Cost of Living Comparison Between Kamakura and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Kamakura and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Kamakura versus $1,430 in Okinawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,992 in Kamakura versus $2,196 in Okinawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,690 in Kamakura versus $2,961 in Okinawa.

Living in Kamakura costs roughly 10% less than in Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kamakura is 3% below, Okinawa is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.05 ¥1,127

$8.57 ¥1,370

-17.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.17 ¥5,625

$41.32 ¥6,609

-14.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ¥907

$6.12 ¥978

-7.35%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ¥501

$3.31 ¥529

-5.44%

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

$1.21 ¥194

$1.32 ¥211

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥121

$0.86 ¥137

-11.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ¥331

$3.48 ¥557

-40.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ¥509

$4.81 ¥769

-33.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ¥244

$1.87 ¥299

-18.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 ¥281

$2.30 ¥367

-23.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.02 ¥803

$4.83 ¥772

3.93%

Eggs

$2.27 ¥364

$2.01 ¥321

12.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.81 ¥2,209

$16.33 ¥2,613

-15.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 ¥1,099

$11.13 ¥1,780

-38.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.62 ¥2,818

$26.95 ¥4,310

-34.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 ¥946

$5.27 ¥842

12.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 ¥462

$2.61 ¥418

10.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.09 ¥654

$3.03 ¥485

34.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.09 ¥974

$5.65 ¥904

7.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 ¥523

$3.69 ¥590

-11.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 ¥411

$2.90 ¥464

-11.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.60 ¥256

-13.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ¥169

$0.94 ¥151

12.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ¥545

$4.82 ¥771

-29.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,483

$6.11 ¥978

51.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥294

$1.72 ¥275

6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ¥383

$2.89 ¥461

-17.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.67 ¥268

-3.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ¥8,849

$35.27 ¥5,642

56.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$4.19 ¥671

-16.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.98 ¥477

$3.77 ¥603

-20.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.59 ¥2,814

$12.74 ¥2,037

38.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥197

$1.20 ¥192

2.50%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$22.8K ¥3.6M

3.48%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

-0.39%

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

$143 ¥22.9K

$173 ¥27.7K

-17.33%

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

$26.75 ¥4,278

$27.72 ¥4,434

-3.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.96 ¥5,432

$32.51 ¥5,200

4.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 ¥8,853

$53.4 ¥8,547

3.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ¥2,245

$6.76 ¥1,081

107.69%

Cinema Ticket

$12.51 ¥2,001

$12.60 ¥2,016

-0.71%

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

$287 ¥45.8K

$347 ¥55.5K

-17.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ¥1.8M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

-16.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.28 ¥6,763

$48.84 ¥7,813

-13.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.29 ¥4,685

$29.28 ¥4,683

0.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ¥9,046

$72.9 ¥11.7K

-22.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 ¥15.0K

$93.1 ¥14.9K

0.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥76.2K

$437 ¥69.9K

8.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ¥52.2K

$394 ¥63.1K

-17.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 ¥138.2K

$944 ¥150.9K

-8.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 ¥104.9K

$750 ¥119.9K

-12.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,481 ¥716.7K

$8,543 ¥1.4M

-47.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,206 ¥352.9K

$1,187 ¥189.8K

85.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,760 ¥281.5K

$1,292 ¥206.6K

36.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

-11.00%

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

Last update for Kamakura: May 30, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Kamakura and $437 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kamakura pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Kamakura vs $41.00 in Okinawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $398 per month, with Kamakura 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

Kamakura vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kamakura is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Kamakura pays 36% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Kamakura versus $437 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $287 in Kamakura 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 14% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,294 in Kamakura versus $1,430 in Okinawa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kamakura but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Kamakura 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, Kamakura 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 Kamakura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.