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: $1,437 in Okinawa versus $1,174 in Ichikawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,214 in Okinawa versus $1,842 in Ichikawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,992 in Okinawa versus $2,510 in Ichikawa.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 22% more expensive than in Ichikawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 8% above, Ichikawa is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$7.10 ¥1,153

15.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$35.00 ¥5,686

19.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$5.07 ¥823

17.95%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$3.14 ¥510

6.37%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$1.08 ¥175

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.81 ¥132

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$2.05 ¥334

70.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$2.03 ¥330

141.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.51 ¥245

29.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.72 ¥280

37.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$4.90 ¥797

-0.61%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$1.57 ¥255

27.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$10.19 ¥1,656

60.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$6.17 ¥1,002

75.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$15.34 ¥2,492

72.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$6.07 ¥986

-16.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$3.16 ¥514

-18.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$4.11 ¥668

-23.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$4.50 ¥730

25.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$3.28 ¥532

6.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$3.71 ¥603

-22.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.34 ¥217

18.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.87 ¥142

1.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$4.10 ¥666

20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$6.93 ¥1,126

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$1.76 ¥287

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.06 ¥335

41.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.67 ¥271

-2.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$56.4 ¥9,158

-38.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.49 ¥566

17.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$2.98 ¥484

21.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$22.05 ¥3,583

-42.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.16 ¥188

6.90%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$22.9K ¥3.7M

1.78%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$18.9K ¥3.1M

-11.56%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$83.8 ¥13.6K

106.96%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$27.90 ¥4,534

-2.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$17.08 ¥2,776

85.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$55.1 ¥8,951

-2.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$13.77 ¥2,237

-48.87%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$11.37 ¥1,847

9.50%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$277 ¥45.1K

24.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-4.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$41.27 ¥6,705

15.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$30.01 ¥4,876

-2.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$59.2 ¥9,613

24.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$96.0 ¥15.6K

-5.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$475 ¥77.1K

-6.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$334 ¥54.3K

19.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$875 ¥142.2K

8.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$649 ¥105.5K

15.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$4,388 ¥713.0K

95.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$2,365 ¥384.3K

-48.36%

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 Ichikawa: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Okinawa and $475 in Ichikawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Okinawa vs $35.00 in Ichikawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $314 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 22% in total monthly costs ($1,437 vs $1,174 including rent). Ichikawa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,155 in Okinawa and $1,761 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: $445 in Okinawa versus $475 in Ichikawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% 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 $35.00 versus $42.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,174 in Ichikawa versus $1,437 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 22% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.