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: $1,430 in Okinawa versus $1,239 in Kawagoe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,196 in Okinawa versus $2,003 in Kawagoe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,961 in Okinawa versus $2,766 in Kawagoe.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 15% more expensive than Kawagoe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 7% above, Kawagoe is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$6.99 ¥1,119

22.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$34.40 ¥5,503

20.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$5.08 ¥812

20.47%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$2.89 ¥463

14.53%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.06 ¥169

24.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.75 ¥120

14.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.04 ¥326

70.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$2.14 ¥342

124.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.75 ¥280

6.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.92 ¥307

19.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$7.86 ¥1,257

-38.55%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$1.50 ¥239

34.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$12.05 ¥1,928

35.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$12.15 ¥1,943

-8.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$16.81 ¥2,688

60.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$7.69 ¥1,229

-31.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$2.55 ¥407

2.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$4.60 ¥736

-34.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$4.60 ¥737

22.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$3.70 ¥592

-21.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$2.31 ¥370

-30.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$1.24 ¥198

-24.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$4.23 ¥676

13.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$8.25 ¥1,319

-25.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$2.57 ¥411

-33.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$3.38 ¥541

-14.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.58 ¥253

5.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$55.1 ¥8,805

-35.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.44 ¥550

21.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$2.98 ¥477

26.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$20.79 ¥3,325

-38.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$24.0K ¥3.8M

-5.20%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

-0.02%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$84.9 ¥13.6K

103.70%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$10.57 ¥1,691

162.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$17.16 ¥2,744

89.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$74.2 ¥11.9K

-27.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$14.04 ¥2,245

-51.85%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$11.34 ¥1,814

11.11%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$281 ¥45.0K

23.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

2.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$42.74 ¥6,837

14.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$30.01 ¥4,801

-2.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$60.1 ¥9,620

21.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$96.0 ¥15.4K

-3.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$464 ¥74.2K

-5.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$325 ¥51.9K

21.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$865 ¥138.4K

9.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$660 ¥105.6K

13.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$2,468 ¥394.8K

246.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$2,363 ¥378.0K

-49.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

$1,589 ¥254.1K

-18.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kawagoe: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Okinawa and $464 in Kawagoe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kawagoe pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Okinawa vs $34.00 in Kawagoe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $395 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 15% in total monthly costs ($1,430 vs $1,239 including rent). Kawagoe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kawagoe earns 23% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $437 in Okinawa versus $464 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 $34.00 versus $41.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,430 per month in Okinawa versus $1,239 in Kawagoe – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,239 in Kawagoe versus $1,430 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 15% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.