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: $1,418 in Okinawa versus $1,110 in Hamamatsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,190 in Okinawa versus $1,843 in Hamamatsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,962 in Okinawa versus $2,577 in Hamamatsu.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 28% more expensive than Hamamatsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 6% above, Hamamatsu is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.49 ¥1,359

$4.82 ¥772

76.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.68 ¥6,672

$42.39 ¥6,786

-1.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.06 ¥971

$3.55 ¥568

70.70%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ¥553

$3.08 ¥493

12.01%

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

$1.37 ¥219

$0.66 ¥106

107.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.82 ¥131

3.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 ¥544

$2.09 ¥335

62.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 ¥795

$2.72 ¥435

82.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ¥311

$1.53 ¥244

26.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 ¥376

$1.69 ¥270

39.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 ¥743

$4.84 ¥774

-4.13%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥332

$1.84 ¥295

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.49 ¥2,640

$9.99 ¥1,600

65.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.02 ¥1,765

$6.39 ¥1,022

72.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.68 ¥4,271

$15.47 ¥2,476

72.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 ¥825

$4.14 ¥663

24.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 ¥413

$2.14 ¥342

20.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 ¥480

$3.56 ¥569

-15.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥903

$4.13 ¥661

36.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 ¥572

$3.28 ¥524

8.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 ¥450

$4.34 ¥694

-35.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 ¥247

$1.39 ¥222

11.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥146

$0.86 ¥138

5.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.93 ¥789

$3.49 ¥559

41.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.50 ¥1,360

$9.66 ¥1,547

-12.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥289

$1.77 ¥283

2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.05 ¥328

45.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 ¥263

$1.07 ¥171

53.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.66 ¥5,548

$55.8 ¥8,932

-37.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 ¥685

$3.45 ¥553

24.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.64 ¥582

$3.02 ¥484

20.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.70 ¥2,033

$22.35 ¥3,579

-43.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ¥194

$1.21 ¥193

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

$23.2K ¥3.7M

$20.8K ¥3.3M

11.51%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$13.9K ¥2.2M

24.17%

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

$177 ¥28.3K

$109 ¥17.4K

62.91%

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

$27.99 ¥4,480

$9.90 ¥1,585

182.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.04 ¥5,129

$21.21 ¥3,396

51.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 ¥8,466

$103 ¥16.5K

-48.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.00 ¥1,121

$18.58 ¥2,974

-62.33%

Cinema Ticket

$12.28 ¥1,966

$13.60 ¥2,177

-9.71%

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

$343 ¥54.9K

$285 ¥45.6K

20.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

-5.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.74 ¥7,642

$41.48 ¥6,639

15.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.65 ¥4,587

$27.83 ¥4,454

2.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.4 ¥11.6K

$54.5 ¥8,716

32.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$104 ¥16.7K

-10.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 ¥72.4K

$378 ¥60.5K

19.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ¥64.4K

$244 ¥39.1K

64.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$945 ¥151.3K

$881 ¥141.1K

7.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 ¥120.2K

$584 ¥93.5K

28.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,673 ¥1.4M

$7,566 ¥1.2M

14.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 ¥192.5K

$5,338 ¥854.5K

-77.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,316 ¥210.7K

$1,413 ¥226.2K

-6.85%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Hamamatsu: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Okinawa and $378 in Hamamatsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamamatsu pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Okinawa vs $42.00 in Hamamatsu. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 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 28% in total monthly costs ($1,418 vs $1,110 including rent). Hamamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Hamamatsu earns 7% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $452 in Okinawa versus $378 in Hamamatsu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% 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 $1,110 in Hamamatsu versus $1,418 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 28% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.