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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,427 per month in Okinawa vs $1,210 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,228 per month in Okinawa vs $1,941 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,030 per month in Okinawa vs $2,673 in Asahikawa, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 18% more than Asahikawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Okinawa sits 4% above the global median, while Asahikawa is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,520

$6.68 ¥1,048

44.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,331

$32.85 ¥5,157

22.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,089

$5.18 ¥814

33.98%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥657

$3.03 ¥476

37.95%

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

$1.47 ¥231

$1.03 ¥162

42.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥159

$0.75 ¥117

34.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥315

$2.31 ¥363

-13.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥701

$3.44 ¥540

29.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥250

$1.45 ¥227

9.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥346

$1.46 ¥229

50.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥624

$4.30 ¥676

-7.44%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥284

$1.89 ¥296

-4.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,824

$10.82 ¥1,698

66.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥793

$6.84 ¥1,073

-26.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,596

$15.80 ¥2,481

44.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥586

$5.68 ¥891

-34.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥436

$2.27 ¥356

22.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥361

$2.86 ¥449

-19.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥827

$4.32 ¥678

21.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥384

$2.90 ¥456

-15.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥396

$2.59 ¥407

-2.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥213

$1.38 ¥216

-2.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥121

$0.74 ¥116

4.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥618

$4.41 ¥692

-10.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,021

$8.11 ¥1,274

-19.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥308

$1.85 ¥291

5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥542

$2.17 ¥341

58.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥230

$1.61 ¥253

-9.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.7K

$61.9 ¥9,724

9.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥618

$2.88 ¥453

36.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥563

$3.14 ¥494

14.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,864

$18.83 ¥2,957

-36.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥178

$1.24 ¥195

-8.87%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

0.06%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$13.8K ¥2.2M

12.06%

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

$165 ¥25.9K

$145 ¥22.8K

13.80%

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

$25.69 ¥4,034

$22.25 ¥3,493

15.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,604

$36.34 ¥5,706

50.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$47.40 ¥7,441

56.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,869

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,963

$10.54 ¥1,655

18.60%

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

$345 ¥54.2K

$607 ¥95.3K

-43.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥914.8K

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-56.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,113

$57.8 ¥9,067

-10.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,786

$35.96 ¥5,646

-32.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$61.8 ¥9,699

31.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.1K

$86.3 ¥13.5K

11.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.6K

$491 ¥77.0K

-16.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥52.1K

$296 ¥46.4K

12.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥135.5K

$971 ¥152.5K

-11.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.9K

$710 ¥111.4K

-2.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$3,277 ¥514.5K

165.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥188.5K

$1,817 ¥285.2K

-33.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥292.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

2.09

6.70%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Asahikawa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Okinawa versus $491 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 $40.00 in Okinawa versus $33.00 in Asahikawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $301 – 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: $1,427 in Okinawa, $1,210 in Asahikawa – roughly 18% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,140 per month in Okinawa and $1,814 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 10% less in Asahikawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $345 per month in Okinawa and $607 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 $1,210, than in Okinawa at $1,427. 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.