Cost of Living Comparison Between Narita and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Narita and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,227 in Narita versus $1,463 in Okinawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,948 in Narita versus $2,234 in Okinawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,669 in Narita versus $3,004 in Okinawa.

Living in Narita costs roughly 16% less than in Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Narita is 8% below, Okinawa is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.63 ¥902

$8.50 ¥1,364

-33.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.15 ¥6,601

$42.40 ¥6,802

-2.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 ¥831

$5.86 ¥940

-11.60%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ¥497

$3.41 ¥547

-9.09%

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

$0.84 ¥135

$1.32 ¥211

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥129

$0.92 ¥148

-13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ¥342

$3.42 ¥549

-37.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ¥492

$4.78 ¥767

-35.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥206

$1.87 ¥301

-31.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ¥138

$2.34 ¥375

-63.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.79 ¥768

$4.68 ¥751

2.35%

Eggs

$2.27 ¥365

$2.11 ¥338

7.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 ¥1,605

$16.36 ¥2,624

-38.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 ¥1,035

$11.01 ¥1,766

-41.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.46 ¥2,480

$26.29 ¥4,217

-41.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.84 ¥936

$4.99 ¥800

17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$3.19 ¥512

$2.69 ¥431

18.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 ¥659

$3.03 ¥487

35.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.10 ¥978

$5.76 ¥925

5.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 ¥525

$3.59 ¥575

-8.91%

Onion (1kg)

$4.16 ¥668

$2.78 ¥446

49.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥220

$1.54 ¥247

-11.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥139

$0.88 ¥142

-1.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ¥519

$4.97 ¥797

-35.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.63 ¥1,544

$6.08 ¥975

58.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥280

$1.80 ¥289

-3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥330

$2.87 ¥460

-28.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 ¥266

$1.69 ¥270

-1.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ¥8,868

$35.10 ¥5,630

57.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 ¥545

$4.14 ¥665

-18.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ¥250

$3.59 ¥575

-56.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 ¥3,493

$12.62 ¥2,024

72.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ¥178

$1.20 ¥193

-7.50%

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

$20.7K ¥3.3M

$23.4K ¥3.8M

-11.50%

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

$18.7K ¥3.0M

$17.2K ¥2.8M

8.58%

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

$143 ¥22.9K

$173 ¥27.7K

-17.30%

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

$27.81 ¥4,461

$27.81 ¥4,460

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.70 ¥5,085

$32.37 ¥5,192

-2.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 ¥8,844

$51.9 ¥8,330

6.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 ¥2,190

$7.08 ¥1,136

92.80%

Cinema Ticket

$12.43 ¥1,994

$12.67 ¥2,032

-1.89%

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

$277 ¥44.5K

$345 ¥55.4K

-19.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K ¥2.2M

$13.4K ¥2.2M

1.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.77 ¥6,701

$47.62 ¥7,640

-12.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.92 ¥4,639

$28.93 ¥4,640

-0.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 ¥9,805

$72.0 ¥11.5K

-15.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ¥18.0K

$91.9 ¥14.7K

21.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 ¥79.1K

$453 ¥72.6K

8.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 ¥56.3K

$402 ¥64.5K

-12.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 ¥141.3K

$939 ¥150.7K

-6.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 ¥104.0K

$731 ¥117.3K

-11.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,470 ¥717.0K

$8,521 ¥1.4M

-47.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,019 ¥323.8K

$1,189 ¥190.8K

69.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,247 ¥200.1K

$1,791 ¥287.3K

-30.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.05

2.50%

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

Last update for Narita: June 15, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $493 in Narita and $453 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 44% 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: $41.00 in Narita vs $42.00 in Okinawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $394 per month, with Narita 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

Narita vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Narita is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Okinawa earns 44% less. 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: $493 in Narita versus $453 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Narita runs roughly 57% less than in Okinawa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $277 in Narita versus $345 in Okinawa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,227 in Narita versus $1,463 in Okinawa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Narita but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Narita 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, Narita 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 Narita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.