Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Ichikawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Ichikawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,427 in Okinawa versus $1,202 in Ichikawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,228 in Okinawa versus $1,907 in Ichikawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,030 in Okinawa versus $2,611 in Ichikawa.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 19% more expensive than in Ichikawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 4% above, Ichikawa is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,512

$5.10 ¥796

89.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,297

$32.07 ¥5,009

25.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,083

$4.59 ¥717

51.20%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥653

$2.23 ¥349

87.44%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$0.68 ¥106

116.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$0.37 ¥57.1

172.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥313

$2.56 ¥400

-21.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥697

$3.22 ¥502

38.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥249

$1.43 ¥223

11.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥344

$1.75 ¥274

25.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥621

$3.78 ¥591

5.29%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥282

$2.15 ¥336

-15.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,809

$12.11 ¥1,891

48.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥789

$6.18 ¥965

-18.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,577

$14.88 ¥2,324

53.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥583

$5.98 ¥934

-37.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥434

$2.77 ¥433

0.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥359

$2.97 ¥463

-22.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥823

$4.19 ¥654

25.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥382

$2.70 ¥422

-9.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥394

$2.73 ¥426

-7.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥211

$1.27 ¥199

6.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥120

$0.82 ¥127

-6.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥614

$4.00 ¥625

-1.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,016

$6.41 ¥1,002

1.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥306

$1.87 ¥292

4.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥539

$2.09 ¥327

65.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥229

$1.65 ¥257

-11.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.6K

$61.7 ¥9,632

10.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥615

$3.27 ¥511

20.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥560

$2.55 ¥399

40.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,854

$20.99 ¥3,278

-43.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥177

$1.11 ¥173

1.80%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$21.8K ¥3.4M

0.55%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$19.0K ¥3.0M

-18.79%

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

$165 ¥25.8K

$134 ¥20.9K

23.08%

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

$25.69 ¥4,012

$25.33 ¥3,955

1.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,558

$32.30 ¥5,044

69.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$59.0 ¥9,210

25.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,822

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,952

$12.83 ¥2,004

-2.57%

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

$345 ¥53.9K

$635 ¥99.2K

-45.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥909.9K

$14.8K ¥2.3M

-60.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,070

$65.2 ¥10.2K

-20.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,766

$33.70 ¥5,262

-28.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$62.1 ¥9,691

30.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.0K

$104 ¥16.3K

-8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.2K

$462 ¥72.1K

-10.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥51.8K

$325 ¥50.8K

2.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥134.8K

$1,024 ¥159.9K

-15.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.3K

$767 ¥119.7K

-9.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$3,753 ¥586.0K

131.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥187.4K

$1,897 ¥296.3K

-36.74%

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 Ichikawa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $411 in Okinawa and $462 in Ichikawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Okinawa vs $32.00 in Ichikawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $302 per month, with Ichikawa 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 Ichikawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Okinawa and Ichikawa differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,427 vs $1,202 including rent). Ichikawa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,140 in Okinawa and $1,803 in Ichikawa 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 $462 in Ichikawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ichikawa – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $40.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,202 in Ichikawa versus $1,427 in Okinawa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ichikawa but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Ichikawa 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 Ichikawa 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 Ichikawa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.