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: $1,427 in Okinawa versus $1,205 in Kawagoe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,228 in Okinawa versus $1,948 in Kawagoe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,030 in Okinawa versus $2,691 in Kawagoe.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 18% more expensive than in Kawagoe, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 4% above, Kawagoe is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,512

$6.39 ¥997

51.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,297

$42.87 ¥6,696

-5.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,083

$5.22 ¥816

32.95%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥653

$3.55 ¥555

17.75%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$0.93 ¥145

58.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$0.51 ¥79.3

98.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥313

$1.95 ¥305

2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥697

$2.70 ¥421

65.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥249

$1.19 ¥185

33.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥344

$1.27 ¥198

73.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥621

$3.67 ¥573

8.45%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥282

$2.04 ¥318

-11.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,809

$6.56 ¥1,025

174.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥789

$6.10 ¥953

-17.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,577

$14.85 ¥2,318

54.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥583

$5.89 ¥919

-36.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥434

$2.40 ¥375

15.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥359

$3.00 ¥468

-23.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥823

$3.21 ¥501

64.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥382

$2.58 ¥403

-5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥394

$2.00 ¥312

26.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥211

$1.32 ¥207

2.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥120

$0.81 ¥127

-4.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥614

$3.97 ¥620

-1.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,016

$4.99 ¥779

30.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥306

$1.77 ¥277

10.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥539

$2.10 ¥328

64.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥229

$3.05 ¥476

-52.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.6K

$164 ¥25.6K

-58.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥615

$3.33 ¥519

18.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥560

$2.53 ¥394

41.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,854

$21.04 ¥3,286

-43.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥177

$1.15 ¥180

-1.74%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$16.4K ¥2.6M

33.59%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$13.1K ¥2.1M

17.39%

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

$165 ¥25.8K

$136 ¥21.2K

21.51%

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

$25.69 ¥4,012

$22.74 ¥3,551

12.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,558

$32.53 ¥5,081

68.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$43.30 ¥6,761

70.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,822

$32.20 ¥5,028

75.43%

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,952

$11.54 ¥1,802

8.32%

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

$345 ¥53.9K

$326 ¥50.9K

5.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥909.9K

$6,592 ¥1.0M

-11.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,070

$32.59 ¥5,089

58.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,766

$33.09 ¥5,167

-27.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$45.11 ¥7,044

79.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.0K

$99.1 ¥15.5K

-3.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.2K

$416 ¥65.0K

-1.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥51.8K

$279 ¥43.5K

19.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥134.8K

$874 ¥136.6K

-1.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.3K

$613 ¥95.7K

13.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$2,541 ¥396.8K

242.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥187.4K

$1,286 ¥200.8K

-6.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥290.6K

$1,649 ¥257.5K

12.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

1.6

39.37%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kawagoe: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $411 in Okinawa and $416 in Kawagoe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 13% 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: $40.00 in Okinawa vs $43.00 in Kawagoe. Groceries flip the comparison at $337 vs $264, with Kawagoe cheaper for home cooking.

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 18% in total monthly costs ($1,427 vs $1,205 including rent). Kawagoe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 13% 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: $411 in Okinawa versus $416 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 $43.00 versus $40.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,427 per month in Okinawa versus $1,205 in Kawagoe – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,205 in Kawagoe versus $1,427 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 18% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.