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: $1,427 in Okinawa versus $1,142 in Atsugi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,228 in Okinawa versus $2,094 in Atsugi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,030 in Okinawa versus $3,045 in Atsugi.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 25% more expensive than in Atsugi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 4% above, Atsugi is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,512

$8.06 ¥1,258

20.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,297

$26.28 ¥4,103

53.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,083

$5.30 ¥828

30.94%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥653

$1.88 ¥294

122.34%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.00 ¥157

47.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$0.73 ¥115

38.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥313

$2.67 ¥417

-25.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥697

$3.27 ¥511

36.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥249

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥344

$1.59 ¥249

38.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥621

$4.30 ¥672

-7.44%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥282

$2.03 ¥318

-10.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,809

$15.94 ¥2,489

12.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥789

$4.59 ¥717

10.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,577

$12.34 ¥1,926

85.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥583

$5.51 ¥861

-32.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥434

$2.00 ¥312

39.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥359

$3.95 ¥616

-41.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥823

$2.73 ¥426

93.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥382

$2.69 ¥420

-8.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥394

$2.03 ¥316

24.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥211

$1.16 ¥181

16.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥120

$0.92 ¥143

-16.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥614

$3.62 ¥566

8.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,016

$9.82 ¥1,534

-33.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥306

$1.66 ¥259

18.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥539

$2.22 ¥346

55.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥229

$2.66 ¥415

-45.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.6K

$58.7 ¥9,167

15.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥615

$3.31 ¥517

19.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥560

$2.96 ¥462

21.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,854

$9.68 ¥1,511

22.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥177

$1.09 ¥170

3.67%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$13.1K ¥2.0M

67.76%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$15.7K ¥2.5M

-1.82%

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

$165 ¥25.8K

$117 ¥18.2K

41.60%

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

$25.69 ¥4,012

$14.80 ¥2,312

73.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,558

$31.54 ¥4,925

73.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$52.2 ¥8,147

41.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,822

$7.64 ¥1,193

639.40%

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,952

$11.56 ¥1,805

8.13%

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

$345 ¥53.9K

$320 ¥49.9K

7.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥909.9K

$6,174 ¥964.2K

-5.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,070

$41.85 ¥6,535

23.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,766

$24.32 ¥3,797

-0.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$54.7 ¥8,534

48.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.0K

$32.37 ¥5,055

196.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.2K

$515 ¥80.4K

-20.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥51.8K

$331 ¥51.6K

0.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥134.8K

$1,029 ¥160.7K

-16.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.3K

$1,269 ¥198.1K

-45.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$3,600 ¥562.2K

141.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥187.4K

$1,563 ¥244.1K

-23.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥290.6K

$3,867 ¥603.9K

-51.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

1.66

34.34%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Atsugi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $411 in Okinawa and $515 in Atsugi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atsugi pays 108% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Okinawa vs $26.00 in Atsugi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $294 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 25% in total monthly costs ($1,427 vs $1,142 including rent). Atsugi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 108% 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: $411 in Okinawa versus $515 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 $26.00 versus $40.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,427 per month in Okinawa versus $1,142 in Atsugi – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,142 in Atsugi versus $1,427 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 25% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.