Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Aomori Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Aomori

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,437 in Okinawa versus $1,244 in Aomori.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,214 in Okinawa versus $1,949 in Aomori.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,992 in Okinawa versus $2,654 in Aomori.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 16% more expensive than in Aomori, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 8% above, Aomori is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$6.77 ¥1,100

20.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$34.28 ¥5,569

22.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$5.49 ¥892

8.93%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$3.08 ¥500

8.44%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$1.10 ¥178

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.77 ¥125

20.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$2.63 ¥428

33.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$3.18 ¥517

54.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.54 ¥251

26.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.59 ¥259

49.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$4.67 ¥758

4.28%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$2.28 ¥370

-12.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$9.96 ¥1,619

64.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$6.53 ¥1,061

66.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$15.68 ¥2,547

68.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$5.51 ¥896

-8.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$2.54 ¥413

1.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$3.95 ¥642

-20.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$6.03 ¥980

-6.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$3.01 ¥489

16.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$2.61 ¥424

10.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.34 ¥218

18.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.83 ¥135

6.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$4.08 ¥662

20.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$8.71 ¥1,415

-30.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$1.83 ¥297

-5.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.27 ¥370

28.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.60 ¥259

1.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$55.2 ¥8,964

-36.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.52 ¥572

16.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$2.98 ¥485

21.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$21.14 ¥3,435

-40.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.13 ¥183

9.73%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$22.9K ¥3.7M

1.78%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

-1.30%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$144 ¥23.4K

20.16%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$27.20 ¥4,420

0.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$34.18 ¥5,553

-7.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$56.4 ¥9,166

-4.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$13.91 ¥2,261

-49.39%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$12.34 ¥2,006

0.89%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$283 ¥46.0K

22.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

-2.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$42.60 ¥6,921

12.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$28.88 ¥4,693

1.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$59.5 ¥9,673

23.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$91.5 ¥14.9K

-0.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$470 ¥76.3K

-5.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$332 ¥53.9K

20.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$880 ¥142.9K

7.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$654 ¥106.3K

14.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$4,042 ¥656.7K

112.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$1,855 ¥301.4K

-34.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

12.36%

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

Last update for Okinawa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Aomori: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $42.00 in Okinawa vs $34.00 in Aomori for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $318 per month, with Aomori 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

Okinawa vs Aomori: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Okinawa and Aomori differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,437 vs $1,244 including rent). Aomori is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,155 in Okinawa and $1,865 in Aomori 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $445 in Okinawa versus $470 in Aomori. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $346 in Okinawa versus $283 in Aomori. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,244 in Aomori versus $1,437 in Okinawa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Aomori but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Aomori 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, Okinawa and Aomori 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 Aomori gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.