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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,260 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $1,930 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $2,600 in Asahikawa, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 13% more than Asahikawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 7% above the global median, while Asahikawa is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,373

$7.03 ¥1,128

21.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,624

$34.30 ¥5,498

20.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥981

$5.26 ¥843

16.35%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥530

$3.05 ¥489

8.52%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.10 ¥176

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥138

$0.75 ¥120

14.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥558

$2.67 ¥428

30.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥770

$3.21 ¥515

49.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.57 ¥252

19.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥368

$1.60 ¥256

43.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥774

$4.76 ¥763

1.47%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥322

$2.19 ¥351

-8.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,618

$10.01 ¥1,605

63.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,784

$6.46 ¥1,036

72.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,319

$15.45 ¥2,476

74.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥844

$5.38 ¥862

-2.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥419

$2.52 ¥403

3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥486

$3.92 ¥628

-22.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥905

$5.85 ¥938

-3.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥591

$3.00 ¥481

23.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥465

$2.57 ¥411

12.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥257

$1.34 ¥214

19.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.85 ¥135

10.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥772

$4.15 ¥665

16.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥980

$8.30 ¥1,330

-26.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.93 ¥309

-10.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥462

$2.15 ¥344

34.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.60 ¥256

4.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,654

$55.4 ¥8,873

-36.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥672

$3.45 ¥552

21.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥605

$2.88 ¥462

30.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,041

$20.60 ¥3,301

-38.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.24 ¥199

-3.23%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

-0.08%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$17.5K ¥2.8M

-3.00%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$144 ¥23.1K

19.86%

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

$27.72 ¥4,444

$26.66 ¥4,274

3.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,211

$33.80 ¥5,418

-3.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,566

$54.9 ¥8,806

-2.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,084

$13.62 ¥2,183

-50.37%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,020

$12.65 ¥2,028

-0.40%

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

$347 ¥55.6K

$278 ¥44.6K

24.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

0.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,829

$43.37 ¥6,952

12.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,693

$29.90 ¥4,792

-2.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$60.3 ¥9,669

20.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$91.8 ¥14.7K

1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥70.1K

$463 ¥74.2K

-5.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.2K

$335 ¥53.7K

17.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥151.3K

$870 ¥139.4K

8.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥120.2K

$670 ¥107.4K

11.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$4,829 ¥774.1K

76.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥190.2K

$2,679 ¥429.4K

-55.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥207.0K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Asahikawa: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $463 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 $41.00 in Okinawa versus $34.00 in Asahikawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $315 – 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: $1,430 in Okinawa, $1,260 in Asahikawa – roughly 13% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,145 per month in Okinawa and $1,890 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 57% less in Asahikawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $347 per month in Okinawa and $278 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 $1,260, than in Okinawa at $1,430. 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.