Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kamakura Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kamakura

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,427 in Okinawa versus $1,181 in Kamakura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,228 in Okinawa versus $1,910 in Kamakura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,030 in Okinawa versus $2,640 in Kamakura.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 21% more expensive than in Kamakura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 4% above, Kamakura is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,512

$6.39 ¥999

51.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,297

$31.84 ¥4,973

26.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,083

$5.14 ¥802

35.02%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥653

$2.44 ¥382

71.31%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.12 ¥174

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$0.80 ¥125

26.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥313

$2.55 ¥398

-21.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥697

$3.20 ¥500

39.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥249

$1.42 ¥222

11.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥344

$1.55 ¥241

41.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥621

$3.70 ¥577

7.57%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥282

$2.13 ¥333

-15.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,809

$12.18 ¥1,902

47.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥789

$6.11 ¥954

-17.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,577

$14.89 ¥2,326

53.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥583

$5.73 ¥895

-34.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥434

$2.81 ¥439

-1.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥359

$3.00 ¥468

-23.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥823

$4.40 ¥688

19.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥382

$2.71 ¥423

-9.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥394

$2.60 ¥406

-2.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥211

$1.21 ¥189

11.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥120

$0.79 ¥123

-2.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥614

$3.99 ¥623

-1.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,016

$6.65 ¥1,038

-2.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥306

$1.86 ¥290

5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥539

$2.09 ¥326

65.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥229

$1.54 ¥240

-5.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.6K

$63.9 ¥9,982

6.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥615

$3.18 ¥496

23.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥560

$2.54 ¥397

41.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,854

$16.36 ¥2,556

-27.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥177

$1.08 ¥168

4.63%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$22.0K ¥3.4M

-0.56%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$15.6K ¥2.4M

-1.40%

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

$165 ¥25.8K

$117 ¥18.2K

41.24%

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

$25.69 ¥4,012

$23.87 ¥3,727

7.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,558

$31.42 ¥4,907

74.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$52.6 ¥8,207

40.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,822

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,952

$12.86 ¥2,009

-2.80%

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

$345 ¥53.9K

$587 ¥91.7K

-41.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥909.9K

$15.1K ¥2.4M

-61.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,070

$50.6 ¥7,908

2.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,766

$33.76 ¥5,272

-28.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$62.7 ¥9,789

29.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.0K

$101 ¥15.8K

-5.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.2K

$527 ¥82.4K

-22.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥51.8K

$326 ¥51.0K

1.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥134.8K

$883 ¥137.8K

-2.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.3K

$683 ¥106.6K

1.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$3,327 ¥519.6K

161.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥187.4K

$1,549 ¥241.9K

-22.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥290.6K

$1,826 ¥285.2K

1.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

1.66

34.34%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kamakura: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $411 in Okinawa and $527 in Kamakura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 2% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40.00 in Okinawa vs $32.00 in Kamakura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $299 per month, with Kamakura 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 Kamakura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kamakura is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Okinawa, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $411 in Okinawa versus $527 in Kamakura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $345 in Okinawa versus $587 in Kamakura. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,181 in Kamakura versus $1,427 in Okinawa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kamakura but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Kamakura 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 Kamakura 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 Kamakura 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.