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: $1,459 in Okinawa versus $1,109 in Hamamatsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Okinawa versus $1,844 in Hamamatsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,052 in Okinawa versus $2,579 in Hamamatsu.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 31% more expensive than Hamamatsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 9% above, Hamamatsu is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.24 ¥1,317

$4.99 ¥798

65.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.98 ¥6,554

$40.88 ¥6,538

0.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 ¥942

$3.44 ¥550

71.22%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ¥552

$3.07 ¥490

12.38%

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

$1.38 ¥220

$0.72 ¥115

91.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.75 ¥120

13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 ¥559

$2.07 ¥331

68.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 ¥782

$2.75 ¥440

77.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ¥308

$1.51 ¥242

27.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ¥359

$1.73 ¥276

30.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 ¥748

$5.00 ¥799

-6.40%

Eggs

$2.02 ¥324

$1.82 ¥291

10.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ¥2,593

$9.93 ¥1,588

63.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.12 ¥1,779

$6.24 ¥997

78.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.13 ¥4,180

$15.56 ¥2,489

67.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 ¥831

$4.22 ¥675

22.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 ¥426

$2.10 ¥336

26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 ¥497

$3.40 ¥544

-8.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.98 ¥956

$4.26 ¥682

40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.56 ¥569

$3.40 ¥543

4.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 ¥446

$4.18 ¥668

-33.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 ¥252

$1.40 ¥223

12.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥150

$0.88 ¥140

6.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 ¥758

$3.52 ¥563

34.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.10 ¥975

$9.40 ¥1,504

-35.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ¥291

$1.77 ¥284

2.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ¥480

$2.07 ¥331

44.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥267

$1.01 ¥162

65.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.72 ¥5,553

$54.8 ¥8,770

-36.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 ¥658

$3.39 ¥542

21.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.63 ¥581

$2.93 ¥468

23.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.69 ¥2,030

$22.59 ¥3,613

-43.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥190

$1.21 ¥193

-1.65%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$20.9K ¥3.3M

12.51%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

23.21%

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

$174 ¥27.9K

$109 ¥17.4K

59.93%

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

$27.88 ¥4,459

$9.72 ¥1,554

186.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.40 ¥5,023

$21.01 ¥3,360

49.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ¥8,365

$105 ¥16.8K

-50.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.99 ¥1,117

$18.77 ¥3,002

-62.76%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥1,991

$13.50 ¥2,160

-7.78%

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

$344 ¥55.0K

$278 ¥44.5K

23.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K ¥2.2M

$14.1K ¥2.3M

-3.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥7,762

$42.38 ¥6,778

14.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.20 ¥4,671

$27.81 ¥4,448

5.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 ¥11.4K

$54.6 ¥8,737

30.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 ¥14.5K

$106 ¥16.9K

-14.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 ¥70.2K

$376 ¥60.2K

16.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 ¥64.2K

$245 ¥39.1K

64.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$951 ¥152.1K

$871 ¥139.3K

9.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 ¥117.0K

$581 ¥92.9K

25.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,781 ¥1.4M

$7,573 ¥1.2M

15.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 ¥191.4K

$5,304 ¥848.4K

-77.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,817 ¥290.7K

$1,248 ¥199.6K

45.64%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Hamamatsu: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Okinawa and $376 in Hamamatsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 46% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $41.00 in Okinawa vs $41.00 in Hamamatsu. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $302, 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 31% in total monthly costs ($1,459 vs $1,109 including rent). Hamamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Okinawa pays 46% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $439 in Okinawa versus $376 in Hamamatsu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% 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 $41.00 versus $41.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,109 in Hamamatsu versus $1,459 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 31% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.