Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kawasaki Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kawasaki

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,427 per month in Okinawa vs $1,543 in Kawasaki, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,228 per month in Okinawa vs $2,341 in Kawasaki, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,030 per month in Okinawa vs $3,140 in Kawasaki, rent included.

Okinawa is about 8% cheaper than Kawasaki, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Okinawa and Kawasaki sit above the global median – Okinawa by 4%, Kawasaki by 13%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,511

$7.73 ¥1,206

25.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,292

$39.43 ¥6,152

2.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,082

$5.33 ¥832

30.21%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥653

$2.75 ¥429

52.00%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.68 ¥262

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$0.90 ¥141

12.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥313

$3.22 ¥502

-37.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥696

$3.18 ¥495

40.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥249

$1.58 ¥246

0.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥344

$1.61 ¥250

36.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥620

$4.53 ¥707

-12.14%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥282

$2.19 ¥341

-17.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,807

$11.02 ¥1,719

63.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥788

$7.33 ¥1,143

-31.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,574

$17.89 ¥2,792

28.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥582

$6.27 ¥979

-40.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥434

$2.94 ¥459

-5.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥358

$5.04 ¥787

-54.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥822

$5.82 ¥908

-9.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥382

$3.42 ¥533

-28.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥394

$3.40 ¥530

-25.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥211

$1.21 ¥189

11.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥120

$0.85 ¥133

-9.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥614

$4.07 ¥634

-3.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,015

$9.80 ¥1,530

-33.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥306

$2.34 ¥365

-16.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥538

$3.09 ¥482

11.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥229

$1.93 ¥301

-24.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.6K

$50.9 ¥7,948

33.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥614

$3.34 ¥521

17.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥560

$3.21 ¥501

11.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,853

$19.38 ¥3,023

-38.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥177

$1.14 ¥178

-0.88%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$22.0K ¥3.4M

-0.36%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$15.6K ¥2.4M

-1.08%

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

$165 ¥25.7K

$132 ¥20.6K

24.89%

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

$25.69 ¥4,009

$23.53 ¥3,671

9.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,550

$32.16 ¥5,018

70.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$55.8 ¥8,712

32.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,814

$6.33 ¥988

792.42%

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,951

$12.14 ¥1,894

2.97%

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

$345 ¥53.8K

$579 ¥90.3K

-40.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥909.1K

$15.2K ¥2.4M

-61.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,063

$52.4 ¥8,169

-1.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,763

$33.21 ¥5,181

-27.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$64.4 ¥10.1K

25.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.0K

$72.1 ¥11.2K

33.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.2K

$782 ¥122.1K

-47.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥51.8K

$579 ¥90.3K

-42.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥134.7K

$1,296 ¥202.2K

-33.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.2K

$1,042 ¥162.6K

-33.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$4,769 ¥744.1K

82.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥187.3K

$3,325 ¥518.9K

-63.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥290.4K

$2,592 ¥404.4K

-28.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

1.66

34.34%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kawasaki: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Okinawa versus $782 in Kawasaki. 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 Kawasaki, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Okinawa versus $39.00 in Kawasaki. Groceries tell a different story – $337 in Okinawa vs $350 in Kawasaki – so Okinawa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kawasaki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kawasaki costs about 8% more than Okinawa, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,140 per month in Okinawa and $2,315 in Kawasaki. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Okinawa and $39.00 in Kawasaki. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,427 in Okinawa and $1,543 in Kawasaki. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Okinawa, where all-in costs run around $1,427, than in Kawasaki at $1,543. In Okinawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kawasaki it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Okinawa costs $1,427 versus $1,543 in Kawasaki. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Okinawa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kawasaki makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.