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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,670 in Kawasaki, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $2,426 in Kawasaki, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $3,182 in Kawasaki, rent included.

Okinawa is about 14% cheaper than Kawasaki, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Okinawa and Kawasaki sit above the global median – Okinawa by 7%, Kawasaki by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$8.16 ¥1,305

5.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,610

$48.19 ¥7,708

-14.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥979

$5.49 ¥878

11.48%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.06 ¥490

8.17%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.25 ¥199

5.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.82 ¥131

4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$3.52 ¥563

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$3.17 ¥508

51.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.55 ¥248

20.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.59 ¥254

44.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$5.06 ¥810

-4.55%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.36 ¥377

-14.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$16.29 ¥2,606

0.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,781

$7.42 ¥1,186

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,311

$22.37 ¥3,578

20.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥843

$5.82 ¥931

-9.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$2.66 ¥425

-1.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$5.97 ¥955

-49.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$5.89 ¥942

-4.07%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$3.40 ¥543

8.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$2.80 ¥448

3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.43 ¥230

11.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$1.18 ¥188

-20.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$4.22 ¥675

14.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$9.51 ¥1,522

-35.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$2.77 ¥443

-37.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥462

$2.92 ¥467

-1.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.44 ¥231

15.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$56.3 ¥9,004

-37.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.48 ¥557

20.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥604

$3.01 ¥482

25.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$20.98 ¥3,356

-39.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.19 ¥190

0.84%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.2K ¥3.7M

-1.62%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

0.47%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$141 ¥22.6K

22.63%

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

$27.72 ¥4,435

$26.64 ¥4,262

4.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,201

$33.97 ¥5,434

-4.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,549

$61.2 ¥9,792

-12.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$11.11 ¥1,778

-39.15%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$12.93 ¥2,069

-2.55%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$464 ¥74.2K

-25.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$11.3K ¥1.8M

19.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,814

$62.1 ¥9,930

-21.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,684

$31.50 ¥5,039

-7.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$65.3 ¥10.4K

11.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$91.5 ¥14.6K

1.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$829 ¥132.5K

-47.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$635 ¥101.7K

-37.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥151.0K

$1,373 ¥219.6K

-31.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$846 ¥135.4K

-11.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$4,643 ¥742.8K

84.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.9K

$3,141 ¥502.4K

-62.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

$2,522 ¥403.5K

-48.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

16.28%

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

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kawasaki: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $829 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 95% 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 $41.00 in Okinawa versus $48.00 in Kawasaki. Groceries tell a different story – $398 in Okinawa vs $387 in Kawasaki – so Kawasaki 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 17% more than Okinawa, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,145 per month in Okinawa and $2,505 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 $41.00 in Okinawa and $48.00 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 $1,430 in Okinawa and $1,670 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 $1,430, than in Kawasaki at $1,670. 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 $1,430 versus $1,670 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.