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: $1,430 in Okinawa versus $1,152 in Ichikawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,196 in Okinawa versus $1,834 in Ichikawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,961 in Okinawa versus $2,515 in Ichikawa.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 24% more expensive than Ichikawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 7% above, Ichikawa is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$6.78 ¥1,085

26.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$34.74 ¥5,557

18.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$5.19 ¥830

17.92%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.19 ¥511

3.76%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.13 ¥181

16.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.76 ¥122

13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.10 ¥335

65.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$2.10 ¥335

129.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.52 ¥243

23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.76 ¥281

30.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$4.89 ¥782

-1.23%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$1.50 ¥240

34.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$10.10 ¥1,615

61.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$6.29 ¥1,006

76.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$15.29 ¥2,445

76.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$6.10 ¥975

-13.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$3.21 ¥513

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$4.13 ¥660

-26.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$4.66 ¥746

21.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$3.32 ¥531

11.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$3.61 ¥577

-19.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.38 ¥220

15.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.82 ¥131

14.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$4.17 ¥667

15.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$9.41 ¥1,504

-35.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.74 ¥278

-1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.09 ¥335

38.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.59 ¥255

5.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$55.3 ¥8,846

-36.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.48 ¥557

20.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$2.89 ¥463

30.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$22.36 ¥3,576

-43.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.15 ¥185

4.35%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.3K ¥3.7M

-2.28%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$18.7K ¥3.0M

-9.33%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$83.9 ¥13.4K

106.05%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$27.82 ¥4,450

-0.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$17.43 ¥2,788

86.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$55.2 ¥8,823

-3.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$13.98 ¥2,235

-51.65%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$11.58 ¥1,852

8.81%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$282 ¥45.2K

22.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$13.9K ¥2.2M

-2.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$41.54 ¥6,644

17.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$29.08 ¥4,652

0.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$60.1 ¥9,608

21.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$96.9 ¥15.5K

-3.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$474 ¥75.9K

-7.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$334 ¥53.4K

18.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$884 ¥141.4K

6.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$657 ¥105.1K

14.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$4,958 ¥793.1K

72.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$2,642 ¥422.7K

-55.08%

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 Ichikawa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Okinawa and $474 in Ichikawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $41.00 in Okinawa vs $35.00 in Ichikawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $320 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 24% in total monthly costs ($1,430 vs $1,152 including rent). Ichikawa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,145 in Okinawa and $1,728 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: $437 in Okinawa versus $474 in Ichikawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% 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 $41.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,152 in Ichikawa versus $1,430 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 24% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.