Cost of Living Comparison Between Kanazawa and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Kanazawa and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,196 per month in Kanazawa vs $1,430 in Okinawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,871 per month in Kanazawa vs $2,196 in Okinawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,547 per month in Kanazawa vs $2,961 in Okinawa, rent included.

Kanazawa is about 16% cheaper than Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kanazawa sits 11% below the global median, while Okinawa is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.69 ¥910

$8.57 ¥1,370

-33.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.23 ¥5,634

$41.32 ¥6,609

-14.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 ¥772

$6.12 ¥978

-21.24%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥532

$3.31 ¥529

0.30%

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

$1.09 ¥174

$1.32 ¥211

-17.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥115

$0.86 ¥137

-16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 ¥447

$3.48 ¥557

-19.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 ¥705

$4.81 ¥769

-8.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.87 ¥299

-13.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ¥239

$2.30 ¥367

-34.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.69 ¥749

$4.83 ¥772

-2.90%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥390

$2.01 ¥321

21.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 ¥1,699

$16.33 ¥2,613

-34.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 ¥1,012

$11.13 ¥1,780

-43.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.04 ¥3,045

$26.95 ¥4,310

-29.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 ¥582

$5.27 ¥842

-30.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥351

$2.61 ¥418

-16.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ¥412

$3.03 ¥485

-14.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 ¥711

$5.65 ¥904

-21.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥265

$3.69 ¥590

-55.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ¥198

$2.90 ¥464

-57.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.60 ¥256

-13.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥142

$0.94 ¥151

-5.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥614

$4.82 ¥771

-20.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 ¥1,461

$6.11 ¥978

49.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ¥331

$1.72 ¥275

20.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ¥480

$2.89 ¥461

3.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.67 ¥268

-3.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.8 ¥8,767

$35.27 ¥5,642

55.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 ¥725

$4.19 ¥671

8.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.36 ¥537

$3.77 ¥603

-10.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.66 ¥3,785

$12.74 ¥2,037

85.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥188

$1.20 ¥192

-1.67%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$22.8K ¥3.6M

2.94%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

-0.11%

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

$130 ¥20.8K

$173 ¥27.7K

-24.67%

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

$27.51 ¥4,400

$27.72 ¥4,434

-0.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.22 ¥4,833

$32.51 ¥5,200

-7.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.01 ¥7,680

$53.4 ¥8,547

-10.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.76 ¥2,201

$6.76 ¥1,081

103.55%

Cinema Ticket

$12.65 ¥2,023

$12.60 ¥2,016

0.40%

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

$70.4 ¥11.3K

$347 ¥55.5K

-79.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

-23.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.98 ¥7,034

$48.84 ¥7,813

-9.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.19 ¥4,669

$29.28 ¥4,683

-0.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ¥10.7K

$72.9 ¥11.7K

-8.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 ¥15.1K

$93.1 ¥14.9K

1.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥76.1K

$437 ¥69.9K

8.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥53.1K

$394 ¥63.1K

-15.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 ¥138.6K

$944 ¥150.9K

-8.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 ¥105.2K

$750 ¥119.9K

-12.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,365 ¥698.2K

$8,543 ¥1.4M

-48.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,655 ¥424.7K

$1,187 ¥189.8K

123.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,846 ¥295.2K

$1,292 ¥206.6K

42.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

-9.50%

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

Last update for Kanazawa: June 2, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Kanazawa versus $437 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 43% higher in Kanazawa, 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 $35.00 in Kanazawa versus $41.00 in Okinawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $398 – making Kanazawa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kanazawa vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,196 in Kanazawa, $1,430 in Okinawa – roughly 20% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,794 per month in Kanazawa and $2,145 in Okinawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kanazawa, 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 $1,196 in Kanazawa and $1,430 in Okinawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 55% less in Kanazawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kanazawa, where all-in costs run around $1,196, than in Okinawa at $1,430. In Kanazawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kanazawa – 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 Kanazawa. 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.