Big Island on a Budget: Unconventional Ways to Save Money in Hawaii

Save on Flights

This one, I’ll be honest, is not my forte. I haven’t mastered the art of stacking mileage points or snagging mistake fares like the pros do.

However, I do have some ideas for “the average Joe” on how to save on airline flights:

• Stay Flexible – check Google Flights and play around with dates. Stay away from holidays, summer, and Christmas dates, shooting for shoulder season months like May or September. 

• Get an Airline Credit Card – airline credit cards will typically give you sign-up bonus miles that are enough for one free roundtrip ticket. Alaska Airlines also has a companion fare perk with their card letting you can buy one ticket and get the second ticket for $99 (plus taxes/fees).

• Check Alternative Airports – most people fly into Kona International Airport but it’s possible that flying into Hilo International Airport could be cheaper. Also look into alternative airports near you, even if you have to drive a little further.

• Tracking Programs – sign up for sites like Hopper or Going to track flight prices so you can book (or rebook) your flights when prices drop. 

Cheap Places to Sleep

Sleeping on a budget is totally doable on the Big Island but might be your hardest hurdle to overcome mentally. 

If you look at these options as just a place to rest your head for the night, it becomes a much more manageable idea.

Hostels

Hostels are one of the most cost-effective ways to stay on the Big Island, especially if you’re traveling solo or don’t mind sharing space with strangers. 

And despite the old stereotype, you don’t have to be a 20-something year old backpacker to stay in one—many hostels welcome any age.

Hostels on the Big Island in town and easily accessible without a car: 

• Kona Beach Hostel (Kona)
• My Hawaii Hostel  (Kona)
• Howzit Hostels Hawaii (Hilo)

Browse other hostel options on the Big Island Here >>

AirBnb

There aren’t a ton, but you can find some Airbnb rentals in more remote parts of the island for under $100 a night. 

A few might offer the whole space to yourself, but most will be private bedrooms with shared common areas with the owners.

Camping 

For those who love the great outdoors, camping is an economical way to sleep while experiencing the Big Island’s nature al fresco.​

• Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park: The park offers the Nāmakanipaio Campground close to the park’s main entrance gate. You can choose to bring your own tent or rent one through the Volcano House. The campground provides access to community bathrooms with hot showers and toilets. Reserve your spot in advance by contacting Volcano House directly.
  
• County & State Parks: County and state parks around the island allow overnight camping but require a permit. Each park has its own set of regulations and amenities, so research each one ahead of time.​
  • County Park permit reservation system
  • State Park permit reservation system
    
• HipCamp: It’s like Airbnb but for camping. Rent space on private properties to set up a tent or maybe even find a cheap bed

FREE Places to Stay

If you’re really looking to save money and are extremely flexible, you could look into alternative lodging platforms like:

• Couchsurfing – locals open up their homes (and sometimes just their couches) to travelers for free. Couchsurfing works best when you treat it like a cultural exchange—not just a free place to crash. Be respectful, read host reviews carefully, and send thoughtful requests. Small membership fee required.
• TrustedHousesitters – connects travelers with homeowners who need someone to care for their pets and home while they’re away. In exchange for free lodging, you provide pet sitting and basic house upkeep

There are limited options for these on the Big Island, but it’s still an option to look into and you might get lucky.

Getting Around Without a Car

If you haven’t heard already—the Big Island is not walkable-friendly. Everything is so spread out here, that unless you are just staying within the downtown cores of Kona or Hilo, you’re going to need wheels of some sort.

While you can absolutely get around the Big Island without renting a car, it’s not very convenient and requires a lot of flexibility and patience. 

Accept it as part of the adventure!

Hele-On Bus

The Hele-On Bus is a county-run bus system that’s completely free to ride and can get you all around the island, from Kona to Hilo and even out to Volcano and Waimea. 

Some Popular Tourist Destinations You Can Visit Via Bus:

• Hawaii Volcanoes National Park – drops you off at the Visitor Center (NOTE: there is no shuttle within the park, you’ll have to walk everywhere from there)
• Punalu’u Black Sand Beach
• Rainbow Falls
• ʻAnaehoʻomalu Beach
• Greenwell Kona Coffee Farm

Taxis & Rideshares

If you need a quicker option, taxis and rideshares like Uber, Lyft, or Hawaii-based Rideholoholo are available—just not everywhere and won’t save you money for long distances. 

In more remote areas or during off hours, they can be hard to find or pretty pricey. I’d treat them as a backup plan, not a go-to.

