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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,437 per month in Okinawa vs $1,240 in Kamiyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,214 per month in Okinawa vs $1,907 in Kamiyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,992 per month in Okinawa vs $2,574 in Kamiyama, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 16% more than Kamiyama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$6.73 ¥1,093

21.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$34.58 ¥5,618

21.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$5.68 ¥923

5.28%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$3.05 ¥495

9.51%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$1.09 ¥177

21.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.75 ¥121

24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$2.13 ¥345

64.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$3.15 ¥512

55.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.59 ¥258

22.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.66 ¥270

42.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$4.89 ¥794

-0.41%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$2.22 ¥360

-9.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$10.24 ¥1,664

60.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$6.45 ¥1,049

68.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$15.47 ¥2,514

71.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$5.53 ¥898

-8.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$2.56 ¥416

1.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$4.12 ¥669

-24.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$4.68 ¥760

20.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$3.33 ¥541

5.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$2.67 ¥435

8.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.38 ¥225

15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.87 ¥141

1.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$4.08 ¥662

20.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$6.71 ¥1,091

-9.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$1.98 ¥322

-12.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.28 ¥371

27.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.66 ¥270

-1.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$56.4 ¥9,161

-38.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.40 ¥553

20.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$2.92 ¥474

23.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$20.61 ¥3,349

-38.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.19 ¥193

4.20%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-0.76%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$16.8K ¥2.7M

-0.88%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$139 ¥22.7K

24.35%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$27.33 ¥4,441

-0.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$33.79 ¥5,490

-6.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$57.0 ¥9,257

-5.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$13.74 ¥2,233

-48.76%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$13.15 ¥2,136

-5.32%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$281 ¥45.6K

23.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$13.3K ¥2.2M

-0.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$43.01 ¥6,989

11.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$29.61 ¥4,811

-1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$61.2 ¥9,949

20.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$93.1 ¥15.1K

-2.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$474 ¥77.0K

-6.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$335 ¥54.5K

19.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$854 ¥138.8K

10.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$646 ¥104.9K

15.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$2,832 ¥460.1K

203.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$2,114 ¥343.4K

-42.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kamiyama: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Okinawa versus $474 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 $42.00 in Okinawa versus $35.00 in Kamiyama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $312 – 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 16%, 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 $2,155 per month in Okinawa and $1,859 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 26% 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 $42.00 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 $1,240, than in Okinawa at $1,437. 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.