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: $1,110 in Hamamatsu versus $1,418 in Okinawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,843 in Hamamatsu versus $2,190 in Okinawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,577 in Hamamatsu versus $2,962 in Okinawa.

Living in Hamamatsu costs roughly 22% less than in Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hamamatsu is 17% below, Okinawa is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.82 ¥772

$8.49 ¥1,359

-43.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.39 ¥6,786

$41.68 ¥6,672

1.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.55 ¥568

$6.06 ¥971

-41.42%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥493

$3.45 ¥553

-10.72%

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

$0.66 ¥106

$1.37 ¥219

-51.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥131

$0.85 ¥136

-3.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 ¥335

$3.40 ¥544

-38.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ¥435

$4.97 ¥795

-45.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ¥244

$1.94 ¥311

-21.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥270

$2.35 ¥376

-28.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.84 ¥774

$4.64 ¥743

4.31%

Eggs

$1.84 ¥295

$2.07 ¥332

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 ¥1,600

$16.49 ¥2,640

-39.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 ¥1,022

$11.02 ¥1,765

-42.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.47 ¥2,476

$26.68 ¥4,271

-42.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 ¥663

$5.15 ¥825

-19.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 ¥342

$2.58 ¥413

-17.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 ¥569

$3.00 ¥480

18.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 ¥661

$5.64 ¥903

-26.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 ¥524

$3.57 ¥572

-8.12%

Onion (1kg)

$4.34 ¥694

$2.81 ¥450

54.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.55 ¥247

-10.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥138

$0.91 ¥146

-5.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 ¥559

$4.93 ¥789

-29.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.66 ¥1,547

$8.50 ¥1,360

13.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥283

$1.81 ¥289

-2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥328

$2.99 ¥479

-31.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ¥171

$1.64 ¥263

-34.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.8 ¥8,932

$34.66 ¥5,548

60.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ¥553

$4.28 ¥685

-19.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 ¥484

$3.64 ¥582

-17.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.35 ¥3,579

$12.70 ¥2,033

75.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ¥193

$1.21 ¥194

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

$20.8K ¥3.3M

$23.2K ¥3.7M

-10.32%

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

$13.9K ¥2.2M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

-19.47%

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

$109 ¥17.4K

$177 ¥28.3K

-38.62%

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

$9.90 ¥1,585

$27.99 ¥4,480

-64.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.21 ¥3,396

$32.04 ¥5,129

-33.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$103 ¥16.5K

$52.9 ¥8,466

95.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.58 ¥2,974

$7.00 ¥1,121

165.43%

Cinema Ticket

$13.60 ¥2,177

$12.28 ¥1,966

10.75%

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

$285 ¥45.6K

$343 ¥54.9K

-16.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ¥2.2M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

6.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.48 ¥6,639

$47.74 ¥7,642

-13.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.83 ¥4,454

$28.65 ¥4,587

-2.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.5 ¥8,716

$72.4 ¥11.6K

-24.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ¥16.7K

$93.1 ¥14.9K

12.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 ¥60.5K

$452 ¥72.4K

-16.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 ¥39.1K

$402 ¥64.4K

-39.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 ¥141.1K

$945 ¥151.3K

-6.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$584 ¥93.5K

$751 ¥120.2K

-22.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,566 ¥1.2M

$8,673 ¥1.4M

-12.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,338 ¥854.5K

$1,203 ¥192.5K

343.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,413 ¥226.2K

$1,316 ¥210.7K

7.35%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $378 in Hamamatsu and $452 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamamatsu pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Hamamatsu vs $42.00 in Okinawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $401 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 28% in total monthly costs ($1,110 vs $1,418 including rent). Hamamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Hamamatsu pays 7% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $378 in Hamamatsu versus $452 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% 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 $42.00 versus $42.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,110 in Hamamatsu versus $1,418 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 28% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.