Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Asahikawa and Okinawa

For one person, living is cheaper in Asahikawa: $1,214 a month against $1,379 in Okinawa, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Asahikawa, Japan
Okinawa, Japan
Asahikawa
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,214
/mo nomad
Okinawa
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,379
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Asahikawa and in Okinawa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Asahikawa and in Okinawa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,214 per month in Asahikawa vs $1,379 in Okinawa, rent included.

  • Asahikawa $1,214
  • Okinawa $1,379

A couple spends around $1,896 per month in Asahikawa vs $2,171 in Okinawa, rent included.

  • Asahikawa $1,896
  • Okinawa $2,171

A family of three spends $2,578 per month in Asahikawa vs $2,964 in Okinawa, rent included.

  • Asahikawa $2,578
  • Okinawa $2,964

Asahikawa is about 12% cheaper than Okinawa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Asahikawa sits 10% below the global median, while Okinawa is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Asahikawa
Okinawa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.20 ¥983
$9.74 ¥1,543
-36.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.45 ¥4,981
$40.63 ¥6,435
-22.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.10 ¥807
$6.87 ¥1,088
-25.76%
Cappuccino
$3.02 ¥479
$3.91 ¥619
-22.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 ¥175
$1.40 ¥222
-20.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 ¥119
$0.93 ¥147
-19.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.60 ¥412
$2.61 ¥414
-0.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 ¥496
$6.02 ¥954
-48.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Asahikawa
Okinawa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 ¥233
$1.63 ¥258
-9.82%
White Bread (500g)
$1.62 ¥257
$2.10 ¥333
-22.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.09 ¥647
$3.89 ¥617
5.14%
Eggs
$2.11 ¥334
$1.78 ¥282
18.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.25 ¥1,623
$18.10 ¥2,867
-43.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.66 ¥1,055
$4.89 ¥775
36.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.01 ¥2,694
$22.24 ¥3,523
-23.52%
Apples (1kg)
$3.81 ¥604
$3.79 ¥600
0.53%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ¥366
$2.59 ¥411
-10.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.86 ¥453
$2.14 ¥339
33.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.08 ¥647
$5.18 ¥820
-21.24%
Potato (1kg)
$2.46 ¥390
$2.49 ¥394
-1.20%
Onion (1kg)
$2.56 ¥406
$2.48 ¥392
3.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ¥198
$1.26 ¥200
-0.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 ¥128
$0.78 ¥123
3.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.92 ¥621
$4.03 ¥638
-2.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.72 ¥1,064
$6.40 ¥1,013
5.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 ¥287
$1.88 ¥297
-3.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 ¥341
$3.18 ¥503
-32.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Asahikawa
Okinawa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 ¥236
$1.50 ¥237
-0.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.8 ¥9,159
$65.1 ¥10.3K
-11.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.16 ¥500
$3.92 ¥620
-19.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.78 ¥440
$3.47 ¥549
-19.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.91 ¥2,994
$11.44 ¥1,812
65.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 ¥174
$1.05 ¥166
4.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.0K ¥3.5M
$21.3K ¥3.4M
3.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.3K ¥2.4M
$15.0K ¥2.4M
1.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Asahikawa
Okinawa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$134 ¥21.2K
$162 ¥25.7K
-17.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.50 ¥3,880
$25.31 ¥4,009
-3.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.83 ¥4,882
$53.6 ¥8,492
-42.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Asahikawa
Okinawa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 ¥8,277
$71.8 ¥11.4K
-27.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$56.8 ¥9,001
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.88 ¥2,040
$12.04 ¥1,907
6.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Asahikawa
Okinawa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$682 ¥108.1K
$330 ¥52.2K
107.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.5K ¥2.0M
$5,654 ¥895.5K
121.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Asahikawa
Okinawa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.64 ¥7,862
$48.74 ¥7,719
1.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.79 ¥5,035
$23.34 ¥3,697
36.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$62.8 ¥9,953
$81.3 ¥12.9K
-22.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.3 ¥14.3K
$98.0 ¥15.5K
-7.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Asahikawa
Okinawa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$559 ¥88.5K
$407 ¥64.4K
37.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$343 ¥54.3K
$327 ¥51.7K
5.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 ¥163.6K
$825 ¥130.7K
25.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$718 ¥113.7K
$667 ¥105.6K
7.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,308 ¥682.3K
$8,711 ¥1.4M
-50.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,325 ¥368.3K
$1,220 ¥193.3K
90.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Asahikawa
Okinawa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,814 ¥287.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.21
2.23
-0.90%

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

Last update for Asahikawa: November 1, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Asahikawa
$343
Okinawa
$327 4.8% $17
Groceries & Markets
Asahikawa
$290
Okinawa
$330 13.9% $40
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Asahikawa
$189
Okinawa
$241 27.5% $52
Eating Out
Asahikawa
$128
Okinawa
$180 40.7% $52
Clothing & Footwear
Asahikawa
$106
Okinawa
$113 7.1% $7.5
Getting Around
Asahikawa
$81
Okinawa
$92 14.2% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Asahikawa
$78
Okinawa
$96 22.9% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $559 in Asahikawa versus $407 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 $31 in Asahikawa versus $41 in Okinawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $330 – making Asahikawa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Asahikawa
🇯🇵 Okinawa
🕒 Local time
09:59 9:59 AM
09:59 9:59 AM
Same time as Asahikawa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
329,306
142,752
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.31 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.62 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Asahikawa Okinawa 2,320 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Asahikawa
  • Okinawa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
How do living costs in Asahikawa and in Okinawa compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,214 in Asahikawa, $1,379 in Okinawa – Asahikawa comes out roughly 12% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Asahikawa compared to Okinawa?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,822 per month in Asahikawa and $2,068 in Okinawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Asahikawa and Okinawa?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Okinawa, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $407 there versus $559 in Asahikawa.
How do commuting costs compare in Asahikawa and in Okinawa?
Public transport costs about 11% less in Asahikawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Asahikawa and Okinawa?
Kindergarten costs $682 per month in Asahikawa and $330 in Okinawa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How far does $2,000 go in Asahikawa compared to Okinawa?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,214 in Asahikawa and $1,379 in Okinawa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
How does quality of life compare between Asahikawa and Okinawa?
It depends on your priorities. Okinawa has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,214 in Asahikawa to $1,379 in Okinawa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Asahikawa or Okinawa safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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