Cost of Living Comparison Between Oita and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Oita and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,140 in Oita versus $1,437 in Okinawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,739 in Oita versus $2,214 in Okinawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,339 in Oita versus $2,992 in Okinawa.

Living in Oita costs roughly 21% less than in Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oita is 15% below, Okinawa is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 ¥926

$8.18 ¥1,329

-30.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.49 ¥6,741

$41.94 ¥6,815

-1.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 ¥973

$5.98 ¥971

0.17%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ¥328

$3.34 ¥543

-39.52%

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

$1.09 ¥177

$1.32 ¥215

-17.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥116

$0.93 ¥152

-22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.46 ¥562

$3.50 ¥569

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ¥502

$4.91 ¥797

-37.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ¥206

$1.95 ¥317

-34.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ¥216

$2.37 ¥385

-43.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 ¥669

$4.87 ¥791

-15.40%

Eggs

$2.57 ¥418

$2.00 ¥325

28.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.73 ¥931

$16.39 ¥2,663

-65.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.09 ¥990

$10.84 ¥1,761

-43.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.50 ¥1,869

$26.48 ¥4,303

-56.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.36 ¥871

$5.06 ¥822

5.93%

Banana (1kg)

$4.95 ¥803

$2.59 ¥420

91.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.30 ¥861

$3.13 ¥509

69.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ¥368

$5.64 ¥916

-59.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 ¥229

$3.50 ¥568

-59.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ¥229

$2.89 ¥469

-51.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ¥201

$1.59 ¥258

-22.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥131

$0.88 ¥143

-7.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥617

$4.92 ¥799

-22.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.12 ¥994

$6.09 ¥989

0.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.73 ¥281

18.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥341

$2.91 ¥473

-27.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 ¥207

$1.63 ¥265

-21.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.22 ¥5,559

$34.91 ¥5,673

-1.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 ¥547

$4.11 ¥668

-18.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ¥319

$3.62 ¥587

-45.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.35 ¥3,144

$12.58 ¥2,044

53.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥197

$1.24 ¥202

-1.61%

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

$23.1K ¥3.7M

$23.3K ¥3.8M

-1.20%

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

$14.5K ¥2.4M

$16.7K ¥2.7M

-12.90%

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

$81.2 ¥13.2K

$173 ¥28.2K

-53.18%

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

$27.71 ¥4,502

$27.25 ¥4,428

1.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.15 ¥3,598

$31.66 ¥5,145

-30.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ¥9,060

$53.7 ¥8,723

3.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.81 ¥1,107

$7.04 ¥1,144

-3.27%

Cinema Ticket

$10.21 ¥1,659

$12.45 ¥2,022

-17.99%

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

$414 ¥67.2K

$346 ¥56.2K

19.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.2M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

1.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.05 ¥6,506

$47.75 ¥7,758

-16.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.65 ¥4,818

$29.25 ¥4,753

1.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.1 ¥10.9K

$73.5 ¥11.9K

-8.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.2 ¥15.1K

$90.9 ¥14.8K

2.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 ¥76.4K

$445 ¥72.2K

5.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 ¥60.5K

$400 ¥64.9K

-6.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 ¥124.0K

$946 ¥153.7K

-19.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 ¥91.3K

$748 ¥121.5K

-24.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,106 ¥667.1K

$8,584 ¥1.4M

-52.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,771 ¥287.8K

$1,221 ¥198.4K

45.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,258 ¥204.5K

$1,769 ¥287.4K

-28.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.5

-25.00%

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

Last update for Oita: July 13, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $470 in Oita and $445 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 41% 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 Oita vs $42.00 in Okinawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $395 per month, with Oita 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

Oita vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oita wins on cost – living expenses run 26% 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.

On paper, salaries run 41% 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: $470 in Oita versus $445 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $414 in Oita versus $346 in Okinawa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,140 in Oita versus $1,437 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.

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, 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.

Expats usually find Oita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.