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: $1,185 in Nagasaki versus $1,428 in Okinawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,905 in Nagasaki versus $2,217 in Okinawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,625 in Nagasaki versus $3,007 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 11% below, Okinawa is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.61 ¥884

$8.47 ¥1,335

-33.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.62 ¥3,250

$42.01 ¥6,620

-50.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.72 ¥901

$5.84 ¥921

-2.05%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ¥488

$3.33 ¥525

-6.91%

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

$1.09 ¥171

$1.35 ¥213

-19.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥125

$0.86 ¥136

-6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 ¥393

$3.56 ¥560

-29.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ¥377

$4.79 ¥754

-50.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥250

$1.89 ¥298

-15.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥201

$2.25 ¥355

-43.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 ¥652

$4.60 ¥725

-10.00%

Eggs

$2.28 ¥359

$2.04 ¥322

11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 ¥1,608

$16.45 ¥2,592

-37.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 ¥557

$11.24 ¥1,771

-68.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.71 ¥3,263

$26.66 ¥4,200

-22.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 ¥482

$5.02 ¥791

-39.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 ¥213

$2.69 ¥423

-49.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ¥224

$3.06 ¥482

-53.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.92 ¥932

$5.76 ¥907

2.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 ¥447

$3.53 ¥556

-19.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 ¥499

$2.77 ¥437

14.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ¥154

$1.52 ¥240

-35.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥89.5

$0.88 ¥138

-35.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥605

$4.76 ¥749

-19.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.25 ¥984

$6.27 ¥989

-0.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ¥313

$1.81 ¥286

9.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥336

$2.96 ¥467

-28.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ¥146

$1.68 ¥265

-44.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 ¥17.8K

$35.11 ¥5,533

221.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 ¥646

$4.06 ¥640

0.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥458

$3.77 ¥594

-22.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.65 ¥3,097

$12.85 ¥2,025

52.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥181

$1.25 ¥197

-8.00%

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

$23.2K ¥3.6M

$23.2K ¥3.7M

-0.19%

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

$20.4K ¥3.2M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

20.19%

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

$215 ¥33.9K

$176 ¥27.7K

22.28%

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

$27.15 ¥4,278

$27.21 ¥4,287

-0.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.72 ¥5,629

$32.15 ¥5,066

11.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ¥8,759

$52.4 ¥8,252

6.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.80 ¥2,175

$7.11 ¥1,120

94.09%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 ¥2,227

$12.63 ¥1,990

11.88%

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

$259 ¥40.9K

$346 ¥54.6K

-25.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.1M

-0.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.40 ¥6,839

$48.92 ¥7,709

-11.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.96 ¥4,720

$29.26 ¥4,610

2.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ¥10.5K

$72.9 ¥11.5K

-8.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.1 ¥9,463

$90.5 ¥14.3K

-33.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 ¥48.7K

$453 ¥71.4K

-31.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 ¥32.7K

$400 ¥63.0K

-48.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 ¥135.1K

$960 ¥151.3K

-10.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ¥103.8K

$737 ¥116.1K

-10.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,346 ¥684.8K

$8,685 ¥1.4M

-49.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 ¥323.2K

$1,206 ¥190.1K

70.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,744 ¥274.8K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $309 in Nagasaki and $453 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Nagasaki vs $42.00 in Okinawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 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 $1,778 in Nagasaki and $2,141 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: $309 in Nagasaki versus $453 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% 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 $42.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,185 in Nagasaki versus $1,428 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.