Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Ichihara Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Ichihara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,437 in Okinawa versus $1,186 in Ichihara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,214 in Okinawa versus $1,864 in Ichihara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,992 in Okinawa versus $2,542 in Ichihara.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 21% more expensive than in Ichihara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 8% above, Ichihara is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$7.06 ¥1,148

15.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$35.07 ¥5,698

19.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$5.06 ¥823

18.18%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$3.15 ¥513

6.03%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$1.08 ¥176

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.75 ¥122

24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$2.02 ¥329

73.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$2.02 ¥328

143.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.58 ¥256

23.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.66 ¥270

42.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$4.84 ¥786

0.62%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$1.57 ¥254

27.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$10.11 ¥1,643

62.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$6.29 ¥1,023

72.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$15.70 ¥2,551

68.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$6.15 ¥1,000

-17.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$3.17 ¥516

-18.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$3.91 ¥636

-19.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$4.70 ¥763

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$3.27 ¥531

7.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$3.60 ¥584

-19.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.38 ¥224

15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.81 ¥132

8.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$4.26 ¥692

15.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$8.02 ¥1,303

-24.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$1.83 ¥298

-5.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.10 ¥341

38.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.60 ¥260

1.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$56.5 ¥9,178

-38.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.43 ¥557

19.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$2.92 ¥475

23.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$21.88 ¥3,555

-42.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.19 ¥193

4.20%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

0.23%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$18.4K ¥3.0M

-9.36%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$84.0 ¥13.6K

106.37%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$27.55 ¥4,477

-1.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$17.60 ¥2,859

79.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$56.8 ¥9,220

-5.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$14.15 ¥2,299

-50.25%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$11.36 ¥1,846

9.60%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$284 ¥46.2K

21.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-3.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$42.32 ¥6,877

12.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$29.92 ¥4,862

-2.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$60.3 ¥9,797

21.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$97.5 ¥15.8K

-6.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$474 ¥77.0K

-6.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$323 ¥52.5K

23.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$879 ¥142.8K

7.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$663 ¥107.8K

12.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$4,702 ¥764.0K

82.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$2,080 ¥338.0K

-41.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Okinawa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ichihara: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Okinawa and $474 in Ichihara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Okinawa vs $35.00 in Ichihara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $317 per month, with Ichihara 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 Ichihara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ichihara is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,155 in Okinawa and $1,780 in Ichihara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $445 in Okinawa versus $474 in Ichihara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $346 in Okinawa versus $284 in Ichihara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,186 in Ichihara versus $1,437 in Okinawa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ichihara but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Ichihara 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 Ichihara 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 Ichihara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.