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: $1,218 in Nagasaki versus $1,427 in Okinawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,844 in Nagasaki versus $2,228 in Okinawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,470 in Nagasaki versus $3,030 in Okinawa.

Living in Nagasaki costs roughly 15% less than in Okinawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nagasaki is 11% below, Okinawa is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.21 ¥813

$9.68 ¥1,511

-46.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.09 ¥2,979

$40.32 ¥6,292

-52.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 ¥792

$6.94 ¥1,082

-26.80%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ¥532

$4.18 ¥653

-18.42%

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

$1.02 ¥159

$1.47 ¥230

-30.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥101

$1.01 ¥158

-35.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ¥347

$2.00 ¥313

11.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ¥363

$4.46 ¥696

-47.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥245

$1.59 ¥249

-1.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥307

$2.20 ¥344

-10.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 ¥982

$3.98 ¥620

58.29%

Eggs

$2.15 ¥335

$1.81 ¥282

18.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.77 ¥1,524

$17.99 ¥2,807

-45.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥501

$5.05 ¥788

-36.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.61 ¥3,059

$22.90 ¥3,574

-14.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 ¥577

$3.73 ¥582

-0.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ¥286

$2.78 ¥434

-33.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 ¥467

$2.30 ¥358

30.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 ¥522

$5.27 ¥822

-36.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ¥358

$2.45 ¥382

-6.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 ¥399

$2.53 ¥394

1.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ¥173

$1.35 ¥211

-17.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$0.77 ¥120

31.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 ¥633

$3.93 ¥614

3.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 ¥993

$6.51 ¥1,015

-2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥277

$1.96 ¥306

-9.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ¥303

$3.45 ¥538

-43.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 ¥210

$1.46 ¥229

-7.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.5 ¥9,125

$68.1 ¥10.6K

-14.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 ¥618

$3.94 ¥614

0.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 ¥326

$3.59 ¥560

-41.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.67 ¥2,912

$11.87 ¥1,853

57.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥176

$1.13 ¥177

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

$21.9K ¥3.4M

2.17%

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

$17.9K ¥2.8M

$15.4K ¥2.4M

16.18%

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

$195 ¥30.4K

$165 ¥25.7K

18.16%

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

$25.63 ¥3,999

$25.69 ¥4,009

-0.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.84 ¥5,437

$54.8 ¥8,550

-36.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.26 ¥7,531

$74.0 ¥11.6K

-34.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,814

Cinema Ticket

$11.25 ¥1,756

$12.50 ¥1,951

-10.00%

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

$130 ¥20.3K

$345 ¥53.8K

-62.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K ¥1.9M

$5,827 ¥909.1K

112.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.36 ¥5,986

$51.7 ¥8,063

-25.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.70 ¥3,854

$24.12 ¥3,763

2.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 ¥9,522

$81.1 ¥12.7K

-24.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.40 ¥7,552

$95.9 ¥15.0K

-49.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ¥78.9K

$411 ¥64.2K

23.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 ¥48.7K

$332 ¥51.8K

-5.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 ¥161.1K

$863 ¥134.7K

19.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 ¥121.1K

$694 ¥108.2K

11.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ¥584.9K

$8,703 ¥1.4M

-56.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,816 ¥283.4K

$1,200 ¥187.3K

51.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥290.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.85

2.23

-17.04%

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

Last update for Nagasaki: September 13, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Nagasaki and $411 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Nagasaki vs $40.00 in Okinawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $337 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, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,827 in Nagasaki and $2,140 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: $506 in Nagasaki versus $411 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% 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 $19.00 versus $40.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,218 in Nagasaki versus $1,427 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 17% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.