Times are tough, but the rising cost of living makes it all even tougher, with a box of cereal in Hawaii highlighting just how wild prices can get. Reddit user Pndrizzy shared a telling photo on r/pics of a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch being sold at a Times Supermarket in Honolulu for almost $20. They claimed that this isn’t normal, with $8 allegedly being the usual cost for this cereal brand earlier this year.
After all, Times Supermarket’s online storefront is selling the large-size box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch for around $11.49 as of writing. However, other brands do have their Family Sizes going for $21.99 at the original listed price without discount. Still, there’s no need for alarm right now for $20 normal-sized cereal, but this all does beg the question of how food can cost so much in Hawaii. For instance, the USDA‘s maximum monthly SNAP allotment for a family of four in Hawaii is 70% higher than the lower 48, and this is based on USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan, no less.
Multiple Reasons Contribute to High Grocery Prices in Hawaii
One of the main reasons is that the state imports a big, big amount of its food, around 85% to be specific, according to Governor Josh Green back in 2023. That said, it goes without saying that imported goods can increase prices, so residents and tourists can expect to pay a lot more than they would elsewhere in the US. And if the Governor’s word wasn’t enough, a 2020 analysis done at the University of Hawaii has mentioned that the long distance from the rest of the States is what can contribute to high costs, with the pricey shipping costs and all.
Simply put, it’s reportedly not just inflation, but a combination of many economic factors that have made Hawaii the money drain of a place to live as it is now. Just recently, there’s been an increase of 4.2% for grocery and 2.7% for cereals and bakery products according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. After all, things have only gotten more expensive everywhere over the years, and the Aloha State is no exception.
We have reached out to Times Supermarket, asking whether the $20 cereal box was accurate, but no representative has responded to comment on the situation. Still, this sort of pricing, albeit extreme, isn’t entirely impossible. Regardless, it does highlight the massive difference in cost of living that Hawaii residents deal with on a daily basis while those in the lower 48 on average have it cheaper for groceries and food costs, with perspective being a big factor.
The shipping constraints, the isolated location, the dependence on imported goods, and other major operating costs all contribute to brutally high prices. But if you’re from the mainland and visit Honolulu for vacation, you probably needn’t worry about $20 cereal, for now.