💁‍♀️ Tab’s Trip Tip: It’s best if you can pre-schedule your taxi/rideshare as they aren’t always available on the fly.

Bikes Rentals

If you’re hoping to skip the car and still keep some freedom to roam, renting a bike is another option—especially around Kona and Hilo, where you’ll find a handful of bike rental shops. This can be a great way to get from your hostel to the beach or grocery store without waiting on a bus schedule.

Bike Rental Shops:

• Bike Works (Kona & Waikoloa)
• Kona Fat Bikes (Kona)
• Hawa E-Bikes (Hilo)
• Mid Pacific Wheels LLC (Hilo)

💁‍♀️ Tab’s Trip Tip: if you’re renting a bike for more than a day, confirm that wherever you’re staying has a secure place to lock it up overnight.

HI Bike is a bike share program in Kona and Hilo with stations around town to rent bikes by a set amount of time. I don’t like this option as you are confined to an area that has a HIBike station to trade out every 30 minutes. However, if you need to pedal a short distance and don’t want to walk, this is an option. 

If these options don’t appeal to you and you decide to rent a car, Discount Hawaii Car Rental usually has the best prices. Check your dates and rates here! >>

Eating on a Budget

Grocery Stores

You may not want to hear it, but here it is anyway: you don’t need to go out for every meal. 

That means you can absolutely survive off a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter for a few days if you need to. Throw in some ramen, instant oatmeal, or canned tuna, and boom—you’ve got meals for the week.

You can also find reasonably priced poke bowls in the seafood section, and it’s (almost) just as good as anything you’ll find from other poke spots. 

💁‍♀️ Tab’s Trip Tip: Take advantage of staying somewhere with a mini fridge and microwave to store and reheat leftovers. Also, hostels have community kitchens and campgrounds have bbq pits for cooking.

Eating Out

If you really want someone else to make your food, here are some tips on eating out:

• Kona Costco Food Court: The hot dog and soda combo is still under $2, and the best part? You don’t need a membership to eat there as the food court is outside and open to everyone. 
• Happy Hour: Plenty of restaurants offer Happy Hour and it’s a good way to get discounted restaurant menu items.
  • Some restaurants I think have good bang-for-buck HH pricing:
    • Pineapples (Hilo)
    • Kai Eats (Kona)
    • Kona Brewing Co (Kona)

• Share Plates: Another restaurant “hack” I personally use is to order nachos off the appetizer list. They are typically big enough to share as a whole meal for two people. Pizzas are another split-able menu item.
• Keiki Menu: Some places (not all) let you order off the keiki (childrens) menu. Yes the portions are smaller, but they’re cheaper
• Cheap Local Snacks: Get musubi from gas stations or market vendors, malasadas are relatively cheap, and some shave ice stands have reasonable prices.

💁‍♀️ Tab’s Trip Tip: Kuleana Rum Shack offers a $1 mai tai if you show them your boarding pass within 24hrs of landing!

Local Produce

One of the best things about food on the Big Island is the fresh, local produce and the reasonable price they can often be (though not always).

Roadside fruit stands are the best place to find cheap produce. Typically you’ll find: avocados, citrus, papayas, bananas, and banana bread. These are an honor system pay, so bring cash.

However, you can’t rely on them to be stocked. Best rule of thumb is if you see something you like, grab it while you can.

Farmers markets are always on lists for saving money on food, but I find it misleading. Yes, sometimes their produce is cheaper than the grocery store, but it’s usually at smaller, local markets rather than ones crowded with tourists.

You’ll have to price each vendor to see how they compare.

Free and Cheap Things to Do on the Big Island

You don’t need to book a bunch of expensive tours to have a good time on the Big Island. In fact, some of the best things to do here are totally free. 

Here’s just a small sample of free/cheap things to do on the Big Island:

• Beaches
• Waterfalls (some swimmable)
• Hiking
• Cliff jumping at South Point
• Mauna Kea 
• Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (entrance fee, good for 7 days)
• Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Park (entrance fee, good for 7 days)
• Petroglyphs
• Snorkeling (rentals are cheap or bring your own)
• Coffee farm tours (lots of free, some a small fee)
• Panaʻewa Rainforest Zoo
• St Benedict Painted Church
• Star of the Sea Painted Church
• Free food samples at farms, chocolate companies, and macadamia nut visitor centers
• Public cultural shows and live entertainment
  

Find more FREE things to do here! >>