Cost of Living Comparison Between Matsuyama and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Matsuyama and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,239 per month in Matsuyama vs $1,437 in Okinawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,952 per month in Matsuyama vs $2,214 in Okinawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,666 per month in Matsuyama vs $2,992 in Okinawa, rent included.

Matsuyama is about 14% cheaper than Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Matsuyama sits 7% below the global median, while Okinawa is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.00 ¥1,137

$8.18 ¥1,329

-14.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.00 ¥5,687

$41.94 ¥6,815

-16.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 ¥884

$5.98 ¥971

-9.03%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ¥502

$3.34 ¥543

-7.49%

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

$1.11 ¥180

$1.32 ¥215

-15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥130

$0.93 ¥152

-13.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ¥414

$3.50 ¥569

-27.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ¥514

$4.91 ¥797

-35.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ¥248

$1.95 ¥317

-21.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ¥247

$2.37 ¥385

-35.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.69 ¥762

$4.87 ¥791

-3.70%

Eggs

$2.21 ¥359

$2.00 ¥325

10.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.90 ¥1,609

$16.39 ¥2,663

-39.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 ¥1,063

$10.84 ¥1,761

-39.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 ¥2,490

$26.48 ¥4,303

-42.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.41 ¥879

$5.06 ¥822

6.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 ¥428

$2.59 ¥420

1.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 ¥661

$3.13 ¥509

30.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.04 ¥981

$5.64 ¥916

7.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.16 ¥514

$3.50 ¥568

-9.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 ¥419

$2.89 ¥469

-10.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ¥224

$1.59 ¥258

-13.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥142

$0.88 ¥143

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 ¥663

$4.92 ¥799

-17.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 ¥1,392

$6.09 ¥989

40.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ¥296

$1.73 ¥281

5.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ¥356

$2.91 ¥473

-24.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥261

$1.63 ¥265

-1.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.0 ¥9,099

$34.91 ¥5,673

60.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 ¥572

$4.11 ¥668

-14.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.00 ¥488

$3.62 ¥587

-17.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.64 ¥3,353

$12.58 ¥2,044

64.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.24 ¥202

-3.23%

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

$23.0K ¥3.7M

$23.3K ¥3.8M

-1.47%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$16.7K ¥2.7M

3.49%

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

$141 ¥22.9K

$173 ¥28.2K

-18.85%

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

$26.78 ¥4,351

$27.25 ¥4,428

-1.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.23 ¥5,561

$31.66 ¥5,145

8.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ¥8,896

$53.7 ¥8,723

1.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.63 ¥2,215

$7.04 ¥1,144

93.61%

Cinema Ticket

$12.61 ¥2,048

$12.45 ¥2,022

1.29%

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

$283 ¥45.9K

$346 ¥56.2K

-18.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.2M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

1.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.18 ¥7,016

$47.75 ¥7,758

-9.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.37 ¥4,772

$29.25 ¥4,753

0.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 ¥9,860

$73.5 ¥11.9K

-17.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.7 ¥14.7K

$90.9 ¥14.8K

-0.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ¥64.7K

$445 ¥72.2K

-10.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ¥52.7K

$400 ¥64.9K

-18.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 ¥142.7K

$946 ¥153.7K

-7.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 ¥106.0K

$748 ¥121.5K

-12.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,812 ¥781.8K

$8,584 ¥1.4M

-43.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,180 ¥354.2K

$1,221 ¥198.4K

78.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

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 Matsuyama: July 11, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $398 in Matsuyama versus $445 in Okinawa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Matsuyama versus $42.00 in Okinawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 vs $395 – making Matsuyama 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

Matsuyama vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,239 in Matsuyama, $1,437 in Okinawa – roughly 16% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,859 per month in Matsuyama and $2,155 in Okinawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Matsuyama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 60% less in Matsuyama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $283 per month in Matsuyama and $346 in Okinawa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Matsuyama, where all-in costs run around $1,239, than in Okinawa at $1,437. In Matsuyama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Matsuyama – 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 Matsuyama. 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.