Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kamiyama Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kamiyama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,227 in Kamiyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $1,911 in Kamiyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $2,596 in Kamiyama, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 17% more than Kamiyama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 7% above the global median, while Kamiyama is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$6.97 ¥1,115

22.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$34.65 ¥5,542

19.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$5.68 ¥909

7.75%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.16 ¥506

4.75%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.10 ¥176

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.81 ¥130

6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.11 ¥338

64.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$3.15 ¥504

52.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.53 ¥245

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.65 ¥264

39.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$4.70 ¥751

2.77%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.28 ¥365

-11.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$10.01 ¥1,601

63.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$6.13 ¥981

81.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$15.19 ¥2,430

77.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$5.36 ¥858

-1.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$2.66 ¥426

-1.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$3.99 ¥638

-24.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$4.46 ¥713

26.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$3.35 ¥536

10.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$2.55 ¥408

13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.37 ¥220

16.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.86 ¥138

9.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$4.06 ¥649

18.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$6.53 ¥1,045

-6.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.90 ¥304

-9.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.31 ¥370

25.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.67 ¥267

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$55.7 ¥8,904

-36.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.55 ¥567

18.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$2.99 ¥478

26.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$20.44 ¥3,269

-37.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.24 ¥198

-3.23%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

0.07%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

-2.04%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$139 ¥22.2K

24.66%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$26.56 ¥4,248

4.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$34.39 ¥5,501

-5.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$56.7 ¥9,072

-5.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$13.67 ¥2,187

-50.55%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$13.23 ¥2,117

-4.76%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$286 ¥45.7K

21.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

-0.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$42.88 ¥6,859

13.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$29.72 ¥4,753

-1.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$59.5 ¥9,513

22.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$92.0 ¥14.7K

1.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$466 ¥74.5K

-6.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$332 ¥53.2K

18.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$858 ¥137.3K

9.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$654 ¥104.6K

14.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$2,758 ¥441.1K

209.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$1,897 ¥303.4K

-37.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

10.50%

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

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kamiyama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $466 in Kamiyama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Okinawa versus $35.00 in Kamiyama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $305 – making Kamiyama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kamiyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,145 per month in Okinawa and $1,840 in Kamiyama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kamiyama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Okinawa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Okinawa and $35.00 in Kamiyama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kamiyama, where all-in costs run around $1,227, than in Okinawa at $1,430. In Kamiyama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kamiyama – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kamiyama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Okinawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.