Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Fukushima Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Fukushima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,430 in Okinawa versus $1,283 in Fukushima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,196 in Okinawa versus $2,002 in Fukushima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,961 in Okinawa versus $2,721 in Fukushima.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 11% more expensive than Fukushima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 7% above, Fukushima is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,373

$6.95 ¥1,115

23.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,624

$37.41 ¥5,997

10.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥981

$6.97 ¥1,118

-12.20%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥530

$3.75 ¥601

-11.73%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$0.87 ¥140

51.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥138

$0.84 ¥134

2.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥558

$2.54 ¥407

37.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥770

$3.18 ¥510

51.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.58 ¥253

18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥368

$1.58 ¥254

45.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥774

$4.67 ¥748

3.43%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥322

$2.28 ¥365

-11.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,618

$9.98 ¥1,600

63.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,784

$6.25 ¥1,002

78.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,319

$15.71 ¥2,518

71.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥844

$5.35 ¥857

-1.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥419

$2.64 ¥424

-1.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥486

$3.91 ¥626

-22.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥905

$6.03 ¥967

-6.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥591

$3.14 ¥504

17.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥465

$2.61 ¥418

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥257

$1.32 ¥212

21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.83 ¥133

13.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥772

$4.12 ¥661

16.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥980

$7.86 ¥1,260

-22.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.91 ¥306

-9.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥462

$2.25 ¥361

28.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,654

$54.4 ¥8,713

-35.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥672

$3.45 ¥553

21.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥605

$2.96 ¥475

27.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,041

$20.60 ¥3,302

-38.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.17 ¥188

2.56%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

-1.26%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$17.2K ¥2.8M

-1.30%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$146 ¥23.3K

18.77%

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

$27.72 ¥4,444

$26.64 ¥4,271

4.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,211

$33.90 ¥5,433

-4.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,566

$56.8 ¥9,102

-5.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,084

$13.69 ¥2,194

-50.62%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,020

$12.46 ¥1,997

1.12%

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

$347 ¥55.6K

$285 ¥45.6K

21.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

-0.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,829

$42.48 ¥6,809

14.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,693

$28.97 ¥4,644

1.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$58.9 ¥9,448

23.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$91.2 ¥14.6K

2.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥70.1K

$476 ¥76.4K

-8.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.2K

$326 ¥52.2K

21.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥151.3K

$876 ¥140.5K

7.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥120.2K

$649 ¥104.0K

15.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$4,247 ¥680.7K

101.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥190.2K

$2,300 ¥368.6K

-48.39%

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 Fukushima: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Okinawa and $476 in Fukushima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $41.00 in Okinawa vs $37.00 in Fukushima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $316 per month, with Fukushima 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 Fukushima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fukushima is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,145 in Okinawa and $1,925 in Fukushima to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $437 in Okinawa versus $476 in Fukushima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Fukushima – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $41.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,283 in Fukushima versus $1,430 in Okinawa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fukushima but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Fukushima 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 Fukushima 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 Fukushima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.