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: $1,353 in Nagoya versus $1,459 in Okinawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,135 in Nagoya versus $2,255 in Okinawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,916 in Nagoya versus $3,052 in Okinawa.

Living in Nagoya costs roughly 7% less than in Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nagoya 1% above, Okinawa 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 ¥1,092

$8.24 ¥1,317

-17.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.68 ¥5,547

$40.98 ¥6,554

-15.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥893

$5.89 ¥942

-5.09%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ¥489

$3.45 ¥552

-11.30%

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

$1.19 ¥191

$1.38 ¥220

-13.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.85 ¥136

-10.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ¥341

$3.49 ¥559

-38.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ¥513

$4.89 ¥782

-34.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ¥262

$1.92 ¥308

-14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥286

$2.25 ¥359

-20.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥777

$4.68 ¥748

3.85%

Eggs

$2.21 ¥353

$2.02 ¥324

9.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 ¥1,625

$16.21 ¥2,593

-37.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 ¥1,024

$11.12 ¥1,779

-42.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.23 ¥2,436

$26.13 ¥4,180

-41.71%

Apples (1kg)

$9.22 ¥1,475

$5.19 ¥831

77.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 ¥458

$2.66 ¥426

7.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 ¥625

$3.11 ¥497

25.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.20 ¥992

$5.98 ¥956

3.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.99 ¥638

$3.56 ¥569

12.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 ¥431

$2.79 ¥446

-3.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ¥212

$1.57 ¥252

-15.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ¥223

$0.94 ¥150

48.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 ¥566

$4.74 ¥758

-25.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.35 ¥1,496

$6.10 ¥975

53.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ¥291

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥325

$3.00 ¥480

-32.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 ¥271

$1.67 ¥267

1.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.6 ¥11.3K

$34.72 ¥5,553

103.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ¥568

$4.12 ¥658

-13.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.86 ¥457

$3.63 ¥581

-21.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.63 ¥2,819

$12.69 ¥2,030

38.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥188

$1.19 ¥190

-1.68%

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

$23.4K ¥3.7M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-0.50%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

0.39%

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

$140 ¥22.3K

$174 ¥27.9K

-19.88%

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

$27.18 ¥4,347

$27.88 ¥4,459

-2.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.43 ¥5,506

$31.40 ¥5,023

9.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 ¥9,041

$52.3 ¥8,365

8.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 ¥3,004

$6.99 ¥1,117

168.81%

Cinema Ticket

$12.47 ¥1,994

$12.45 ¥1,991

0.16%

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

$467 ¥74.7K

$344 ¥55.0K

35.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K ¥1.8M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-18.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.91 ¥7,342

$48.53 ¥7,762

-5.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.46 ¥4,712

$29.20 ¥4,671

0.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.2 ¥8,984

$71.3 ¥11.4K

-21.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.6 ¥14.6K

$90.4 ¥14.5K

1.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 ¥95.7K

$439 ¥70.2K

36.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 ¥66.2K

$401 ¥64.2K

3.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ¥211.2K

$951 ¥152.1K

38.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 ¥136.3K

$731 ¥117.0K

16.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,538 ¥405.9K

$8,781 ¥1.4M

-71.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,117 ¥178.7K

$1,197 ¥191.4K

-6.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,906 ¥304.9K

$1,817 ¥290.7K

4.91%

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 Nagoya: June 6, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $598 in Nagoya and $439 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nagoya pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Nagoya vs $41.00 in Okinawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $396 per month, with Nagoya 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

Nagoya vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nagoya is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Nagoya pays 5% more on average, 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: $598 in Nagoya versus $439 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 103% less than in Okinawa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $467 in Nagoya versus $344 in Okinawa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,353 in Nagoya versus $1,459 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 8% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.