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: $1,427 in Okinawa versus $1,258 in Ichihara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,228 in Okinawa versus $2,028 in Ichihara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,030 in Okinawa versus $2,798 in Ichihara.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 13% more expensive than in Ichihara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 4% above, Ichihara is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,512

$6.33 ¥988

52.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,297

$42.48 ¥6,633

-5.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,083

$5.14 ¥803

35.02%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥653

$3.56 ¥556

17.42%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.12 ¥175

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$0.76 ¥118

32.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥313

$2.62 ¥409

-23.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥697

$3.22 ¥503

38.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥249

$1.47 ¥229

8.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥344

$1.79 ¥280

22.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥621

$3.78 ¥590

5.29%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥282

$2.06 ¥322

-12.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,809

$12.23 ¥1,910

47.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥789

$6.12 ¥956

-17.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,577

$14.62 ¥2,283

56.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥583

$5.97 ¥932

-37.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥434

$2.89 ¥451

-3.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥359

$2.93 ¥457

-21.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥823

$4.35 ¥679

21.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥382

$2.70 ¥421

-9.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥394

$2.70 ¥422

-6.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥211

$1.31 ¥205

3.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥120

$0.84 ¥131

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥614

$3.93 ¥613

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,016

$6.42 ¥1,002

1.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥306

$1.83 ¥286

7.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥539

$2.17 ¥338

58.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥229

$1.52 ¥237

-3.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.6K

$55.9 ¥8,735

21.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥615

$3.17 ¥496

24.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥560

$2.52 ¥394

42.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,854

$20.82 ¥3,252

-42.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥177

$1.09 ¥170

3.67%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$22.2K ¥3.5M

-1.29%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$18.5K ¥2.9M

-16.48%

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

$165 ¥25.8K

$137 ¥21.4K

20.36%

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

$25.69 ¥4,012

$25.05 ¥3,913

2.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,558

$33.11 ¥5,170

65.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$56.3 ¥8,788

31.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,822

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,952

$12.99 ¥2,028

-3.77%

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

$345 ¥53.9K

$638 ¥99.7K

-45.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥909.9K

$15.2K ¥2.4M

-61.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,070

$63.1 ¥9,851

-18.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,766

$33.59 ¥5,246

-28.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$63.3 ¥9,879

28.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.0K

$107 ¥16.7K

-10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.2K

$578 ¥90.2K

-28.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥51.8K

$298 ¥46.5K

11.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥134.8K

$1,135 ¥177.2K

-23.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.3K

$765 ¥119.4K

-9.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$3,958 ¥618.1K

119.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥187.4K

$2,013 ¥314.4K

-40.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥290.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

2.12

5.19%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ichihara: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $411 in Okinawa and $578 in Ichihara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Okinawa vs $42.00 in Ichihara. Groceries flip the comparison at $337 vs $303, with Ichihara cheaper for home cooking.

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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,140 in Okinawa and $1,887 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: $411 in Okinawa versus $578 in Ichihara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $345 in Okinawa versus $638 in Ichihara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,258 in Ichihara versus $1,427 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 13% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.