Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hiroshima and Okinawa

For one person, living is cheaper in Hiroshima: $961 a month against $1,364 in Okinawa, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

47

Cost of Living Index in Hiroshima
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Hiroshima Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Okinawa
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Okinawa Living Index

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Hiroshima

🇯🇵 Japan

$961

/mo nomad

Okinawa

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,364

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $961 per month in Hiroshima vs $1,364 in Okinawa, rent included.

Hiroshima $961
Okinawa $1,364

A couple spends around $1,557 per month in Hiroshima vs $2,154 in Okinawa, rent included.

Hiroshima $1,557
Okinawa $2,154

A family of three spends $2,152 per month in Hiroshima vs $2,944 in Okinawa, rent included.

Hiroshima $2,152
Okinawa $2,944

Hiroshima is about 30% cheaper than Okinawa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Hiroshima sits 29% below the global median, while Okinawa is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥969

$9.91 ¥1,566

-38.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.92 ¥5,043

$39.91 ¥6,306

-20.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥801

$7.13 ¥1,126

-28.89%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ¥429

$3.87 ¥611

-29.72%

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

$0.96 ¥152

$1.47 ¥233

-34.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥109

$0.99 ¥156

-30.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥433

$2.51 ¥397

9.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ¥582

$4.34 ¥685

-15.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 ¥236

$1.63 ¥257

-8.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ¥240

$2.07 ¥326

-26.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 ¥748

$3.88 ¥612

22.16%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥327

$1.78 ¥281

16.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.11 ¥808

$17.97 ¥2,840

-71.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ¥976

$4.85 ¥766

27.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ¥1,722

$22.79 ¥3,601

-52.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ¥522

$3.62 ¥571

-8.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ¥313

$2.70 ¥427

-26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 ¥595

$2.19 ¥345

72.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 ¥588

$5.16 ¥816

-27.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ¥238

$2.39 ¥377

-36.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.45 ¥545

$2.45 ¥386

40.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥214

$1.26 ¥199

7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥130

$0.78 ¥122

6.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥631

$4.02 ¥635

-0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.70 ¥1,217

$6.30 ¥995

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 ¥303

$1.90 ¥299

1.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 ¥392

$3.35 ¥530

-25.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 ¥290

$1.48 ¥233

24.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.79 ¥5,181

$65.9 ¥10.4K

-50.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 ¥581

$3.96 ¥625

-7.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 ¥192

$3.42 ¥540

-64.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.43 ¥3,386

$11.40 ¥1,802

87.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥174

$1.06 ¥167

3.77%

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

$21.8K ¥3.4M

$21.1K ¥3.3M

3.17%

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

$14.8K ¥2.3M

$15.1K ¥2.4M

-2.45%

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

$139 ¥21.9K

$158 ¥25.0K

-12.25%

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

$24.17 ¥3,818

$25.31 ¥3,999

-4.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.93 ¥4,887

$52.8 ¥8,338

-41.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 ¥8,315

$71.1 ¥11.2K

-25.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.65 ¥734

$55.3 ¥8,734

-91.59%

Cinema Ticket

$12.72 ¥2,009

$11.95 ¥1,888

6.44%

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

$155 ¥24.5K

$329 ¥52.0K

-52.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,400 ¥537.2K

$5,632 ¥889.8K

-39.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.67 ¥4,529

$50.2 ¥7,928

-42.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.54 ¥3,877

$23.08 ¥3,647

6.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.85 ¥7,560

$80.5 ¥12.7K

-40.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.0 ¥10.1K

$94.6 ¥14.9K

-32.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 ¥38.1K

$403 ¥63.6K

-40.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 ¥29.3K

$320 ¥50.6K

-42.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ¥97.7K

$841 ¥132.9K

-26.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$508 ¥80.2K

$663 ¥104.7K

-23.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,058 ¥483.1K

$8,665 ¥1.4M

-64.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,406 ¥222.2K

$1,213 ¥191.7K

15.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,973 ¥311.8K

$1,809 ¥285.8K

9.08%

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 Hiroshima: 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

Hiroshima

$255 26.5%

Okinawa

$330 24.2% 29.5% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hiroshima

$194 20.2%

Okinawa

$236 17.3% 21.8% $42

Accommodation & Living

Hiroshima

$186 19.3%

Okinawa

$320 23.5% 72.4% $134

Eating Out

Hiroshima

$125 13%

Okinawa

$178 13.1% 43.1% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Hiroshima

$78 8.1%

Okinawa

$95 7% 21.7% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Hiroshima

$74 7.7%

Okinawa

$112 8.2% 50.5% $37

Getting Around

Hiroshima

$50 5.2%

Okinawa

$93 6.8% 86.1% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Hiroshima 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.

Salaries run about 9% higher in Hiroshima, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Hiroshima versus $40.00 in Okinawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $330 – making Hiroshima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇯🇵 Hiroshima

🇯🇵 Okinawa

🕒 Local time

11:58 11:58 AM

Same time as Hiroshima

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,200,754

142,752

💱 Currency

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Hiroshima Okinawa 980 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Hiroshima vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Okinawa costs about 42% more than Hiroshima, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,442 per month in Hiroshima and $2,047 in Okinawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hiroshima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $961 in Hiroshima and $1,364 in Okinawa. That's a gap of about 42%.

Public transport costs about 101% less in Hiroshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hiroshima, where all-in costs run around $961, than in Okinawa at $1,364. In Hiroshima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hiroshima – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Hiroshima. 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.