Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Ibaraki Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Ibaraki

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,428 in Okinawa versus $1,224 in Ibaraki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,217 in Okinawa versus $1,878 in Ibaraki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,007 in Okinawa versus $2,531 in Ibaraki.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 17% more expensive than in Ibaraki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 7% above, Ibaraki is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 ¥1,335

$7.04 ¥1,109

20.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.01 ¥6,620

$33.98 ¥5,354

23.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 ¥921

$5.50 ¥867

6.18%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥525

$3.08 ¥485

8.12%

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

$1.35 ¥213

$1.11 ¥174

21.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥136

$0.80 ¥126

7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 ¥560

$2.67 ¥421

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 ¥754

$3.14 ¥495

52.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥298

$2.23 ¥351

-15.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ¥355

$1.52 ¥240

48.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.60 ¥725

$3.45 ¥543

33.33%

Eggs

$2.04 ¥322

$2.23 ¥351

-8.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ¥2,592

$10.20 ¥1,607

61.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.24 ¥1,771

$6.18 ¥974

81.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.66 ¥4,200

$15.19 ¥2,393

75.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 ¥791

$5.34 ¥841

-5.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 ¥423

$2.64 ¥416

1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 ¥482

$4.01 ¥631

-23.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.76 ¥907

$5.79 ¥913

-0.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.53 ¥556

$3.04 ¥479

16.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 ¥437

$2.54 ¥401

9.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 ¥240

$1.38 ¥218

10.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥138

$0.77 ¥122

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.76 ¥749

$4.28 ¥674

11.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.27 ¥989

$7.95 ¥1,253

-21.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥286

$2.58 ¥406

-29.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ¥467

$2.28 ¥359

29.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.68 ¥265

$1.87 ¥295

-10.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.11 ¥5,533

$55.4 ¥8,724

-36.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 ¥640

$4.97 ¥782

-18.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥594

$3.00 ¥473

25.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.85 ¥2,025

$20.51 ¥3,232

-37.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥197

$1.20 ¥189

4.17%

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

$23.2K ¥3.7M

$22.8K ¥3.6M

1.61%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$17.6K ¥2.8M

-3.63%

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

$176 ¥27.7K

$143 ¥22.6K

22.49%

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

$27.21 ¥4,287

$27.17 ¥4,282

0.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.15 ¥5,066

$34.01 ¥5,358

-5.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ¥8,252

$56.2 ¥8,848

-6.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.11 ¥1,120

$13.78 ¥2,171

-48.40%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 ¥1,990

$12.46 ¥1,963

1.36%

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

$346 ¥54.6K

$280 ¥44.1K

23.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.1M

-0.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.92 ¥7,709

$29.33 ¥4,621

66.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.26 ¥4,610

$28.90 ¥4,553

1.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.5K

$72.2 ¥11.4K

1.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 ¥14.3K

$87.1 ¥13.7K

3.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 ¥71.4K

$439 ¥69.2K

3.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥63.0K

$285 ¥44.9K

40.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 ¥151.3K

$874 ¥137.8K

9.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥116.1K

$593 ¥93.4K

24.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,685 ¥1.4M

$4,597 ¥724.3K

88.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,206 ¥190.1K

$2,172 ¥342.3K

-44.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,744 ¥274.8K

$2,446 ¥385.5K

-28.71%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Ibaraki: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $453 in Okinawa and $439 in Ibaraki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ibaraki pays 40% 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 $34.00 in Ibaraki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $317 per month, with Ibaraki 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 Ibaraki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Okinawa and Ibaraki differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,428 vs $1,224 including rent). Ibaraki is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Ibaraki. 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 $439 in Ibaraki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ibaraki – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $42.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,224 in Ibaraki versus $1,428 in Okinawa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ibaraki but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Ibaraki 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 Ibaraki 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 Ibaraki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.