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: $1,430 in Okinawa versus $1,294 in Kamakura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,196 in Okinawa versus $1,992 in Kamakura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,961 in Okinawa versus $2,690 in Kamakura.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 11% more expensive than Kamakura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 7% above, Kamakura is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$7.05 ¥1,127

21.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$35.17 ¥5,625

17.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$5.67 ¥907

7.94%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.13 ¥501

5.75%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.21 ¥194

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.76 ¥121

13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.07 ¥331

68.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$3.19 ¥509

50.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.52 ¥244

23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.75 ¥281

31.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$5.02 ¥803

-3.78%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.27 ¥364

-11.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$13.81 ¥2,209

18.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$6.87 ¥1,099

62.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$17.62 ¥2,818

52.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$5.91 ¥946

-10.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$2.89 ¥462

-9.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$4.09 ¥654

-25.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$6.09 ¥974

-7.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$3.27 ¥523

12.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$2.57 ¥411

12.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.39 ¥222

15.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$1.06 ¥169

-11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$3.41 ¥545

41.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$9.27 ¥1,483

-34.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.84 ¥294

-6.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.39 ¥383

20.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.61 ¥258

3.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$55.3 ¥8,849

-36.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.49 ¥559

20.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$2.98 ¥477

26.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$17.59 ¥2,814

-27.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.23 ¥197

-2.44%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-3.36%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

0.39%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$143 ¥22.9K

20.96%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$26.75 ¥4,278

3.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$33.96 ¥5,432

-4.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$55.4 ¥8,853

-3.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$14.04 ¥2,245

-51.85%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$12.51 ¥2,001

0.72%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$287 ¥45.8K

21.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$11.3K ¥1.8M

19.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$42.28 ¥6,763

15.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$29.29 ¥4,685

-0.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$56.6 ¥9,046

28.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$93.6 ¥15.0K

-0.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$476 ¥76.2K

-8.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$326 ¥52.2K

20.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$864 ¥138.2K

9.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$656 ¥104.9K

14.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$4,481 ¥716.7K

90.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$2,206 ¥352.9K

-46.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

$1,760 ¥281.5K

-26.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

12.36%

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

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kamakura: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Okinawa and $476 in Kamakura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kamakura pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Okinawa vs $35.00 in Kamakura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $350 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. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Kamakura earns 36% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $437 in Okinawa versus $476 in Kamakura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,294 in Kamakura versus $1,430 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 11% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.