Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Asahikawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Asahikawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,437 per month in Okinawa vs $1,233 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,214 per month in Okinawa vs $1,909 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,992 per month in Okinawa vs $2,584 in Asahikawa, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 17% more than Asahikawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 8% above the global median, while Asahikawa is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$6.90 ¥1,121

18.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$35.17 ¥5,714

19.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$5.23 ¥850

14.34%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$3.14 ¥510

6.37%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$1.09 ¥177

21.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.79 ¥128

17.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$2.65 ¥431

32.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$3.03 ¥492

62.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.53 ¥249

27.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.58 ¥257

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$4.87 ¥792

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$2.29 ¥371

-12.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$9.97 ¥1,620

64.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$6.31 ¥1,026

71.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$15.27 ¥2,482

73.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$5.34 ¥868

-5.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$2.59 ¥421

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$3.92 ¥637

-20.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$5.85 ¥951

-3.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$3.13 ¥509

11.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$2.69 ¥437

7.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.35 ¥219

17.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.89 ¥145

-1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$4.22 ¥685

16.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$8.69 ¥1,412

-29.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$1.85 ¥301

-6.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.26 ¥368

28.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.67 ¥272

-2.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$55.9 ¥9,080

-37.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.39 ¥551

21.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$3.03 ¥492

19.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$21.06 ¥3,422

-40.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.23 ¥201

0.81%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$22.9K ¥3.7M

2.10%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$17.6K ¥2.9M

-4.93%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$144 ¥23.3K

20.68%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$27.32 ¥4,439

-0.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$33.88 ¥5,505

-6.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$56.3 ¥9,144

-4.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$14.07 ¥2,286

-49.96%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$12.69 ¥2,063

-1.89%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$287 ¥46.6K

20.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-3.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$43.11 ¥7,004

10.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$29.89 ¥4,856

-2.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$60.0 ¥9,747

22.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$91.3 ¥14.8K

-0.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$466 ¥75.6K

-4.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$333 ¥54.1K

20.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$857 ¥139.2K

10.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$652 ¥105.9K

14.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$4,280 ¥695.4K

100.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$2,320 ¥376.9K

-47.35%

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 Asahikawa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Okinawa versus $466 in Asahikawa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Okinawa versus $35.00 in Asahikawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $316 – making Asahikawa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Asahikawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,437 in Okinawa, $1,233 in Asahikawa – roughly 17% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,155 per month in Okinawa and $1,849 in Asahikawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Asahikawa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 60% less in Asahikawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $346 per month in Okinawa and $287 in Asahikawa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Asahikawa, where all-in costs run around $1,233, than in Okinawa at $1,437. In Asahikawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Asahikawa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Asahikawa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Okinawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.