Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Hiroshima Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Hiroshima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,385 per month in Okinawa vs $919 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,168 per month in Okinawa vs $1,482 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,950 per month in Okinawa vs $2,046 in Hiroshima, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 51% more than Hiroshima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 1% above the global median, while Hiroshima is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,589

$6.05 ¥945

68.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.19 ¥6,278

$31.23 ¥4,879

28.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 ¥1,090

$4.89 ¥764

42.74%

Cappuccino

$4.17 ¥651

$2.72 ¥426

53.31%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.02 ¥160

44.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥146

$0.67 ¥105

38.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ¥319

$2.64 ¥413

-22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ¥675

$3.65 ¥570

18.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥242

$1.50 ¥235

3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 ¥332

$1.56 ¥243

35.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 ¥588

$4.68 ¥731

-19.66%

Eggs

$1.76 ¥275

$2.09 ¥326

-15.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.00 ¥2,812

$4.93 ¥770

265.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 ¥747

$5.96 ¥931

-19.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.13 ¥3,457

$11.07 ¥1,730

99.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥572

$3.39 ¥529

7.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 ¥415

$1.90 ¥297

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ¥334

$3.74 ¥584

-42.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 ¥811

$3.73 ¥582

39.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 ¥371

$1.50 ¥234

58.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 ¥398

$3.44 ¥537

-25.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$1.28 ¥200

0.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥122

$0.77 ¥121

1.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥601

$3.83 ¥599

0.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 ¥973

$7.63 ¥1,192

-18.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ¥305

$1.85 ¥289

5.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ¥494

$2.46 ¥384

28.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.91 ¥298

-25.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 ¥10.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 ¥583

$3.72 ¥581

0.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.48 ¥544

$1.23 ¥192

182.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.36 ¥1,774

$20.94 ¥3,271

-45.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ¥164

$1.04 ¥163

0.96%

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

$20.7K ¥3.2M

$21.3K ¥3.3M

-3.13%

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

$14.8K ¥2.3M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

-2.47%

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

$158 ¥24.8K

$137 ¥21.4K

15.81%

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

$25.07 ¥3,916

$23.88 ¥3,730

4.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 ¥8,309

$30.26 ¥4,727

75.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.8 ¥11.2K

$53.6 ¥8,368

34.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.2 ¥8,461

$4.80 ¥749

1028.33%

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 ¥1,889

$11.97 ¥1,870

1.00%

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

$324 ¥50.6K

$158 ¥24.6K

105.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 ¥861.6K

$3,422 ¥534.6K

61.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.91 ¥7,797

$28.18 ¥4,403

77.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.70 ¥3,546

$24.90 ¥3,891

-8.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 ¥12.3K

$47.12 ¥7,362

67.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ¥14.8K

$61.8 ¥9,654

53.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ¥62.2K

$238 ¥37.2K

67.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 ¥49.6K

$185 ¥28.9K

71.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 ¥129.3K

$635 ¥99.2K

30.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 ¥102.0K

$503 ¥78.6K

29.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,509 ¥1.3M

$1,883 ¥294.1K

352.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,199 ¥187.2K

$1,889 ¥295.1K

-36.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,819 ¥284.2K

$1,956 ¥305.6K

-7.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

2.21

0.90%

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

Last update for Okinawa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Hiroshima: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $398 in Okinawa versus $238 in Hiroshima. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Hiroshima, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Okinawa versus $31.00 in Hiroshima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $253 – making Hiroshima 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 Hiroshima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Okinawa costs about 51% more than Hiroshima, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,077 per month in Okinawa and $1,378 in Hiroshima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Okinawa and $31.00 in Hiroshima. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hiroshima, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Okinawa at $1,385. In Hiroshima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hiroshima – 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 Hiroshima. 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.