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: $1,437 in Okinawa versus $1,263 in Fukushima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,214 in Okinawa versus $1,991 in Fukushima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,992 in Okinawa versus $2,718 in Fukushima.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 14% more expensive than in Fukushima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 8% above, Fukushima is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$6.90 ¥1,121

18.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$36.55 ¥5,939

14.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$7.09 ¥1,152

-15.66%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$3.77 ¥612

-11.41%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$0.91 ¥147

45.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.81 ¥132

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$2.62 ¥425

33.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$3.06 ¥498

60.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.59 ¥258

22.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.55 ¥251

52.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$4.87 ¥792

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$2.21 ¥359

-9.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$10.21 ¥1,659

60.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$6.50 ¥1,057

66.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$15.38 ¥2,498

72.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$5.25 ¥853

-3.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$2.53 ¥411

2.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$3.94 ¥641

-20.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$6.02 ¥977

-6.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$3.05 ¥495

14.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$2.58 ¥420

12.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.38 ¥224

15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.85 ¥138

3.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$4.08 ¥662

20.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$7.49 ¥1,217

-18.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$1.90 ¥309

-8.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.17 ¥353

34.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.67 ¥272

-2.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$54.7 ¥8,893

-36.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.49 ¥567

17.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$3.00 ¥488

20.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$20.66 ¥3,356

-39.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.23 ¥200

0.81%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$23.4K ¥3.8M

-0.41%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$17.0K ¥2.8M

-1.98%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$145 ¥23.6K

19.43%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$27.39 ¥4,449

-0.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$34.20 ¥5,557

-7.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$56.2 ¥9,136

-4.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$13.97 ¥2,270

-49.61%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$12.24 ¥1,989

1.72%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$285 ¥46.3K

21.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-3.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$43.31 ¥7,037

10.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$28.98 ¥4,709

0.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$60.7 ¥9,866

21.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$91.7 ¥14.9K

-0.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$473 ¥76.9K

-6.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$323 ¥52.5K

23.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$872 ¥141.7K

8.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$646 ¥104.9K

15.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$4,918 ¥799.1K

74.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$2,332 ¥378.9K

-47.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

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 Fukushima: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Okinawa and $473 in Fukushima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Okinawa vs $37.00 in Fukushima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $315 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 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,155 in Okinawa and $1,895 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: $445 in Okinawa versus $473 in Fukushima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% 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 $42.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,263 in Fukushima versus $1,437 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 14% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.