Cost of Living Comparison Between Morioka and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Morioka and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Morioka vs $1,430 in Okinawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,953 per month in Morioka vs $2,196 in Okinawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,656 per month in Morioka vs $2,961 in Okinawa, rent included.

Morioka is about 13% cheaper than Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.12 ¥1,142

$8.57 ¥1,373

-16.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.20 ¥5,482

$41.32 ¥6,624

-17.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 ¥883

$6.12 ¥981

-9.97%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥489

$3.31 ¥530

-7.85%

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

$1.07 ¥171

$1.32 ¥211

-18.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥119

$0.86 ¥138

-13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ¥409

$3.48 ¥558

-26.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ¥488

$4.81 ¥770

-36.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ¥257

$1.87 ¥299

-14.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ¥245

$2.30 ¥368

-33.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.84 ¥775

$4.83 ¥774

0.21%

Eggs

$2.31 ¥370

$2.01 ¥322

14.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 ¥1,599

$16.33 ¥2,618

-38.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 ¥1,031

$11.13 ¥1,784

-42.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.43 ¥2,474

$26.95 ¥4,319

-42.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥885

$5.27 ¥844

4.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥403

$2.61 ¥419

-3.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 ¥642

$3.03 ¥486

32.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.93 ¥951

$5.65 ¥905

4.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 ¥503

$3.69 ¥591

-14.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ¥408

$2.90 ¥465

-12.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.60 ¥257

-13.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥132

$0.94 ¥151

-12.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 ¥676

$4.82 ¥772

-12.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.72 ¥1,397

$6.11 ¥980

42.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥296

$1.72 ¥275

7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ¥346

$2.89 ¥462

-25.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.67 ¥268

-4.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.0 ¥8,811

$35.27 ¥5,654

55.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 ¥543

$4.19 ¥672

-19.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 ¥484

$3.77 ¥605

-19.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.42 ¥3,273

$12.74 ¥2,041

60.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥198

$1.20 ¥192

3.33%

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

$23.0K ¥3.7M

$22.8K ¥3.7M

1.00%

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

$17.6K ¥2.8M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

3.59%

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

$143 ¥22.9K

$173 ¥27.7K

-17.37%

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

$26.96 ¥4,321

$27.72 ¥4,444

-2.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.48 ¥5,367

$32.51 ¥5,211

2.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 ¥9,116

$53.4 ¥8,566

6.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.06 ¥2,253

$6.76 ¥1,084

107.99%

Cinema Ticket

$12.39 ¥1,986

$12.60 ¥2,020

-1.67%

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

$286 ¥45.9K

$347 ¥55.6K

-17.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K ¥2.2M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

0.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.69 ¥6,842

$48.84 ¥7,829

-12.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.36 ¥4,707

$29.28 ¥4,693

0.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 ¥9,715

$72.9 ¥11.7K

-16.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 ¥14.8K

$93.1 ¥14.9K

-1.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 ¥76.1K

$437 ¥70.1K

8.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 ¥53.5K

$394 ¥63.2K

-15.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 ¥139.7K

$944 ¥151.3K

-7.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ¥107.1K

$750 ¥120.2K

-10.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,253 ¥842.1K

$8,543 ¥1.4M

-38.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,121 ¥339.9K

$1,187 ¥190.2K

78.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥207.0K

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 Morioka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Morioka 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Morioka versus $41.00 in Okinawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $398 – making Morioka 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

Morioka vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Morioka, $1,430 in Okinawa – roughly 14% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Morioka 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 Morioka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Okinawa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Morioka and $41.00 in Okinawa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Morioka, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Okinawa at $1,430. In Morioka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Morioka – 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 Morioka. 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.