Cost of Living Comparison Between Asahikawa and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Asahikawa and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,210 per month in Asahikawa vs $1,427 in Okinawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,941 per month in Asahikawa vs $2,228 in Okinawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,673 per month in Asahikawa vs $3,030 in Okinawa, rent included.

Asahikawa is about 15% cheaper than Okinawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Asahikawa sits 12% below the global median, while Okinawa is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 ¥1,048

$9.68 ¥1,520

-30.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.85 ¥5,157

$40.32 ¥6,331

-18.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 ¥814

$6.94 ¥1,089

-25.36%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ¥476

$4.18 ¥657

-27.51%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ¥162

$1.47 ¥231

-29.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥117

$1.01 ¥159

-25.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 ¥363

$2.00 ¥315

15.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 ¥540

$4.46 ¥701

-22.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ¥227

$1.59 ¥250

-8.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ¥229

$2.20 ¥346

-33.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 ¥676

$3.98 ¥624

8.04%

Eggs

$1.89 ¥296

$1.81 ¥284

4.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 ¥1,698

$17.99 ¥2,824

-39.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 ¥1,073

$5.05 ¥793

35.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.80 ¥2,481

$22.90 ¥3,596

-31.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 ¥891

$3.73 ¥586

52.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 ¥356

$2.78 ¥436

-18.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 ¥449

$2.30 ¥361

24.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 ¥678

$5.27 ¥827

-18.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 ¥456

$2.45 ¥384

18.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ¥407

$2.53 ¥396

2.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ¥216

$1.35 ¥213

2.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥116

$0.77 ¥121

-3.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥692

$3.93 ¥618

12.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 ¥1,274

$6.51 ¥1,021

24.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥291

$1.96 ¥308

-5.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ¥341

$3.45 ¥542

-37.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥253

$1.46 ¥230

10.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 ¥9,724

$68.1 ¥10.7K

-9.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 ¥453

$3.94 ¥618

-26.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.14 ¥494

$3.59 ¥563

-12.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 ¥2,957

$11.87 ¥1,864

58.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥195

$1.13 ¥178

9.73%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.9K ¥3.4M

-0.06%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$13.8K ¥2.2M

$15.4K ¥2.4M

-10.76%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$145 ¥22.8K

$165 ¥25.9K

-12.13%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.25 ¥3,493

$25.69 ¥4,034

-13.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.34 ¥5,706

$54.8 ¥8,604

-33.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.40 ¥7,441

$74.0 ¥11.6K

-35.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,869

Cinema Ticket

$10.54 ¥1,655

$12.50 ¥1,963

-15.68%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$607 ¥95.3K

$345 ¥54.2K

75.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$5,827 ¥914.8K

127.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ¥9,067

$51.7 ¥8,113

11.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.96 ¥5,646

$24.12 ¥3,786

49.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 ¥9,699

$81.1 ¥12.7K

-23.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 ¥13.5K

$95.9 ¥15.1K

-10.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 ¥77.0K

$411 ¥64.6K

19.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 ¥46.4K

$332 ¥52.1K

-10.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 ¥152.5K

$863 ¥135.5K

12.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 ¥111.4K

$694 ¥108.9K

2.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,277 ¥514.5K

$8,703 ¥1.4M

-62.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,817 ¥285.2K

$1,200 ¥188.5K

51.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥292.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.23

-6.28%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Asahikawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Asahikawa versus $411 in Okinawa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Asahikawa versus $40.00 in Okinawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $301 vs $337 – making Asahikawa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Asahikawa vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,210 in Asahikawa, $1,427 in Okinawa – roughly 18% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,814 per month in Asahikawa and $2,140 in Okinawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Asahikawa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Asahikawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $607 per month in Asahikawa and $345 in Okinawa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Asahikawa, where all-in costs run around $1,210, than in Okinawa at $1,427. In Asahikawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Asahikawa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Asahikawa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Okinawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.