Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamamatsu and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamamatsu and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,109 in Hamamatsu versus $1,459 in Okinawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,844 in Hamamatsu versus $2,255 in Okinawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,579 in Hamamatsu versus $3,052 in Okinawa.

Living in Hamamatsu costs roughly 24% less than in Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hamamatsu is 17% below, Okinawa is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 ¥798

$8.24 ¥1,317

-39.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.88 ¥6,538

$40.98 ¥6,554

-0.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.44 ¥550

$5.89 ¥942

-41.60%

Cappuccino

$3.07 ¥490

$3.45 ¥552

-11.01%

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

$0.72 ¥115

$1.38 ¥220

-47.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥120

$0.85 ¥136

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ¥331

$3.49 ¥559

-40.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ¥440

$4.89 ¥782

-43.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ¥242

$1.92 ¥308

-21.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 ¥276

$2.25 ¥359

-23.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.00 ¥799

$4.68 ¥748

6.84%

Eggs

$1.82 ¥291

$2.02 ¥324

-9.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 ¥1,588

$16.21 ¥2,593

-38.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 ¥997

$11.12 ¥1,779

-43.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.56 ¥2,489

$26.13 ¥4,180

-40.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 ¥675

$5.19 ¥831

-18.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 ¥336

$2.66 ¥426

-21.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 ¥544

$3.11 ¥497

9.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 ¥682

$5.98 ¥956

-28.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 ¥543

$3.56 ¥569

-4.49%

Onion (1kg)

$4.18 ¥668

$2.79 ¥446

49.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ¥223

$1.57 ¥252

-10.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥140

$0.94 ¥150

-6.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 ¥563

$4.74 ¥758

-25.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.40 ¥1,504

$6.10 ¥975

54.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥284

$1.82 ¥291

-2.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ¥331

$3.00 ¥480

-31.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ¥162

$1.67 ¥267

-39.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.8 ¥8,770

$34.72 ¥5,553

57.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 ¥542

$4.12 ¥658

-17.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 ¥468

$3.63 ¥581

-19.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.59 ¥3,613

$12.69 ¥2,030

78.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ¥193

$1.19 ¥190

1.68%

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

$20.9K ¥3.3M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-11.12%

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

$14.0K ¥2.2M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

-18.84%

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

$109 ¥17.4K

$174 ¥27.9K

-37.47%

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

$9.72 ¥1,554

$27.88 ¥4,459

-65.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.01 ¥3,360

$31.40 ¥5,023

-33.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 ¥16.8K

$52.3 ¥8,365

100.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 ¥3,002

$6.99 ¥1,117

168.53%

Cinema Ticket

$13.50 ¥2,160

$12.45 ¥1,991

8.43%

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

$278 ¥44.5K

$344 ¥55.0K

-19.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ¥2.3M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

3.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.38 ¥6,778

$48.53 ¥7,762

-12.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.81 ¥4,448

$29.20 ¥4,671

-4.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.6 ¥8,737

$71.3 ¥11.4K

-23.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ¥16.9K

$90.4 ¥14.5K

16.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 ¥60.2K

$439 ¥70.2K

-14.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$245 ¥39.1K

$401 ¥64.2K

-39.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 ¥139.3K

$951 ¥152.1K

-8.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 ¥92.9K

$731 ¥117.0K

-20.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 ¥1.2M

$8,781 ¥1.4M

-13.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,304 ¥848.4K

$1,197 ¥191.4K

343.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,248 ¥199.6K

$1,817 ¥290.7K

-31.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

0.95

-52.50%

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

Last update for Hamamatsu: June 8, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $376 in Hamamatsu and $439 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 46% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $41.00 in Hamamatsu vs $41.00 in Okinawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $396 per month, with Hamamatsu cheaper across the board.

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

Hamamatsu vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamamatsu and Okinawa differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,109 vs $1,459 including rent). Hamamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Okinawa earns 46% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $376 in Hamamatsu versus $439 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamamatsu – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $41.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,109 in Hamamatsu versus $1,459 in Okinawa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hamamatsu but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Hamamatsu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Hamamatsu and Okinawa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Hamamatsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.