Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kitakyushu Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kitakyushu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,428 per month in Okinawa vs $1,278 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,217 per month in Okinawa vs $1,974 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,007 per month in Okinawa vs $2,669 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 12% more than Kitakyushu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 7% above the global median, while Kitakyushu is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 ¥1,335

$7.34 ¥1,157

15.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.01 ¥6,620

$41.29 ¥6,506

1.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 ¥921

$4.94 ¥779

18.22%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥525

$3.20 ¥504

4.06%

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

$1.35 ¥213

$1.09 ¥172

23.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥136

$0.75 ¥118

14.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 ¥560

$2.63 ¥414

35.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 ¥754

$3.05 ¥480

57.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥298

$1.55 ¥244

21.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ¥355

$1.64 ¥259

37.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.60 ¥725

$4.29 ¥676

7.23%

Eggs

$2.04 ¥322

$2.55 ¥401

-20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ¥2,592

$10.23 ¥1,612

60.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.24 ¥1,771

$6.28 ¥989

78.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.66 ¥4,200

$20.94 ¥3,300

27.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 ¥791

$3.21 ¥506

56.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 ¥423

$1.36 ¥214

97.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 ¥482

$1.41 ¥223

117.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.76 ¥907

$3.29 ¥519

75.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.53 ¥556

$2.71 ¥427

30.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 ¥437

$3.17 ¥499

-12.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 ¥240

$0.92 ¥145

65.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥138

$0.75 ¥119

17.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.76 ¥749

$3.84 ¥605

23.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.27 ¥989

$6.21 ¥979

0.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥286

$1.95 ¥307

-7.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ¥467

$2.10 ¥331

40.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.68 ¥265

$1.65 ¥259

1.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.11 ¥5,533

$55.3 ¥8,718

-36.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 ¥640

$4.55 ¥717

-10.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥594

$2.92 ¥460

29.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.85 ¥2,025

$19.38 ¥3,054

-33.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥197

$1.23 ¥193

1.63%

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

$23.2K ¥3.7M

$22.8K ¥3.6M

1.80%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$20.0K ¥3.2M

-15.39%

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

$176 ¥27.7K

$216 ¥34.0K

-18.56%

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

$27.21 ¥4,287

$27.59 ¥4,348

-1.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.15 ¥5,066

$35.33 ¥5,566

-9.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ¥8,252

$56.0 ¥8,829

-6.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.11 ¥1,120

$13.63 ¥2,148

-47.84%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 ¥1,990

$13.98 ¥2,203

-9.66%

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

$346 ¥54.6K

$408 ¥64.2K

-15.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.1M

$13.5K ¥2.1M

-0.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.92 ¥7,709

$42.79 ¥6,742

14.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.26 ¥4,610

$29.20 ¥4,600

0.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.5K

$65.2 ¥10.3K

11.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 ¥14.3K

$60.5 ¥9,524

49.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 ¥71.4K

$467 ¥73.6K

-3.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥63.0K

$334 ¥52.7K

19.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 ¥151.3K

$867 ¥136.6K

10.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥116.1K

$663 ¥104.5K

11.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,685 ¥1.4M

$4,260 ¥671.3K

103.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,206 ¥190.1K

$2,070 ¥326.1K

-41.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,744 ¥274.8K

$1,463 ¥230.5K

19.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

19.76%

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

Last update for Okinawa: July 28, 2026

Last update for Kitakyushu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $453 in Okinawa versus $467 in Kitakyushu. 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 19% higher in Okinawa, 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 $42.00 in Okinawa versus $41.00 in Kitakyushu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $284 – making Kitakyushu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kitakyushu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,428 in Okinawa, $1,278 in Kitakyushu – roughly 12% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,141 per month in Okinawa and $1,918 in Kitakyushu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 39% more in Okinawa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Okinawa and $41.00 in Kitakyushu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kitakyushu, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Okinawa at $1,428. In Kitakyushu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Kitakyushu has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,278 in Kitakyushu to $1,428 in Okinawa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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