Cost of Living Comparison Between Nara and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Nara and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,274 in Nara versus $1,436 in Okinawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,904 in Nara versus $2,236 in Okinawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,535 in Nara versus $3,037 in Okinawa.

Living in Nara costs roughly 11% less than in Okinawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nara is 8% below, Okinawa is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.38 ¥979

$10.17 ¥1,562

-37.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.05 ¥4,922

$42.22 ¥6,483

-24.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.10 ¥784

$7.25 ¥1,113

-29.66%

Cappuccino

$2.46 ¥377

$4.20 ¥644

-41.43%

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

$1.28 ¥197

$1.52 ¥233

-15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥117

$0.97 ¥149

-21.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 ¥494

$2.11 ¥324

52.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ¥486

$4.62 ¥709

-31.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥237

$1.66 ¥256

-7.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 ¥202

$2.10 ¥322

-37.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 ¥660

$4.00 ¥615

7.50%

Eggs

$2.24 ¥344

$1.87 ¥288

19.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 ¥1,543

$18.33 ¥2,815

-45.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 ¥1,097

$5.08 ¥781

40.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 ¥2,882

$22.99 ¥3,531

-18.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 ¥534

$3.76 ¥577

-7.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ¥314

$2.68 ¥412

-23.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 ¥326

$2.27 ¥349

-6.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 ¥648

$5.38 ¥827

-21.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥237

$2.55 ¥391

-39.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ¥176

$2.53 ¥388

-54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 ¥186

$1.34 ¥205

-9.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥133

$0.81 ¥125

7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ¥609

$3.99 ¥612

-0.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.74 ¥1,496

$6.33 ¥972

53.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ¥306

$2.01 ¥309

-1.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ¥342

$3.43 ¥527

-35.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 ¥243

$1.51 ¥232

4.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.8 ¥11.3K

$67.6 ¥10.4K

9.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 ¥493

$3.79 ¥582

-15.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.84 ¥435

$3.47 ¥532

-18.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.91 ¥2,442

$11.86 ¥1,821

34.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ¥166

$1.14 ¥175

-5.26%

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

$22.5K ¥3.5M

$21.7K ¥3.3M

3.53%

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)

$117 ¥17.9K

$166 ¥25.5K

-29.73%

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

$25.23 ¥3,874

$25.25 ¥3,877

-0.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.22 ¥4,794

$54.3 ¥8,344

-42.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.6 ¥13.1K

$73.6 ¥11.3K

16.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.72 ¥1,185

$57.5 ¥8,832

-86.58%

Cinema Ticket

$12.23 ¥1,878

$12.27 ¥1,885

-0.33%

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

$521 ¥80.0K

$346 ¥53.1K

50.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.0M

$5,652 ¥867.9K

133.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.32 ¥7,573

$50.8 ¥7,795

-2.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.12 ¥4,779

$24.35 ¥3,739

27.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 ¥9,378

$84.1 ¥12.9K

-27.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 ¥14.1K

$97.5 ¥15.0K

-6.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 ¥63.6K

$409 ¥62.9K

1.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ¥53.1K

$331 ¥50.9K

4.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 ¥130.1K

$862 ¥132.4K

-1.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 ¥84.9K

$698 ¥107.2K

-20.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,786 ¥427.7K

$8,819 ¥1.4M

-68.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,019 ¥310.0K

$1,241 ¥190.5K

62.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,139 ¥174.9K

$1,890 ¥290.2K

-39.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.01

2.23

-9.87%

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

Last update for Nara: September 6, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $414 in Nara and $409 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 66% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Nara vs $42.00 in Okinawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $339 per month, with Nara 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

Nara vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nara is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 66% lower in Okinawa. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $414 in Nara versus $409 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nara – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $42.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,274 per month in Nara versus $1,436 in Okinawa – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,274 in Nara versus $1,436 in Okinawa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nara but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Nara 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, Nara 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 Nara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.