Cost of Living Comparison Between Kawasaki and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Kawasaki and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,670 per month in Kawasaki vs $1,430 in Okinawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,426 per month in Kawasaki vs $2,196 in Okinawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,182 per month in Kawasaki vs $2,961 in Okinawa, rent included.

Kawasaki costs about 17% more than Okinawa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kawasaki and Okinawa sit above the global median – Kawasaki by 25%, Okinawa by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.16 ¥1,305

$8.57 ¥1,370

-4.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.19 ¥7,708

$41.32 ¥6,610

16.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.49 ¥878

$6.12 ¥979

-10.29%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ¥490

$3.31 ¥529

-7.55%

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

$1.25 ¥199

$1.32 ¥211

-5.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥131

$0.86 ¥137

-4.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 ¥563

$3.48 ¥557

1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ¥508

$4.81 ¥769

-34.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥248

$1.87 ¥299

-17.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$2.30 ¥367

-30.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.06 ¥810

$4.83 ¥772

4.76%

Eggs

$2.36 ¥377

$2.01 ¥321

17.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.29 ¥2,606

$16.33 ¥2,613

-0.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.42 ¥1,186

$11.13 ¥1,781

-33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.37 ¥3,578

$26.95 ¥4,311

-16.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.82 ¥931

$5.27 ¥843

10.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 ¥425

$2.61 ¥418

1.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$3.03 ¥485

97.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.89 ¥942

$5.65 ¥904

4.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 ¥543

$3.69 ¥590

-7.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ¥448

$2.90 ¥464

-3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 ¥230

$1.60 ¥256

-10.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ¥188

$0.94 ¥151

25.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 ¥675

$4.82 ¥771

-12.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.51 ¥1,522

$6.11 ¥978

55.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥443

$1.72 ¥275

61.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ¥467

$2.89 ¥462

1.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.44 ¥231

$1.67 ¥268

-13.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ¥9,004

$35.27 ¥5,642

59.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ¥557

$4.19 ¥671

-16.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 ¥482

$3.77 ¥604

-20.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.98 ¥3,356

$12.74 ¥2,037

64.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥190

$1.20 ¥192

-0.83%

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

$23.2K ¥3.7M

$22.8K ¥3.6M

1.65%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

-0.47%

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

$141 ¥22.6K

$173 ¥27.7K

-18.46%

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

$26.64 ¥4,262

$27.72 ¥4,435

-3.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.97 ¥5,434

$32.51 ¥5,201

4.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ¥9,792

$53.4 ¥8,549

14.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.11 ¥1,778

$6.76 ¥1,081

64.35%

Cinema Ticket

$12.93 ¥2,069

$12.60 ¥2,016

2.62%

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

$464 ¥74.2K

$347 ¥55.5K

33.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ¥1.8M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

-16.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 ¥9,930

$48.84 ¥7,814

27.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.50 ¥5,039

$29.28 ¥4,684

7.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 ¥10.4K

$72.9 ¥11.7K

-10.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 ¥14.6K

$93.1 ¥14.9K

-1.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 ¥132.5K

$437 ¥69.9K

89.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 ¥101.7K

$394 ¥63.1K

61.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 ¥219.6K

$944 ¥151.0K

45.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$846 ¥135.4K

$750 ¥119.9K

12.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,643 ¥742.8K

$8,543 ¥1.4M

-45.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,141 ¥502.4K

$1,187 ¥189.9K

164.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,522 ¥403.5K

$1,292 ¥206.6K

95.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

-14.00%

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

Last update for Kawasaki: May 30, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $829 in Kawasaki 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 95% higher in Kawasaki, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Kawasaki versus $41.00 in Okinawa. Groceries tell a different story – $387 in Kawasaki vs $398 in Okinawa – so Kawasaki wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kawasaki vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kawasaki costs about 17% more than Okinawa, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,505 per month in Kawasaki 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 Okinawa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Kawasaki and $41.00 in Okinawa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,670 in Kawasaki and $1,430 in Okinawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Okinawa, where all-in costs run around $1,430, than in Kawasaki at $1,670. In Okinawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kawasaki it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Okinawa costs $1,430 versus $1,670 in Kawasaki. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Okinawa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kawasaki makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.