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: $784 in Hamamatsu versus $1,427 in Okinawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,297 in Hamamatsu versus $2,228 in Okinawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,810 in Hamamatsu versus $3,030 in Okinawa.

Living in Hamamatsu costs roughly 45% less than in Okinawa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hamamatsu is 43% below, Okinawa is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.91 ¥610

$9.68 ¥1,511

-59.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.33 ¥6,605

$40.32 ¥6,292

4.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 ¥804

$6.94 ¥1,082

-25.79%

Cappuccino

$3.46 ¥539

$4.18 ¥653

-17.22%

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

$1.12 ¥175

$1.47 ¥230

-23.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥118

$1.01 ¥158

-24.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ¥407

$2.00 ¥313

30.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ¥515

$4.46 ¥696

-26.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ¥165

$1.59 ¥249

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 ¥270

$2.20 ¥344

-21.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.81 ¥595

$3.98 ¥620

-4.27%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥263

$1.81 ¥282

-6.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 ¥1,908

$17.99 ¥2,807

-32.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ¥965

$5.05 ¥788

22.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.72 ¥2,296

$22.90 ¥3,574

-35.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.71 ¥892

$3.73 ¥582

53.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 ¥449

$2.78 ¥434

3.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 ¥448

$2.30 ¥358

24.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 ¥657

$5.27 ¥822

-20.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 ¥408

$2.45 ¥382

6.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 ¥422

$2.53 ¥394

6.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ¥206

$1.35 ¥211

-2.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ¥105

$0.77 ¥120

-12.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 ¥595

$3.93 ¥614

-3.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.34 ¥989

$6.51 ¥1,015

-2.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥290

$1.96 ¥306

-5.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥320

$3.45 ¥538

-40.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥229

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.7 ¥8,062

$68.1 ¥10.6K

-24.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 ¥508

$3.94 ¥614

-17.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 ¥402

$3.59 ¥560

-28.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.64 ¥3,221

$11.87 ¥1,853

73.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

$1.13 ¥177

-3.54%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

-0.09%

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

$18.4K ¥2.9M

$15.4K ¥2.4M

19.04%

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

$134 ¥20.9K

$165 ¥25.7K

-18.81%

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

$9.28 ¥1,448

$25.69 ¥4,009

-63.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.89 ¥5,131

$54.8 ¥8,550

-39.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.35 ¥2,706

$56.5 ¥8,814

-69.29%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,040

$12.50 ¥1,951

4.56%

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

$652 ¥101.7K

$345 ¥53.8K

88.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K ¥2.4M

$5,827 ¥909.1K

162.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 ¥9,934

$51.7 ¥8,063

23.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.90 ¥5,133

$24.12 ¥3,763

36.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.8 ¥9,957

$81.1 ¥12.7K

-21.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ¥16.1K

$95.9 ¥15.0K

7.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥51.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥134.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,047 ¥1.3M

$8,703 ¥1.4M

-7.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,552 ¥866.2K

$1,200 ¥187.3K

362.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,614 ¥251.8K

$1,861 ¥290.4K

-13.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.12

2.23

-4.93%

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

Last update for Hamamatsu: September 13, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Okinawa pays 15% 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: $42.00 in Hamamatsu vs $40.00 in Okinawa. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $337, with Hamamatsu cheaper for home cooking.

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 82% in total monthly costs ($784 vs $1,427 including rent). Hamamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Okinawa. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% 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 $40.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $784 in Hamamatsu versus $1,427 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 82% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.