Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nagoya and Okinawa

For one person, living costs are similar in Nagoya and in Okinawa: $1,375 and $1,388 a month, rent and utilities included.

Nagoya, Japan
Okinawa, Japan
Nagoya
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,375
/mo nomad
Okinawa
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,388
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nagoya and in Okinawa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nagoya and in Okinawa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,375 in Nagoya versus $1,388 in Okinawa.

  • Nagoya $1,375
  • Okinawa $1,388

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,052 in Nagoya versus $2,184 in Okinawa.

  • Nagoya $2,052
  • Okinawa $2,184

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,730 in Nagoya versus $2,980 in Okinawa.

  • Nagoya $2,730
  • Okinawa $2,980

Living in Nagoya costs roughly 1% less than in Okinawa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nagoya
Okinawa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.58 ¥1,355
$10.12 ¥1,598
-15.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.23 ¥5,089
$40.24 ¥6,353
-19.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.18 ¥817
$7.04 ¥1,112
-26.42%
Cappuccino
$2.55 ¥403
$4.11 ¥649
-37.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 ¥199
$1.40 ¥221
-10.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 ¥143
$0.92 ¥145
-1.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.11 ¥490
$2.51 ¥396
23.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 ¥486
$5.27 ¥832
-41.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nagoya
Okinawa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 ¥239
$1.58 ¥249
-4.43%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 ¥235
$2.05 ¥324
-27.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.22 ¥667
$3.76 ¥594
12.23%
Eggs
$2.23 ¥352
$1.84 ¥290
21.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.05 ¥2,534
$17.99 ¥2,841
-10.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.84 ¥1,080
$4.79 ¥757
42.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.07 ¥2,695
$22.45 ¥3,545
-23.96%
Apples (1kg)
$8.56 ¥1,352
$3.81 ¥602
124.67%
Banana (1kg)
$3.03 ¥479
$2.62 ¥413
15.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.98 ¥787
$2.20 ¥347
126.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.66 ¥1,210
$5.26 ¥831
45.63%
Potato (1kg)
$3.97 ¥627
$2.39 ¥377
66.11%
Onion (1kg)
$4.72 ¥745
$2.56 ¥404
84.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 ¥186
$1.28 ¥201
-7.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 ¥148
$0.77 ¥122
22.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.05 ¥639
$3.90 ¥617
3.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.72 ¥1,535
$6.40 ¥1,011
51.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.50 ¥395
$1.95 ¥308
28.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 ¥345
$3.34 ¥528
-34.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Nagoya
Okinawa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 ¥213
$1.44 ¥227
-6.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$89.2 ¥14.1K
$65.1 ¥10.3K
37.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 ¥497
$3.82 ¥603
-17.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.87 ¥453
$3.54 ¥559
-18.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.97 ¥2,521
$11.23 ¥1,772
42.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ¥175
$1.11 ¥175
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ¥3.4M
$20.9K ¥3.3M
3.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.1K ¥2.4M
$15.5K ¥2.5M
-2.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nagoya
Okinawa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$114 ¥18.0K
$163 ¥25.7K
-29.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.77 ¥3,753
$25.35 ¥4,003
-6.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.40 ¥4,957
$53.1 ¥8,379
-40.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nagoya
Okinawa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.67 ¥6,895
$73.0 ¥11.5K
-40.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.90 ¥2,194
$54.9 ¥8,670
-74.69%
Cinema Ticket
$12.59 ¥1,988
$11.98 ¥1,892
5.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nagoya
Okinawa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$687 ¥108.5K
$327 ¥51.7K
109.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ¥2.3M
$5,668 ¥894.9K
159.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nagoya
Okinawa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.2 ¥8,085
$48.88 ¥7,718
4.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.35 ¥5,581
$23.35 ¥3,687
51.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.8 ¥9,762
$81.2 ¥12.8K
-23.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.9 ¥15.8K
$95.7 ¥15.1K
4.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nagoya
Okinawa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$558 ¥88.1K
$411 ¥64.9K
35.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$385 ¥60.8K
$332 ¥52.4K
15.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$937 ¥148.0K
$852 ¥134.6K
9.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$555 ¥87.6K
$678 ¥107.0K
-18.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,555 ¥561.3K
$8,422 ¥1.3M
-57.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,971 ¥311.2K
$1,185 ¥187.1K
66.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nagoya
Okinawa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,881 ¥297.0K
$1,798 ¥283.8K
4.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.02
2.23
-9.42%

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

Last update for Nagoya: October 24, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nagoya
$385
Okinawa
$332 13.8% $53
Groceries & Markets
Nagoya
$382
Okinawa
$330 13.8% $53
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nagoya
$169
Okinawa
$241 42.3% $72
Eating Out
Nagoya
$145
Okinawa
$184 26.6% $39
Getting Around
Nagoya
$112
Okinawa
$92 17.6% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Nagoya
$112
Okinawa
$112 0.3% $0.4
Sport & Entertainment
Nagoya
$69
Okinawa
$97 40.9% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $558 in Nagoya and $411 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: $32 in Nagoya vs $40 in Okinawa. Groceries flip the comparison at $382 vs $330, with Okinawa cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Nagoya
🇯🇵 Okinawa
🕒 Local time
03:43 3:43 AM
03:43 3:43 AM
Same time as Nagoya
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,236,000
142,752
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nagoya Okinawa 1,290 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nagoya
  • Okinawa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Nagoya cheaper than Okinawa?
Nagoya is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, leisure, and utilities. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Nagoya or Okinawa?
Average pay runs 5% higher in Nagoya, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Nagoya and Okinawa?
Rent for a central apartment: $558 in Nagoya versus $411 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Okinawa runs roughly 27% less than in Nagoya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $687 in Nagoya versus $327 in Okinawa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is it better to live in Nagoya or in Okinawa?
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.
Which city is safer, Nagoya or Okinawa?
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.

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