Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kanazawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kanazawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,196 in Kanazawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $1,871 in Kanazawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $2,547 in Kanazawa, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 20% more than Kanazawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 7% above the global median, while Kanazawa is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$5.69 ¥910

50.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$35.23 ¥5,634

17.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$4.82 ¥772

26.97%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.32 ¥532

-0.30%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.09 ¥174

21.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.72 ¥115

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.80 ¥447

24.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$4.40 ¥705

9.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.61 ¥257

16.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.50 ¥239

53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$4.69 ¥749

2.99%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.44 ¥390

-17.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$10.62 ¥1,699

53.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$6.33 ¥1,012

75.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$19.04 ¥3,045

41.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$3.64 ¥582

44.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$2.19 ¥351

19.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$2.58 ¥412

17.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$4.45 ¥711

26.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$1.66 ¥265

122.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$1.24 ¥198

133.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.39 ¥222

15.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.89 ¥142

5.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$3.84 ¥614

25.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$9.13 ¥1,461

-33.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$2.07 ¥331

-16.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$3.00 ¥480

-3.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.61 ¥258

3.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$54.8 ¥8,767

-35.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$4.54 ¥725

-7.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$3.36 ¥537

12.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$23.66 ¥3,785

-46.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.18 ¥188

1.69%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-2.86%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

0.11%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$130 ¥20.8K

32.75%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$27.51 ¥4,400

0.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$30.22 ¥4,833

7.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$48.01 ¥7,680

11.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$13.76 ¥2,201

-50.87%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$12.65 ¥2,023

-0.40%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$70.4 ¥11.3K

392.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$10.4K ¥1.7M

30.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$43.98 ¥7,034

11.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$29.19 ¥4,669

0.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$66.6 ¥10.7K

9.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$94.4 ¥15.1K

-1.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$476 ¥76.1K

-8.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$332 ¥53.1K

18.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$867 ¥138.6K

8.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$658 ¥105.2K

13.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$4,365 ¥698.2K

95.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$2,655 ¥424.7K

-55.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

$1,846 ¥295.2K

-30.02%

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 Kanazawa: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $476 in Kanazawa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 43% higher in Kanazawa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Okinawa versus $35.00 in Kanazawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $302 – making Kanazawa 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 Kanazawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,430 in Okinawa, $1,196 in Kanazawa – roughly 20% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,145 per month in Okinawa and $1,794 in Kanazawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,430 in Okinawa and $1,196 in Kanazawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 55% less in Kanazawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kanazawa, where all-in costs run around $1,196, than in Okinawa at $1,430. In Kanazawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kanazawa – 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 Kanazawa. 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.