Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Oita and Okinawa

For one person, living costs are similar in Oita and in Okinawa: $1,309 and $1,364 a month, rent and utilities included.

Oita
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,309
/mo nomad
Okinawa
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,364
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Oita 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 Oita and in Okinawa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,309 in Oita versus $1,364 in Okinawa.

  • Oita $1,309
  • Okinawa $1,364

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,033 in Oita versus $2,154 in Okinawa.

  • Oita $2,033
  • Okinawa $2,154

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,757 in Oita versus $2,944 in Okinawa.

  • Oita $2,757
  • Okinawa $2,944

Living in Oita costs roughly 4% less than in Okinawa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oita is 3% below, Okinawa is 1% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oita
Okinawa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.42 ¥1,172
$9.91 ¥1,566
-25.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.27 ¥6,677
$39.91 ¥6,306
5.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.91 ¥934
$7.13 ¥1,126
-17.11%
Cappuccino
$3.74 ¥591
$3.87 ¥611
-3.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00 ¥159
$1.47 ¥233
-31.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 ¥118
$0.99 ¥156
-24.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.75 ¥593
$2.51 ¥397
49.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 ¥355
$4.34 ¥685
-48.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oita
Okinawa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 ¥248
$1.63 ¥257
-3.68%
White Bread (500g)
$1.93 ¥304
$2.07 ¥326
-6.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.61 ¥1,044
$3.88 ¥612
70.36%
Eggs
$2.30 ¥364
$1.78 ¥281
29.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.89 ¥2,827
$17.97 ¥2,840
-0.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.49 ¥867
$4.85 ¥766
13.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.89 ¥2,985
$22.79 ¥3,601
-17.11%
Apples (1kg)
$3.58 ¥565
$3.62 ¥571
-1.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 ¥286
$2.70 ¥427
-32.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.86 ¥451
$2.19 ¥345
30.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.42 ¥540
$5.16 ¥816
-33.72%
Potato (1kg)
$2.15 ¥340
$2.39 ¥377
-10.04%
Onion (1kg)
$2.56 ¥404
$2.45 ¥386
4.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 ¥163
$1.26 ¥199
-18.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 ¥143
$0.78 ¥122
16.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.88 ¥613
$4.02 ¥635
-3.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.34 ¥1,001
$6.30 ¥995
0.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 ¥270
$1.90 ¥299
-10.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 ¥292
$3.35 ¥530
-44.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Oita
Okinawa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.51 ¥239
$1.48 ¥233
2.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.2 ¥8,409
$65.9 ¥10.4K
-19.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.91 ¥617
$3.96 ¥625
-1.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.08 ¥329
$3.42 ¥540
-39.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.07 ¥2,855
$11.40 ¥1,802
58.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 ¥167
$1.06 ¥167
-0.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.9K ¥3.5M
$21.1K ¥3.3M
3.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.6K ¥2.8M
$15.1K ¥2.4M
16.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oita
Okinawa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$214 ¥33.9K
$158 ¥25.0K
35.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.34 ¥3,846
$25.31 ¥3,999
-3.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.96 ¥5,365
$52.8 ¥8,338
-35.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oita
Okinawa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.3 ¥8,104
$71.1 ¥11.2K
-27.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$55.3 ¥8,734
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.12 ¥1,757
$11.95 ¥1,888
-6.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oita
Okinawa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$126 ¥20.0K
$329 ¥52.0K
-61.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K ¥1.9M
$5,632 ¥889.8K
117.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oita
Okinawa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.06 ¥7,751
$50.2 ¥7,928
-2.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.11 ¥4,126
$23.08 ¥3,647
13.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.0 ¥10.3K
$80.5 ¥12.7K
-19.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.12 ¥7,445
$94.6 ¥14.9K
-50.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oita
Okinawa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$523 ¥82.6K
$403 ¥63.6K
29.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$336 ¥53.0K
$320 ¥50.6K
4.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,094 ¥172.9K
$841 ¥132.9K
30.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$723 ¥114.2K
$663 ¥104.7K
9.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,285 ¥677.0K
$8,665 ¥1.4M
-50.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,755 ¥277.2K
$1,213 ¥191.7K
44.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oita
Okinawa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,809 ¥285.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
1.97
2.23
-11.66%

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

Last update for Oita: October 18, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Oita
$336
Okinawa
$320 4.6% $15
Groceries & Markets
Oita
$317
Okinawa
$330 4.1% $13
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oita
$273
Okinawa
$236 13.3% $36
Eating Out
Oita
$152
Okinawa
$178 17% $26
Clothing & Footwear
Oita
$84
Okinawa
$112 32.6% $28
Getting Around
Oita
$74
Okinawa
$93 26.2% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Oita
$74
Okinawa
$95 29.2% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $523 in Oita and $403 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Oita vs $40.00 in Okinawa. Groceries flip the comparison at $317 vs $330, with Oita cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Oita
🇯🇵 Okinawa
🕒 Local time
12:00 12:00 PM
12:00 12:00 PM
Same time as Oita
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
475,614
142,752
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Oita Okinawa 830 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Oita
  • 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
Oita vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Oita or Okinawa?
Oita wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Okinawa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oita the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Oita and in Okinawa?
You'd need roughly $1,964 in Oita and $2,047 in Okinawa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Oita compared to Okinawa?
Rent for a central apartment: $523 in Oita versus $403 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Oita and in Okinawa?
Childcare runs $126 in Oita versus $329 in Okinawa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Oita or in Okinawa?
Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Oita or in Okinawa?
At $1,309 in Oita versus $1,364 in Okinawa, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Oita but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Oita the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Oita or 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.
How safe is Oita compared to Okinawa?
Safety-wise, Oita 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Oita 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.

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