Cost of Living Comparison Between Nagoya and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Nagoya and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,383 in Nagoya versus $1,436 in Okinawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,176 in Nagoya versus $2,236 in Okinawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,970 in Nagoya versus $3,037 in Okinawa.

Living in Nagoya costs roughly 4% less than in Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nagoya 0% above, Okinawa 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.81 ¥1,352

$10.17 ¥1,562

-13.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.95 ¥5,059

$42.22 ¥6,483

-21.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥777

$7.25 ¥1,113

-30.21%

Cappuccino

$2.50 ¥384

$4.20 ¥644

-40.48%

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

$1.28 ¥197

$1.52 ¥233

-15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥136

$0.97 ¥149

-8.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 ¥501

$2.11 ¥324

54.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ¥511

$4.62 ¥709

-28.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥236

$1.66 ¥256

-7.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥245

$2.10 ¥322

-24.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 ¥671

$4.00 ¥615

9.25%

Eggs

$2.16 ¥331

$1.87 ¥288

15.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.50 ¥2,534

$18.33 ¥2,815

-9.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.07 ¥1,086

$5.08 ¥781

39.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.70 ¥2,717

$22.99 ¥3,531

-23.01%

Apples (1kg)

$8.63 ¥1,325

$3.76 ¥577

129.52%

Banana (1kg)

$3.16 ¥486

$2.68 ¥412

17.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.09 ¥782

$2.27 ¥349

124.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.89 ¥1,211

$5.38 ¥827

46.65%

Potato (1kg)

$4.20 ¥644

$2.55 ¥391

64.71%

Onion (1kg)

$4.81 ¥738

$2.53 ¥388

90.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ¥185

$1.34 ¥205

-10.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥140

$0.81 ¥125

12.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 ¥627

$3.99 ¥612

2.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 ¥1,518

$6.33 ¥972

56.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 ¥395

$2.01 ¥309

27.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ¥329

$3.43 ¥527

-37.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 ¥234

$1.51 ¥232

1.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.4 ¥14.3K

$67.6 ¥10.4K

38.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 ¥489

$3.79 ¥582

-15.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥441

$3.47 ¥532

-17.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.88 ¥2,438

$11.86 ¥1,821

33.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ¥166

$1.14 ¥175

-5.26%

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

$22.1K ¥3.4M

$21.7K ¥3.3M

1.54%

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

$15.8K ¥2.4M

$15.5K ¥2.4M

1.77%

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

$119 ¥18.3K

$166 ¥25.5K

-28.22%

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

$24.14 ¥3,706

$25.25 ¥3,877

-4.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.53 ¥4,841

$54.3 ¥8,344

-41.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ¥7,998

$73.6 ¥11.3K

-29.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.28 ¥2,192

$57.5 ¥8,832

-75.17%

Cinema Ticket

$11.59 ¥1,780

$12.27 ¥1,885

-5.54%

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

$597 ¥91.6K

$346 ¥53.1K

72.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K ¥2.4M

$5,652 ¥867.9K

171.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 ¥7,892

$50.8 ¥7,795

1.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.51 ¥5,607

$24.35 ¥3,739

49.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 ¥9,553

$84.1 ¥12.9K

-26.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.5 ¥15.1K

$97.5 ¥15.0K

0.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 ¥83.2K

$409 ¥62.9K

32.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 ¥56.1K

$331 ¥50.9K

10.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 ¥193.2K

$862 ¥132.4K

45.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 ¥115.2K

$698 ¥107.2K

7.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,129 ¥326.9K

$8,819 ¥1.4M

-75.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,052 ¥161.5K

$1,241 ¥190.5K

-15.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,057 ¥315.8K

$1,890 ¥290.2K

8.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.66

2.23

-25.56%

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

Last update for Nagoya: September 6, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $542 in Nagoya and $409 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nagoya pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Nagoya vs $42.00 in Okinawa. Groceries flip the comparison at $392 vs $339, with Okinawa cheaper for home cooking.

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

Nagoya vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nagoya is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Nagoya, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $542 in Nagoya versus $409 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nagoya runs roughly 38% less than in Okinawa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $597 in Nagoya versus $346 in Okinawa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,383 in Nagoya versus $1,436 in Okinawa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nagoya but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Nagoya 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, Nagoya 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 Nagoya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.