Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Gifu

For one person, living is cheaper in Gifu: $1,267 a month against $1,388 in Okinawa, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Okinawa, Japan
Gifu, Japan
Okinawa
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,388
/mo nomad
Gifu
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,267
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Okinawa and in Gifu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Okinawa and in Gifu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,388 in Okinawa versus $1,267 in Gifu.

  • Okinawa $1,388
  • Gifu $1,267

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Okinawa versus $2,040 in Gifu.

  • Okinawa $2,184
  • Gifu $2,040

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Okinawa versus $2,814 in Gifu.

  • Okinawa $2,980
  • Gifu $2,814

Living in Okinawa is roughly 10% more expensive than in Gifu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 2% above, Gifu is 7% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Okinawa
Gifu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.12 ¥1,598
$7.71 ¥1,217
31.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.24 ¥6,353
$31.30 ¥4,941
28.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.04 ¥1,112
$4.85 ¥765
45.15%
Cappuccino
$4.11 ¥649
$2.31 ¥364
77.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 ¥221
$1.18 ¥186
18.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 ¥145
$0.62 ¥97.3
48.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.51 ¥396
$2.12 ¥335
18.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.27 ¥832
$2.37 ¥374
122.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Okinawa
Gifu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 ¥249
$1.50 ¥237
5.33%
White Bread (500g)
$2.05 ¥324
$1.32 ¥208
55.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.76 ¥594
$5.52 ¥871
-31.88%
Eggs
$1.84 ¥290
$2.09 ¥330
-11.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.99 ¥2,841
$12.52 ¥1,977
43.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.79 ¥757
$9.60 ¥1,516
-50.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.45 ¥3,545
$32.24 ¥5,090
-30.37%
Apples (1kg)
$3.81 ¥602
$3.81 ¥602
-
Banana (1kg)
$2.62 ¥413
$2.30 ¥363
13.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.20 ¥347
$6.42 ¥1,013
-65.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.26 ¥831
$4.21 ¥664
24.94%
Potato (1kg)
$2.39 ¥377
$3.74 ¥590
-36.10%
Onion (1kg)
$2.56 ¥404
$3.47 ¥547
-26.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 ¥201
$1.29 ¥204
-0.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ¥122
$0.95 ¥150
-18.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90 ¥617
$3.54 ¥559
10.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.40 ¥1,011
$8.36 ¥1,320
-23.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.95 ¥308
$2.04 ¥322
-4.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34 ¥528
$1.53 ¥241
118.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Okinawa
Gifu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.44 ¥227
$1.56 ¥246
-7.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.1 ¥10.3K
$61.4 ¥9,700
5.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.82 ¥603
$3.15 ¥497
21.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.54 ¥559
$3.26 ¥514
8.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.23 ¥1,772
$27.03 ¥4,268
-58.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ¥175
$1.11 ¥175
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K ¥3.3M
$20.0K ¥3.2M
4.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.5K ¥2.5M
$16.5K ¥2.6M
-6.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Okinawa
Gifu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$163 ¥25.7K
$143 ¥22.6K
13.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.35 ¥4,003
$24.52 ¥3,872
3.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.1 ¥8,379
$42.97 ¥6,785
23.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Okinawa
Gifu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.0 ¥11.5K
$49.00 ¥7,737
49.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$54.9 ¥8,670
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.98 ¥1,892
$12.61 ¥1,991
-5.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Okinawa
Gifu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$327 ¥51.7K
$323 ¥51.1K
1.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,668 ¥894.9K
$6,232 ¥983.9K
-9.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Okinawa
Gifu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.88 ¥7,718
$49.60 ¥7,831
-1.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.35 ¥3,687
$25.33 ¥3,999
-7.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.2 ¥12.8K
$46.99 ¥7,419
72.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.7 ¥15.1K
$66.0 ¥10.4K
44.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Okinawa
Gifu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$411 ¥64.9K
$564 ¥89.0K
-27.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$332 ¥52.4K
$298 ¥47.1K
11.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$852 ¥134.6K
$1,075 ¥169.8K
-20.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$678 ¥107.0K
$737 ¥116.3K
-7.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,422 ¥1.3M
$4,525 ¥714.4K
86.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,185 ¥187.1K
$2,202 ¥347.6K
-46.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Okinawa
Gifu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,798 ¥283.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.23
2.28
-2.19%

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

Last update for Okinawa: October 26, 2026

Last update for Gifu: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Okinawa
$332
Gifu
$298 10.1% $34
Groceries & Markets
Okinawa
$330
Gifu
$385 16.8% $55
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Okinawa
$241
Gifu
$211 12.6% $31
Eating Out
Okinawa
$184
Gifu
$126 31.2% $57
Clothing & Footwear
Okinawa
$112
Gifu
$85 24.5% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Okinawa
$97
Gifu
$74 23.5% $23
Getting Around
Okinawa
$92
Gifu
$87 5.7% $5.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $411 in Okinawa and $564 in Gifu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40 in Okinawa vs $31 in Gifu. Groceries flip the comparison at $330 vs $385, with Okinawa cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Okinawa
🇯🇵 Gifu
🕒 Local time
23:04 11:04 PM
23:04 11:04 PM
Same time as Okinawa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
142,752
404,352
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Okinawa Gifu 1,300 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Okinawa
  • Gifu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Gifu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gifu cheaper than Okinawa?
Gifu is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and leisure. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $2,082 in Okinawa and $1,900 in Gifu 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.
What is the rent difference between Okinawa and Gifu?
Rent for a central apartment: $411 in Okinawa versus $564 in Gifu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Gifu runs roughly 6% less than in Okinawa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $327 in Okinawa versus $323 in Gifu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is it better to live in Okinawa or in Gifu?
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.
Which city is safer, Okinawa or Gifu?
Safety-wise, Okinawa and Gifu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

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