Cost of Living Comparison Between Ichihara and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Ichihara and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,183 in Ichihara versus $1,430 in Okinawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,881 in Ichihara versus $2,196 in Okinawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,579 in Ichihara versus $2,961 in Okinawa.

Living in Ichihara costs roughly 17% less than in Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ichihara is 12% below, Okinawa is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.13 ¥1,141

$8.57 ¥1,370

-16.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.72 ¥5,553

$41.32 ¥6,609

-15.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥814

$6.12 ¥978

-16.83%

Cappuccino

$3.19 ¥511

$3.31 ¥529

-3.63%

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

$1.14 ¥183

$1.32 ¥211

-13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥129

$0.86 ¥137

-6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 ¥335

$3.48 ¥557

-39.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥326

$4.81 ¥769

-57.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ¥245

$1.87 ¥299

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 ¥280

$2.30 ¥367

-23.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.94 ¥791

$4.83 ¥772

2.28%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥250

$2.01 ¥321

-22.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 ¥1,609

$16.33 ¥2,613

-38.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 ¥985

$11.13 ¥1,780

-44.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.36 ¥2,457

$26.95 ¥4,310

-43.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 ¥951

$5.27 ¥842

12.90%

Banana (1kg)

$3.20 ¥512

$2.61 ¥418

22.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 ¥628

$3.03 ¥485

29.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 ¥736

$5.65 ¥904

-18.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 ¥542

$3.69 ¥590

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.67 ¥588

$2.90 ¥464

26.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥215

$1.60 ¥256

-16.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥130

$0.94 ¥151

-13.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥646

$4.82 ¥771

-16.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 ¥1,289

$6.11 ¥978

31.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ¥279

$1.72 ¥275

1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥326

$2.89 ¥461

-29.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 ¥264

$1.67 ¥268

-1.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 ¥8,973

$35.27 ¥5,642

59.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 ¥544

$4.19 ¥671

-18.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.90 ¥464

$3.77 ¥603

-23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.90 ¥3,503

$12.74 ¥2,037

71.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥182

$1.20 ¥192

-5.00%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$22.8K ¥3.6M

3.08%

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

$18.4K ¥2.9M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

8.46%

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

$84.6 ¥13.5K

$173 ¥27.7K

-51.09%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.12 ¥2,739

$32.51 ¥5,200

-47.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 ¥8,936

$53.4 ¥8,547

4.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.69 ¥2,189

$6.76 ¥1,081

102.51%

Cinema Ticket

$11.24 ¥1,797

$12.60 ¥2,016

-10.79%

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

$287 ¥45.8K

$347 ¥55.5K

-17.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ¥2.2M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

3.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.33 ¥6,610

$48.84 ¥7,813

-15.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.30 ¥4,687

$29.28 ¥4,683

0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.3 ¥9,479

$72.9 ¥11.7K

-18.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 ¥15.7K

$93.1 ¥14.9K

5.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ¥73.5K

$437 ¥69.9K

5.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ¥51.8K

$394 ¥63.1K

-17.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$868 ¥138.8K

$944 ¥150.9K

-8.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥105.6K

$750 ¥119.9K

-11.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,257 ¥840.8K

$8,543 ¥1.4M

-38.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,054 ¥328.5K

$1,187 ¥189.8K

73.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Ichihara: June 2, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $459 in Ichihara and $437 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ichihara vs $41.00 in Okinawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $398 per month, with Ichihara 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

Ichihara vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ichihara is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,775 in Ichihara and $2,145 in Okinawa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $459 in Ichihara versus $437 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $287 in Ichihara versus $347 in Okinawa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,183 in Ichihara versus $1,430 in Okinawa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ichihara but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Ichihara 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, Ichihara 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 Ichihara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.