Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Himeji and Okinawa

For one person, living is cheaper in Himeji: $1,283 a month against $1,364 in Okinawa, rent and utilities included – about $970 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Himeji
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,283
/mo nomad
Okinawa
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,364
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Himeji 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 Himeji and in Okinawa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,283 per month in Himeji vs $1,364 in Okinawa, rent included.

  • Himeji $1,283
  • Okinawa $1,364

A couple spends around $2,047 per month in Himeji vs $2,154 in Okinawa, rent included.

  • Himeji $2,047
  • Okinawa $2,154

A family of three spends $2,811 per month in Himeji vs $2,944 in Okinawa, rent included.

  • Himeji $2,811
  • Okinawa $2,944

Himeji is about 6% cheaper than Okinawa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Himeji sits 5% below the global median, while Okinawa is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Himeji
Okinawa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.46 ¥1,336
$9.91 ¥1,566
-14.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.07 ¥4,909
$39.91 ¥6,306
-22.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.11 ¥807
$7.13 ¥1,126
-28.33%
Cappuccino
$2.35 ¥371
$3.87 ¥611
-39.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 ¥196
$1.47 ¥233
-15.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ¥129
$0.99 ¥156
-17.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.20 ¥505
$2.51 ¥397
27.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 ¥483
$4.34 ¥685
-29.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Himeji
Okinawa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ¥247
$1.63 ¥257
-4.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.48 ¥233
$2.07 ¥326
-28.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.12 ¥650
$3.88 ¥612
6.19%
Eggs
$2.18 ¥344
$1.78 ¥281
22.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.50 ¥2,449
$17.97 ¥2,840
-13.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.78 ¥1,072
$4.85 ¥766
39.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.88 ¥2,667
$22.79 ¥3,601
-25.93%
Apples (1kg)
$8.37 ¥1,323
$3.62 ¥571
131.22%
Banana (1kg)
$2.97 ¥470
$2.70 ¥427
10.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.06 ¥799
$2.19 ¥345
131.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.86 ¥1,241
$5.16 ¥816
52.33%
Potato (1kg)
$3.90 ¥617
$2.39 ¥377
63.18%
Onion (1kg)
$4.70 ¥743
$2.45 ¥386
91.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ¥177
$1.26 ¥199
-11.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 ¥141
$0.78 ¥122
14.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 ¥611
$4.02 ¥635
-3.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.74 ¥1,539
$6.30 ¥995
54.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.61 ¥412
$1.90 ¥299
37.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 ¥332
$3.35 ¥530
-37.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Himeji
Okinawa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.44 ¥228
$1.48 ¥233
-2.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.0 ¥8,373
$65.9 ¥10.4K
-19.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 ¥494
$3.96 ¥625
-20.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.82 ¥446
$3.42 ¥540
-17.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.45 ¥2,441
$11.40 ¥1,802
35.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 ¥168
$1.06 ¥167
0.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.5K ¥3.4M
$21.1K ¥3.3M
1.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.1K ¥2.4M
$15.1K ¥2.4M
-0.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Himeji
Okinawa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$118 ¥18.6K
$158 ¥25.0K
-25.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.44 ¥3,704
$25.31 ¥3,999
-7.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.67 ¥5,003
$52.8 ¥8,338
-40.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Himeji
Okinawa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.6 ¥8,314
$71.1 ¥11.2K
-25.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$55.3 ¥8,734
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.36 ¥1,795
$11.95 ¥1,888
-4.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Himeji
Okinawa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$564 ¥89.1K
$329 ¥52.0K
71.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ¥2.3M
$5,632 ¥889.8K
161.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Himeji
Okinawa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.92 ¥7,886
$50.2 ¥7,928
-0.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.51 ¥5,611
$23.08 ¥3,647
53.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.6 ¥9,739
$80.5 ¥12.7K
-23.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.2 ¥15.7K
$94.6 ¥14.9K
4.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Himeji
Okinawa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$541 ¥85.4K
$403 ¥63.6K
34.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$328 ¥51.8K
$320 ¥50.6K
2.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,100 ¥173.8K
$841 ¥132.9K
30.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$729 ¥115.2K
$663 ¥104.7K
10.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,304 ¥680.0K
$8,665 ¥1.4M
-50.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,725 ¥272.5K
$1,213 ¥191.7K
42.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Himeji
Okinawa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,809 ¥285.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.02
2.23
-9.42%

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

Last update for Himeji: October 18, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Himeji
$379
Okinawa
$330 12.9% $49
Accommodation & Living
Himeji
$328
Okinawa
$320 2.4% $7.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Himeji
$173
Okinawa
$236 36.9% $64
Eating Out
Himeji
$142
Okinawa
$178 25.9% $37
Clothing & Footwear
Himeji
$111
Okinawa
$112 0.8% $0.9
Getting Around
Himeji
$76
Okinawa
$93 22.1% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Himeji
$75
Okinawa
$95 26.1% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $541 in Himeji versus $403 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 $31.00 in Himeji versus $40.00 in Okinawa. Groceries tell a different story – $379 in Himeji vs $330 in Okinawa – so Okinawa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Himeji
🇯🇵 Okinawa
🕒 Local time
09:54 9:54 AM
09:54 9:54 AM
Same time as Himeji
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
535,571
142,752
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Himeji Okinawa 1,130 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Himeji
  • 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
Himeji vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Okinawa cheaper than Himeji?
Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 6%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,925 per month in Himeji and $2,047 in Okinawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Himeji, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Himeji and in Okinawa?
Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Okinawa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is eating out cheaper in Himeji or in Okinawa?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Himeji and $40.00 in Okinawa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Himeji or in Okinawa?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Himeji, where all-in costs run around $1,283, than in Okinawa at $1,364. In Himeji it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Himeji or Okinawa more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Himeji – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Himeji or Okinawa?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Himeji. 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.

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