Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kashiwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kashiwa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,436 per month in Okinawa vs $1,214 in Kashiwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,236 per month in Okinawa vs $1,842 in Kashiwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,037 per month in Okinawa vs $2,470 in Kashiwa, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 18% more than Kashiwa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 4% above the global median, while Kashiwa is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,562

$6.18 ¥949

64.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.22 ¥6,483

$25.29 ¥3,884

66.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 ¥1,113

$5.15 ¥791

40.78%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ¥644

$3.37 ¥518

24.63%

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

$1.52 ¥233

$0.69 ¥105

120.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ¥149

$0.73 ¥112

32.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ¥324

$2.43 ¥373

-13.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 ¥709

$3.21 ¥493

43.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ¥256

$1.27 ¥195

30.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 ¥322

$1.08 ¥166

94.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.00 ¥615

$3.70 ¥568

8.11%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥288

$1.91 ¥293

-2.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 ¥2,815

$6.09 ¥934

200.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 ¥781

$6.16 ¥946

-17.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.99 ¥3,531

$9.38 ¥1,440

145.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 ¥577

$5.48 ¥841

-31.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 ¥412

$2.78 ¥428

-3.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ¥349

$2.81 ¥432

-19.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 ¥827

$4.03 ¥620

33.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 ¥391

$2.51 ¥385

1.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥388

$2.60 ¥400

-2.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥205

$0.64 ¥98.9

109.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥125

$0.61 ¥92.9

32.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥612

$3.72 ¥571

7.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.33 ¥972

$6.36 ¥977

-0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ¥309

$1.77 ¥272

13.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 ¥527

$1.87 ¥287

83.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 ¥232

$1.48 ¥228

2.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.4K

$55.4 ¥8,503

22.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 ¥582

$3.20 ¥492

18.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.47 ¥532

$1.57 ¥242

121.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.86 ¥1,821

$20.15 ¥3,094

-41.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥175

$1.01 ¥155

12.87%

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

$21.7K ¥3.3M

$21.2K ¥3.3M

2.54%

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

$15.5K ¥2.4M

$18.2K ¥2.8M

-14.66%

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

$166 ¥25.5K

$126 ¥19.3K

32.28%

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

$25.25 ¥3,877

$24.23 ¥3,720

4.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 ¥8,344

$31.62 ¥4,855

71.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 ¥11.3K

$50.1 ¥7,686

47.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.5 ¥8,832

Cinema Ticket

$12.27 ¥1,885

$12.50 ¥1,919

-1.84%

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

$346 ¥53.1K

$621 ¥95.3K

-44.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,652 ¥867.9K

$14.6K ¥2.2M

-61.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 ¥7,795

$61.3 ¥9,406

-17.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.35 ¥3,739

$32.31 ¥4,961

-24.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ¥12.9K

$61.2 ¥9,403

37.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 ¥15.0K

$102 ¥15.6K

-4.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 ¥62.9K

$515 ¥79.0K

-20.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 ¥50.9K

$392 ¥60.2K

-15.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 ¥132.4K

$1,063 ¥163.2K

-18.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 ¥107.2K

$741 ¥113.8K

-5.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,819 ¥1.4M

$4,287 ¥658.3K

105.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,241 ¥190.5K

$1,925 ¥295.6K

-35.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,890 ¥290.2K

$2,626 ¥403.3K

-28.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

2.12

5.19%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kashiwa: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $409 in Okinawa versus $515 in Kashiwa. 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 39% higher in Kashiwa, 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 $42.00 in Okinawa versus $25.00 in Kashiwa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $247 – making Kashiwa 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 Kashiwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,436 in Okinawa, $1,214 in Kashiwa – roughly 18% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,153 per month in Okinawa and $1,821 in Kashiwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $346 per month in Okinawa and $621 in Kashiwa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kashiwa, where all-in costs run around $1,214, than in Okinawa at $1,436. In Kashiwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Okinawa has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,214 in Kashiwa to $1,436 in Okinawa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kashiwa. 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.