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: $1,437 in Okinawa versus $1,157 in Atsugi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,214 in Okinawa versus $1,869 in Atsugi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,992 in Okinawa versus $2,581 in Atsugi.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 24% more expensive than in Atsugi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 8% above, Atsugi is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$8.49 ¥1,380

-3.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$28.21 ¥4,583

48.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$6.41 ¥1,041

-6.71%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$2.12 ¥344

57.55%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$1.02 ¥166

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.71 ¥116

30.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$2.89 ¥470

21.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$3.05 ¥496

60.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.62 ¥264

20.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.81 ¥293

30.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$4.82 ¥782

1.04%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$2.10 ¥341

-4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$17.67 ¥2,871

-7.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$4.87 ¥792

122.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$15.30 ¥2,485

73.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$5.79 ¥940

-12.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$2.07 ¥336

25.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$4.10 ¥667

-23.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$2.88 ¥468

95.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$2.65 ¥430

32.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$2.01 ¥326

43.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.32 ¥214

20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.87 ¥142

1.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$3.51 ¥571

40.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$9.30 ¥1,512

-34.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$1.76 ¥286

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.30 ¥373

26.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$2.93 ¥476

-44.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$47.84 ¥7,772

-27.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.37 ¥548

21.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$3.01 ¥489

20.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$10.28 ¥1,670

22.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.19 ¥193

4.20%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$14.0K ¥2.3M

66.81%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$16.8K ¥2.7M

-0.72%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$141 ¥22.9K

22.95%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$15.79 ¥2,566

72.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$33.83 ¥5,497

-6.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$68.3 ¥11.1K

-21.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$13.80 ¥2,242

-48.99%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$12.33 ¥2,003

0.97%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$345 ¥56.1K

0.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$6,736 ¥1.1M

95.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$42.04 ¥6,831

13.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$25.32 ¥4,114

15.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$55.0 ¥8,934

33.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$34.87 ¥5,666

160.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$409 ¥66.5K

8.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$282 ¥45.8K

41.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$874 ¥142.0K

8.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$661 ¥107.4K

13.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

$3,688 ¥599.2K

-52.04%

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 Atsugi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Okinawa and $409 in Atsugi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atsugi pays 109% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Okinawa vs $28.00 in Atsugi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $317 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 24% in total monthly costs ($1,437 vs $1,157 including rent). Atsugi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 109% lower in Atsugi. 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: $445 in Okinawa versus $409 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 $28.00 versus $42.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,437 per month in Okinawa versus $1,157 in Atsugi – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,157 in Atsugi versus $1,437 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 24% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.