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: $1,430 in Okinawa versus $1,183 in Ichihara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,196 in Okinawa versus $1,881 in Ichihara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,961 in Okinawa versus $2,579 in Ichihara.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 7% above, Ichihara is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$7.13 ¥1,141

20.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$34.72 ¥5,553

19.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$5.09 ¥814

20.24%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.19 ¥511

3.76%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.14 ¥183

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.80 ¥129

7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.09 ¥335

66.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$2.04 ¥326

135.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.53 ¥245

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.75 ¥280

31.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$4.94 ¥791

-2.23%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$1.56 ¥250

28.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$10.06 ¥1,609

62.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$6.16 ¥985

80.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$15.36 ¥2,457

75.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$5.95 ¥951

-11.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$3.20 ¥512

-18.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$3.92 ¥628

-22.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$4.60 ¥736

22.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$3.39 ¥542

8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$3.67 ¥588

-20.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.34 ¥215

19.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.81 ¥130

16.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$4.04 ¥646

19.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$8.06 ¥1,289

-24.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.75 ¥279

-1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.04 ¥326

41.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.65 ¥264

1.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$56.1 ¥8,973

-37.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.40 ¥544

23.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$2.90 ¥464

30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$21.90 ¥3,503

-41.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.14 ¥182

5.26%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-2.98%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$18.4K ¥2.9M

-7.80%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$84.6 ¥13.5K

104.44%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$17.12 ¥2,739

89.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$55.9 ¥8,936

-4.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$13.69 ¥2,189

-50.62%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$11.24 ¥1,797

12.10%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$287 ¥45.8K

21.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

-3.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$41.33 ¥6,610

18.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$29.30 ¥4,687

-0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$59.3 ¥9,479

23.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$98.4 ¥15.7K

-5.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$459 ¥73.5K

-4.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$324 ¥51.8K

21.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$868 ¥138.8K

8.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$660 ¥105.6K

13.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$5,257 ¥840.8K

62.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$2,054 ¥328.5K

-42.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ichihara: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Okinawa and $459 in Ichihara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $41.00 in Okinawa vs $35.00 in Ichihara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $315 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,145 in Okinawa and $1,775 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: $437 in Okinawa versus $459 in Ichihara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $347 in Okinawa versus $287 in Ichihara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,183 in Ichihara versus $1,430 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.