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: $1,427 in Okinawa versus $1,229 in Fukushima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,228 in Okinawa versus $1,935 in Fukushima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,030 in Okinawa versus $2,641 in Fukushima.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 16% more expensive than in Fukushima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 4% above, Fukushima is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,511

$6.52 ¥1,018

48.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,292

$33.03 ¥5,154

22.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,082

$5.11 ¥797

35.81%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥653

$3.12 ¥486

33.97%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.19 ¥185

23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$0.76 ¥119

32.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥313

$2.73 ¥425

-26.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥696

$3.24 ¥505

37.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥249

$1.71 ¥267

-7.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥344

$1.52 ¥237

44.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥620

$4.18 ¥653

-4.78%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥282

$1.83 ¥285

-1.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,807

$9.98 ¥1,557

80.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥788

$6.18 ¥965

-18.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,574

$17.03 ¥2,657

34.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥582

$5.12 ¥798

-27.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥434

$2.23 ¥347

24.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥358

$2.71 ¥423

-15.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥822

$4.74 ¥739

11.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥382

$2.71 ¥423

-9.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥394

$2.56 ¥399

-1.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥211

$1.12 ¥175

20.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥120

$0.78 ¥121

-1.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥614

$3.42 ¥533

14.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,015

$8.23 ¥1,284

-20.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥306

$1.74 ¥272

12.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥538

$2.43 ¥380

41.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥229

$1.49 ¥232

-2.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.6K

$51.9 ¥8,095

31.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥614

$3.09 ¥482

27.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥560

$2.52 ¥394

42.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,853

$19.69 ¥3,073

-39.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥177

$1.23 ¥192

-8.13%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$20.5K ¥3.2M

6.82%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

16.01%

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

$165 ¥25.7K

$155 ¥24.2K

6.29%

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

$25.69 ¥4,009

$26.94 ¥4,204

-4.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,550

$36.11 ¥5,635

51.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$55.8 ¥8,713

32.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,814

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,951

$13.90 ¥2,169

-10.07%

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

$345 ¥53.8K

$515 ¥80.4K

-33.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥909.1K

$12.4K ¥1.9M

-52.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,063

$47.34 ¥7,386

9.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,763

$37.39 ¥5,833

-35.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$63.7 ¥9,938

27.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.0K

$99.2 ¥15.5K

-3.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.2K

$507 ¥79.1K

-18.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥51.8K

-0.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥134.7K

$1,169 ¥182.4K

-26.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.2K

$795 ¥124.0K

-12.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$4,016 ¥626.6K

116.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥187.3K

$2,035 ¥317.6K

-41.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥290.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

2.09

6.70%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Fukushima: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $411 in Okinawa and $507 in Fukushima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Okinawa vs $33.00 in Fukushima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $299 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,140 in Okinawa and $1,843 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: $411 in Okinawa versus $507 in Fukushima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% 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 $33.00 versus $40.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,229 in Fukushima versus $1,427 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 16% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.