
How Do You Move Your Belongings From Hawaii to Las Vegas?
This is where moving from Hawaii is fundamentally different from a typical Mainland move.
Your household goods have to cross the Pacific before continuing inland to Nevada.
Royal Hawaiian Movers has been moving families and their belongings to and from Hawaii for decades. We’ve coordinated thousands of moves from Hawaii to the Las Vegas area, so our teams understand both the ocean transportation involved and the logistics required to get your belongings to your new home in Nevada.
Depending on how much you’re moving, your household goods may travel in a full container or as a smaller shipment.
The process generally includes preparing and picking up your belongings in Hawaii, transporting them across the Pacific, moving them inland to Nevada, and arranging final delivery.
Royal Hawaiian Movers is part of The DeWitt Companies, giving our customers access to a family of moving and logistics companies with operations in Hawaii and on the Mainland.
That means we’re not simply handing you off and forgetting about the move once your belongings leave Hawaii. Our goal is to provide continuity throughout the journey and help coordinate your relocation from the islands to your destination in Southern Nevada.
Ready to understand the logistics? Visit our Hawaii to Las Vegas Movers page for more information about household goods moving, smaller shipments, vehicle transportation, packing, storage, and how the moving process works.
Planning Your Move From Hawaii to Las Vegas
There’s a reason Las Vegas has become known as Hawaii’s Ninth Island.
For decades, Hawaii residents have vacationed there, built communities there, raised families there, retired there, and made Southern Nevada their new home.
Royal Hawaiian Movers has been fortunate to help thousands of people make that journey.
That experience gives us a perspective that goes beyond simply transporting boxes. We understand the unique logistics of leaving an island, the decisions that come with moving a household across the Pacific, and the questions Hawaii residents have when preparing for life on the Mainland.
If Las Vegas is your next home, we’re ready to help you get there.
With experienced teams throughout Hawaii and the Mainland capabilities of The DeWitt Companies, Royal Hawaiian Movers can help coordinate your relocation from your home in Hawaii to your new home in Las Vegas.
Ready to make the Ninth Island your new home?
