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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,385 per month in Okinawa vs $1,170 in Kanazawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,168 per month in Okinawa vs $1,850 in Kanazawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,950 per month in Okinawa vs $2,531 in Kanazawa, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 18% more than Kanazawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Okinawa sits 1% above the global median, while Kanazawa is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,589

$5.15 ¥804

97.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.19 ¥6,278

$31.28 ¥4,886

28.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 ¥1,090

$4.89 ¥764

42.74%

Cappuccino

$4.17 ¥651

$2.97 ¥463

40.40%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.42 ¥222

3.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥146

$0.74 ¥115

25.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ¥319

$2.65 ¥413

-23.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ¥675

$3.72 ¥580

16.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥242

$1.44 ¥225

7.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 ¥332

$1.29 ¥202

64.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 ¥588

$5.17 ¥807

-27.27%

Eggs

$1.76 ¥275

$2.10 ¥329

-16.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.00 ¥2,812

$9.34 ¥1,459

92.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 ¥747

$9.39 ¥1,467

-49.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.13 ¥3,457

$18.24 ¥2,850

21.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥572

$3.26 ¥509

12.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 ¥415

$1.99 ¥310

33.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ¥334

$2.00 ¥313

7.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 ¥811

$3.93 ¥614

32.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 ¥371

$1.47 ¥230

61.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 ¥398

$1.12 ¥174

127.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$1.30 ¥204

-0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥122

$0.76 ¥119

2.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥601

$3.94 ¥616

-2.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 ¥973

$9.53 ¥1,489

-34.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ¥305

$1.92 ¥300

1.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ¥494

$3.22 ¥503

-1.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.51 ¥235

-5.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 ¥10.1K

$54.9 ¥8,577

17.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 ¥583

$3.77 ¥590

-1.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.48 ¥544

$3.09 ¥483

12.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.36 ¥1,774

$21.18 ¥3,309

-46.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ¥164

$1.08 ¥168

-2.78%

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

$20.7K ¥3.2M

$21.7K ¥3.4M

-4.73%

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

$14.8K ¥2.3M

0.01%

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

$158 ¥24.8K

$136 ¥21.3K

16.15%

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

$25.07 ¥3,916

$24.23 ¥3,786

3.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 ¥8,309

$30.87 ¥4,822

72.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.8 ¥11.2K

$42.52 ¥6,643

68.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.2 ¥8,461

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 ¥1,889

$11.45 ¥1,789

5.59%

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

$324 ¥50.6K

$507 ¥79.2K

-36.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 ¥861.6K

$13.1K ¥2.0M

-57.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.91 ¥7,797

$43.28 ¥6,762

15.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.70 ¥3,546

$30.70 ¥4,796

-26.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 ¥12.3K

$72.3 ¥11.3K

9.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ¥14.8K

$89.3 ¥14.0K

6.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ¥62.2K

$401 ¥62.6K

-0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 ¥49.6K

$332 ¥51.9K

-4.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 ¥129.3K

$1,019 ¥159.2K

-18.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 ¥102.0K

$638 ¥99.7K

2.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,509 ¥1.3M

$3,731 ¥582.8K

128.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,199 ¥187.2K

$1,887 ¥294.7K

-36.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,819 ¥284.2K

$1,867 ¥291.7K

-2.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

2.21

0.90%

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

Last update for Okinawa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kanazawa: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $398 in Okinawa versus $401 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 3% 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 $40.00 in Okinawa versus $31.00 in Kanazawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $298 – 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: $1,385 in Okinawa, $1,170 in Kanazawa – roughly 18% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,077 per month in Okinawa and $1,754 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 $1,385 in Okinawa and $1,170 in Kanazawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 18% 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 $1,170, than in Okinawa at $1,385. 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.