Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Atsugi Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Atsugi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,430 in Okinawa versus $1,166 in Atsugi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,196 in Okinawa versus $1,863 in Atsugi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,961 in Okinawa versus $2,560 in Atsugi.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 23% more expensive than Atsugi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 7% above, Atsugi is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$8.19 ¥1,310

4.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$27.23 ¥4,355

51.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$6.36 ¥1,017

-3.77%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$2.02 ¥324

63.86%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.05 ¥168

25.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.75 ¥121

14.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.93 ¥469

18.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$3.15 ¥505

52.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.67 ¥268

11.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.81 ¥290

27.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$4.95 ¥792

-2.42%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.16 ¥346

-6.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$17.46 ¥2,793

-6.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$4.73 ¥756

135.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$15.75 ¥2,520

71.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$5.64 ¥902

-6.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$2.09 ¥334

24.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$4.10 ¥656

-26.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$2.98 ¥476

89.60%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$2.63 ¥420

40.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$2.02 ¥322

43.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.33 ¥212

20.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.94 ¥150

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$3.49 ¥558

38.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$9.24 ¥1,478

-33.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.78 ¥285

-3.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.36 ¥378

22.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$2.90 ¥464

-42.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$48.59 ¥7,772

-27.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.56 ¥570

17.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$3.02 ¥483

24.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$10.33 ¥1,652

23.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.19 ¥191

0.84%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$13.8K ¥2.2M

65.20%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$16.7K ¥2.7M

1.84%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$143 ¥22.9K

21.07%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$15.29 ¥2,446

81.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$33.50 ¥5,358

-2.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$68.6 ¥11.0K

-22.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$13.98 ¥2,236

-51.65%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$12.27 ¥1,962

2.69%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$343 ¥54.8K

1.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$6,697 ¥1.1M

101.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$42.62 ¥6,817

14.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$25.52 ¥4,081

14.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$55.9 ¥8,937

30.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$34.15 ¥5,462

172.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$421 ¥67.4K

3.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$275 ¥44.0K

43.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$861 ¥137.7K

9.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$650 ¥103.9K

15.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

$3,656 ¥584.7K

-64.67%

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 Atsugi: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Okinawa and $421 in Atsugi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atsugi pays 183% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Okinawa vs $27.00 in Atsugi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $319 per month, with Atsugi 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 Atsugi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Okinawa and Atsugi differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,430 vs $1,166 including rent). Atsugi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Atsugi earns 183% less. 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: $437 in Okinawa versus $421 in Atsugi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Atsugi – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $41.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,430 per month in Okinawa versus $1,166 in Atsugi – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,166 in Atsugi versus $1,430 in Okinawa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Atsugi but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Atsugi 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 Atsugi 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 Atsugi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.