Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Hirakata Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Hirakata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,463 in Okinawa versus $1,183 in Hirakata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,234 in Okinawa versus $1,854 in Hirakata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,004 in Okinawa versus $2,526 in Hirakata.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 24% more expensive than Hirakata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 10% above, Hirakata is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.50 ¥1,364

$6.89 ¥1,106

23.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.40 ¥6,802

$35.04 ¥5,621

21.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 ¥940

$5.96 ¥956

-1.68%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ¥547

$2.96 ¥476

15.20%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.14 ¥182

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥148

$0.75 ¥121

22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 ¥549

$2.70 ¥433

26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 ¥767

$3.13 ¥502

52.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥301

$1.60 ¥257

16.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 ¥375

$1.48 ¥238

58.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 ¥751

$4.82 ¥774

-2.90%

Eggs

$2.11 ¥338

$2.42 ¥389

-12.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.36 ¥2,624

$10.42 ¥1,672

57.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.01 ¥1,766

$6.59 ¥1,057

67.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.29 ¥4,217

$15.27 ¥2,449

72.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.99 ¥800

$3.57 ¥572

39.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 ¥431

$2.18 ¥349

23.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥487

$2.61 ¥419

16.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.76 ¥925

$4.31 ¥692

33.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.59 ¥575

$1.64 ¥264

118.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 ¥446

$1.24 ¥200

124.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 ¥247

$1.31 ¥210

17.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥142

$0.87 ¥140

1.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.97 ¥797

$3.56 ¥571

39.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ¥975

$9.43 ¥1,512

-35.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ¥289

$2.12 ¥339

-15.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥460

$2.31 ¥370

24.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 ¥270

$1.67 ¥268

1.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.10 ¥5,630

$56.6 ¥9,073

-37.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.14 ¥665

$3.57 ¥573

15.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥575

$2.86 ¥459

25.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.62 ¥2,024

$17.65 ¥2,832

-28.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥193

$1.23 ¥197

-2.44%

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

$23.4K ¥3.8M

$23.2K ¥3.7M

1.01%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$16.8K ¥2.7M

2.34%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$132 ¥21.2K

30.97%

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

$27.81 ¥4,460

$27.46 ¥4,405

1.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.37 ¥5,192

$30.37 ¥4,872

6.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 ¥8,330

$55.9 ¥8,968

-7.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.08 ¥1,136

$13.75 ¥2,205

-48.51%

Cinema Ticket

$12.67 ¥2,032

$12.71 ¥2,038

-0.31%

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

$345 ¥55.4K

$69.0 ¥11.1K

400.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.2M

$10.5K ¥1.7M

27.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.62 ¥7,640

$43.62 ¥6,996

9.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.93 ¥4,640

$29.03 ¥4,657

-0.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 ¥11.5K

$57.2 ¥9,172

25.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.9 ¥14.7K

$91.5 ¥14.7K

0.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 ¥72.6K

$460 ¥73.8K

-1.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ¥64.5K

$330 ¥53.0K

21.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 ¥150.7K

$866 ¥138.9K

8.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 ¥117.3K

$652 ¥104.6K

12.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,521 ¥1.4M

$5,248 ¥841.9K

62.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,189 ¥190.8K

$2,351 ¥377.2K

-49.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,791 ¥287.3K

$1,853 ¥297.3K

-3.34%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Hirakata: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $453 in Okinawa and $460 in Hirakata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hirakata pays 3% 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 $35.00 in Hirakata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 vs $290 per month, with Hirakata cheaper across the board.

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 Hirakata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Okinawa and Hirakata differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,463 vs $1,183 including rent). Hirakata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Hirakata earns 3% 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: $453 in Okinawa versus $460 in Hirakata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Hirakata runs roughly 61% less than in Okinawa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $345 in Okinawa versus $69.0 in Hirakata. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,183 in Hirakata versus $1,463 in Okinawa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hirakata but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Hirakata 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 Hirakata 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 Hirakata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.