Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Hamamatsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Hamamatsu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,428 in Okinawa versus $1,103 in Hamamatsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,217 in Okinawa versus $1,819 in Hamamatsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,007 in Okinawa versus $2,536 in Hamamatsu.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 29% more expensive than in Hamamatsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 7% above, Hamamatsu is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 ¥1,335

$4.92 ¥775

72.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.01 ¥6,620

$41.90 ¥6,603

0.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 ¥921

$3.39 ¥534

72.27%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥525

$3.03 ¥477

9.90%

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

$1.35 ¥213

$0.66 ¥104

104.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥136

$0.77 ¥121

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 ¥560

$2.05 ¥324

73.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 ¥754

$2.85 ¥449

68.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥298

$1.47 ¥232

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ¥355

$1.70 ¥267

32.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.60 ¥725

$5.01 ¥790

-8.18%

Eggs

$2.04 ¥322

$1.83 ¥288

11.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ¥2,592

$10.11 ¥1,592

62.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.24 ¥1,771

$6.19 ¥975

81.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.66 ¥4,200

$15.69 ¥2,472

69.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 ¥791

$4.06 ¥640

23.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 ¥423

$2.11 ¥332

27.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 ¥482

$3.39 ¥534

-9.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.76 ¥907

$4.13 ¥650

39.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.53 ¥556

$3.39 ¥535

4.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 ¥437

$4.36 ¥687

-36.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 ¥240

$1.39 ¥219

9.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥138

$0.88 ¥139

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.76 ¥749

$3.45 ¥544

37.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.27 ¥989

$8.92 ¥1,406

-29.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥286

$1.74 ¥274

4.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ¥467

$2.07 ¥325

43.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.68 ¥265

$1.06 ¥166

58.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.11 ¥5,533

$56.2 ¥8,851

-37.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 ¥640

$3.52 ¥555

15.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥594

$2.96 ¥467

27.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.85 ¥2,025

$21.75 ¥3,427

-40.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥197

$1.20 ¥188

4.17%

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

$23.2K ¥3.7M

$21.0K ¥3.3M

10.21%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$14.1K ¥2.2M

20.36%

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

$176 ¥27.7K

$109 ¥17.2K

61.21%

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

$27.21 ¥4,287

$9.66 ¥1,522

181.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.15 ¥5,066

$20.96 ¥3,303

53.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ¥8,252

$103 ¥16.3K

-49.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.11 ¥1,120

$18.56 ¥2,925

-61.69%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 ¥1,990

$13.56 ¥2,137

-6.86%

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

$346 ¥54.6K

$279 ¥43.9K

24.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.1M

$13.8K ¥2.2M

-2.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.92 ¥7,709

$41.66 ¥6,564

17.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.26 ¥4,610

$27.43 ¥4,322

6.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.5K

$55.1 ¥8,688

32.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 ¥14.3K

$104 ¥16.3K

-12.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 ¥71.4K

$384 ¥60.5K

17.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥63.0K

$247 ¥39.0K

61.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 ¥151.3K

$869 ¥136.9K

10.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥116.1K

$597 ¥94.1K

23.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,685 ¥1.4M

$4,252 ¥670.1K

104.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,206 ¥190.1K

$2,051 ¥323.1K

-41.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,744 ¥274.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

0.95

110.53%

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

Last update for Okinawa: July 28, 2026

Last update for Hamamatsu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $453 in Okinawa and $384 in Hamamatsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Okinawa vs $42.00 in Hamamatsu. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $300, with Hamamatsu cheaper for home cooking.

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 Hamamatsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Okinawa and Hamamatsu differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,428 vs $1,103 including rent). Hamamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,141 in Okinawa and $1,654 in Hamamatsu 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: $453 in Okinawa versus $384 in Hamamatsu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamamatsu – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $42.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,103 in Hamamatsu versus $1,428 in Okinawa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hamamatsu but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Hamamatsu 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 Hamamatsu 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 Hamamatsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.