Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kawagoe Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kawagoe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,437 in Okinawa versus $1,260 in Kawagoe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,214 in Okinawa versus $1,991 in Kawagoe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,992 in Okinawa versus $2,722 in Kawagoe.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 14% more expensive than in Kawagoe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 8% above, Kawagoe is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$6.88 ¥1,117

18.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$34.69 ¥5,636

20.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$5.09 ¥827

17.49%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$2.87 ¥466

16.38%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$1.01 ¥165

30.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.74 ¥120

25.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$2.11 ¥343

65.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$2.13 ¥347

130.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.68 ¥272

16.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.97 ¥321

20.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$7.86 ¥1,277

-38.04%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$1.51 ¥245

32.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$12.32 ¥2,001

33.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$12.25 ¥1,990

-11.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$16.59 ¥2,696

59.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$7.76 ¥1,260

-34.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$2.56 ¥417

1.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$4.38 ¥711

-28.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$4.49 ¥729

25.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$3.61 ¥587

-3.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$3.67 ¥597

-21.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.38 ¥224

15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$1.20 ¥195

-26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$4.31 ¥701

14.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$7.84 ¥1,273

-22.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$2.49 ¥404

-30.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$3.44 ¥560

-15.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.67 ¥272

-2.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$56.1 ¥9,121

-37.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.52 ¥572

16.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$2.88 ¥468

25.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$20.84 ¥3,385

-39.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.14 ¥185

8.77%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$24.3K ¥3.9M

-3.94%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$17.2K ¥2.8M

-3.02%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$82.3 ¥13.4K

110.58%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$10.55 ¥1,715

158.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$17.24 ¥2,802

83.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$73.5 ¥11.9K

-26.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$14.10 ¥2,291

-50.07%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$11.63 ¥1,890

7.05%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$276 ¥44.9K

25.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$13.4K ¥2.2M

-2.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$42.49 ¥6,904

12.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$29.86 ¥4,852

-2.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$59.2 ¥9,615

24.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$97.7 ¥15.9K

-6.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$476 ¥77.4K

-6.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$323 ¥52.5K

23.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$872 ¥141.7K

8.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$658 ¥106.8K

13.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$2,500 ¥406.1K

243.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$2,117 ¥343.9K

-42.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

$1,550 ¥251.9K

14.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Okinawa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kawagoe: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Okinawa and $476 in Kawagoe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 14% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Okinawa vs $35.00 in Kawagoe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $389 per month, with Kawagoe cheaper across the board.

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 Kawagoe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Okinawa and Kawagoe differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,437 vs $1,260 including rent). Kawagoe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 14% higher in Okinawa, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $445 in Okinawa versus $476 in Kawagoe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kawagoe – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $42.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,437 per month in Okinawa versus $1,260 in Kawagoe – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Kawagoe versus $1,437 in Okinawa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kawagoe but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Kawagoe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Okinawa and Kawagoe are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kawagoe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.