Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Himeji Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Himeji

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,295 in Himeji, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $2,026 in Himeji, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $2,757 in Himeji, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 10% more than Himeji, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Okinawa sits 7% above the global median, while Himeji is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$8.15 ¥1,303

5.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$34.03 ¥5,443

21.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$6.35 ¥1,016

-3.62%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.11 ¥497

6.43%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.15 ¥184

14.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.69 ¥111

24.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$3.35 ¥535

3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$3.13 ¥501

53.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.52 ¥242

23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.81 ¥289

27.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$5.01 ¥802

-3.59%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.47 ¥395

-18.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$17.44 ¥2,790

-6.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$7.50 ¥1,200

48.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$15.43 ¥2,467

74.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$9.03 ¥1,444

-41.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$2.78 ¥444

-6.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$3.42 ¥547

-11.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$9.74 ¥1,557

-41.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$3.90 ¥625

-5.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$2.11 ¥338

37.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.01 ¥161

58.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$1.40 ¥224

-32.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$3.52 ¥564

36.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$9.44 ¥1,509

-35.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$2.06 ¥330

-16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.32 ¥371

24.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.66 ¥265

0.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$56.1 ¥8,979

-37.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.51 ¥561

19.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$3.02 ¥482

24.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$17.15 ¥2,742

-25.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$0.83 ¥132

44.58%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

-1.02%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

-0.26%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$138 ¥22.1K

25.08%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$27.74 ¥4,437

-0.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$26.52 ¥4,242

22.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$55.7 ¥8,909

-4.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$13.98 ¥2,236

-51.65%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$8.13 ¥1,300

54.98%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$481 ¥76.9K

-27.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$11.4K ¥1.8M

18.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$38.14 ¥6,101

28.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$10.25 ¥1,639

185.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$41.46 ¥6,632

75.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$55.1 ¥8,805

69.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$463 ¥74.0K

-5.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$336 ¥53.7K

17.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$882 ¥141.1K

7.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$661 ¥105.8K

13.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$4,674 ¥747.6K

82.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$2,191 ¥350.4K

-45.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

12.36%

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

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Himeji: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $463 in Himeji. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Okinawa versus $34.00 in Himeji. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $394 – making Himeji the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Himeji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,145 per month in Okinawa and $1,942 in Himeji. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Himeji, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Okinawa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Okinawa and $34.00 in Himeji. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Himeji, where all-in costs run around $1,295, than in Okinawa at $1,430. In Himeji it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Himeji – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Himeji. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Okinawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.