Cost of Living Comparison Between Nagasaki and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Nagasaki and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,212 in Nagasaki versus $1,459 in Okinawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,912 in Nagasaki versus $2,255 in Okinawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,611 in Nagasaki versus $3,052 in Okinawa.

Living in Nagasaki costs roughly 17% less than in Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nagasaki is 10% below, Okinawa is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.46 ¥874

$8.24 ¥1,317

-33.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.08 ¥3,372

$40.98 ¥6,554

-48.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 ¥890

$5.89 ¥942

-5.60%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ¥485

$3.45 ¥552

-12.17%

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

$1.04 ¥166

$1.38 ¥220

-24.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥119

$0.85 ¥136

-12.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 ¥400

$3.49 ¥559

-28.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ¥382

$4.89 ¥782

-51.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥248

$1.92 ¥308

-19.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ¥197

$2.25 ¥359

-45.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.05 ¥648

$4.68 ¥748

-13.46%

Eggs

$2.22 ¥355

$2.02 ¥324

9.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ¥1,677

$16.21 ¥2,593

-35.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ¥557

$11.12 ¥1,779

-68.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.73 ¥3,315

$26.13 ¥4,180

-20.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 ¥489

$5.19 ¥831

-41.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 ¥228

$2.66 ¥426

-46.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 ¥216

$3.11 ¥497

-56.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.94 ¥950

$5.98 ¥956

-0.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 ¥450

$3.56 ¥569

-20.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.27 ¥523

$2.79 ¥446

17.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ¥147

$1.57 ¥252

-41.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥84.6

$0.94 ¥150

-43.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 ¥617

$4.74 ¥758

-18.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 ¥990

$6.10 ¥975

1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 ¥307

$1.82 ¥291

5.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥330

$3.00 ¥480

-31.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ¥162

$1.67 ¥267

-39.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$115 ¥18.3K

$34.72 ¥5,553

230.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 ¥644

$4.12 ¥658

-2.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 ¥473

$3.63 ¥581

-18.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.97 ¥3,193

$12.69 ¥2,030

57.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.19 ¥190

0.84%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

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

$20.3K ¥3.3M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

17.88%

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

$219 ¥35.1K

$174 ¥27.9K

25.80%

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

$27.32 ¥4,370

$27.88 ¥4,459

-2.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.23 ¥5,794

$31.40 ¥5,023

15.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 ¥8,843

$52.3 ¥8,365

5.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.05 ¥2,247

$6.99 ¥1,117

101.00%

Cinema Ticket

$13.79 ¥2,206

$12.45 ¥1,991

10.76%

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

$260 ¥41.6K

$344 ¥55.0K

-24.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-2.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.07 ¥7,049

$48.53 ¥7,762

-9.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.14 ¥4,660

$29.20 ¥4,671

-0.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.1 ¥10.7K

$71.3 ¥11.4K

-5.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.6 ¥9,685

$90.4 ¥14.5K

-32.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 ¥50.5K

$439 ¥70.2K

-28.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 ¥32.7K

$401 ¥64.2K

-48.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 ¥136.3K

$951 ¥152.1K

-10.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ¥106.8K

$731 ¥117.0K

-8.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,621 ¥739.1K

$8,781 ¥1.4M

-47.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,324 ¥371.7K

$1,197 ¥191.4K

94.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,817 ¥290.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

-16.50%

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

Last update for Nagasaki: June 8, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $316 in Nagasaki and $439 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Nagasaki vs $41.00 in Okinawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $396 per month, with Nagasaki 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

Nagasaki vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nagasaki is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,818 in Nagasaki and $2,188 in Okinawa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $316 in Nagasaki versus $439 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Nagasaki – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $41.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,212 in Nagasaki versus $1,459 in Okinawa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nagasaki but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Nagasaki 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, Nagasaki 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 Nagasaki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.