Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ichikawa and Okinawa

For one person, living is cheaper in Ichikawa: $1,167 a month against $1,381 in Okinawa, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Ichikawa
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,167
/mo nomad
Okinawa
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,381
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,167 in Ichikawa versus $1,381 in Okinawa.

  • Ichikawa $1,167
  • Okinawa $1,381

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,876 in Ichikawa versus $2,166 in Okinawa.

  • Ichikawa $1,876
  • Okinawa $2,166

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,585 in Ichikawa versus $2,951 in Okinawa.

  • Ichikawa $2,585
  • Okinawa $2,951

Living in Ichikawa costs roughly 15% less than in Okinawa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ichikawa is 14% below, Okinawa is 2% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ichikawa
Okinawa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.13 ¥811
$9.80 ¥1,549
-47.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.09 ¥4,912
$40.42 ¥6,386
-23.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.30 ¥680
$7.06 ¥1,115
-39.09%
Cappuccino
$2.23 ¥352
$4.06 ¥641
-45.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 ¥113
$1.42 ¥224
-49.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ¥55.7
$0.91 ¥143
-61.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.50 ¥395
$2.55 ¥402
-1.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ¥502
$4.48 ¥708
-29.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ichikawa
Okinawa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 ¥218
$1.64 ¥259
-15.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.65 ¥261
$2.06 ¥326
-19.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.66 ¥578
$3.87 ¥612
-5.43%
Eggs
$1.97 ¥311
$1.82 ¥288
8.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.53 ¥1,663
$17.61 ¥2,783
-40.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.86 ¥926
$4.78 ¥754
22.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.38 ¥2,272
$22.73 ¥3,591
-36.74%
Apples (1kg)
$5.53 ¥874
$3.62 ¥572
52.76%
Banana (1kg)
$2.80 ¥442
$2.67 ¥422
4.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.81 ¥444
$2.14 ¥338
31.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.26 ¥673
$5.20 ¥822
-18.08%
Potato (1kg)
$2.61 ¥413
$2.38 ¥376
9.66%
Onion (1kg)
$2.56 ¥404
$2.58 ¥408
-0.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 ¥202
$1.25 ¥197
2.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 ¥118
$0.74 ¥117
1.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.73 ¥590
$3.86 ¥610
-3.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.38 ¥1,007
$6.44 ¥1,017
-0.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ¥281
$1.89 ¥298
-5.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 ¥320
$3.23 ¥510
-37.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Ichikawa
Okinawa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 ¥213
$1.46 ¥231
-7.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$59.9 ¥9,457
$66.7 ¥10.5K
-10.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 ¥494
$3.74 ¥590
-16.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.73 ¥432
$3.54 ¥560
-22.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.59 ¥3,253
$11.25 ¥1,777
83.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 ¥166
$1.09 ¥173
-3.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ¥3.4M
$21.3K ¥3.4M
-0.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.5K ¥2.9M
$15.0K ¥2.4M
23.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ichikawa
Okinawa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$132 ¥20.8K
$160 ¥25.3K
-17.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.97 ¥3,788
$25.14 ¥3,972
-4.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.98 ¥5,052
$53.3 ¥8,422
-40.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ichikawa
Okinawa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.04 ¥7,431
$72.8 ¥11.5K
-35.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$55.8 ¥8,809
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.80 ¥2,022
$12.02 ¥1,899
6.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ichikawa
Okinawa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$642 ¥101.4K
$331 ¥52.3K
93.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.6K ¥2.3M
$5,489 ¥867.2K
165.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ichikawa
Okinawa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.0 ¥9,801
$48.81 ¥7,712
27.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.27 ¥5,889
$23.08 ¥3,646
61.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$60.5 ¥9,559
$81.6 ¥12.9K
-25.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 ¥16.1K
$94.7 ¥15.0K
7.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ichikawa
Okinawa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$495 ¥78.3K
$411 ¥64.9K
20.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$317 ¥50.1K
$332 ¥52.4K
-4.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,186 ¥187.3K
$819 ¥129.4K
44.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$763 ¥120.5K
$660 ¥104.3K
15.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,455 ¥703.9K
$8,731 ¥1.4M
-48.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,881 ¥297.2K
$1,185 ¥187.2K
58.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ichikawa
Okinawa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,842 ¥291.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.64
2.23
18.39%

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

Last update for Ichikawa: October 13, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ichikawa
$317
Okinawa
$332 4.7% $15
Groceries & Markets
Ichikawa
$287
Okinawa
$328 14.6% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ichikawa
$188
Okinawa
$239 27.2% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Ichikawa
$118
Okinawa
$112 5.1% $6
Eating Out
Ichikawa
$104
Okinawa
$179 72.6% $75
Getting Around
Ichikawa
$82
Okinawa
$94 14.5% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Ichikawa
$73
Okinawa
$97 33.4% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $495 in Ichikawa and $411 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Ichikawa vs $40.00 in Okinawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $328 per month, with Ichikawa cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Ichikawa
🇯🇵 Okinawa
🕒 Local time
23:04 11:04 PM
23:04 11:04 PM
Same time as Ichikawa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
496,676
142,752
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 19, 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
  • Ichikawa Okinawa 1,540 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Ichikawa
  • 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
Ichikawa vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ichikawa and in Okinawa?
Ichikawa and Okinawa differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,167 vs $1,381 including rent). Ichikawa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Ichikawa compared to Okinawa?
You'd need roughly $1,751 in Ichikawa and $2,071 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Ichikawa and in Okinawa?
Rent for a central apartment: $495 in Ichikawa versus $411 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Ichikawa – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $40.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,167 in Ichikawa versus $1,381 in Okinawa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ichikawa but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Ichikawa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ichikawa and Okinawa?
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.
Is Ichikawa or Okinawa safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ichikawa 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.
Where should expats move: Ichikawa or Okinawa?
Expats usually find Ichikawa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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