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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,459 per month in Okinawa vs $1,290 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Okinawa vs $1,998 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,052 per month in Okinawa vs $2,706 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 13% more than Kitakyushu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 9% above the global median, while Kitakyushu is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.24 ¥1,317

$7.35 ¥1,175

12.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.98 ¥6,554

$42.01 ¥6,719

-2.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 ¥942

$4.93 ¥788

19.47%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ¥552

$3.02 ¥483

14.24%

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

$1.38 ¥220

$1.09 ¥174

26.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.77 ¥124

10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 ¥559

$2.62 ¥419

33.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 ¥782

$3.21 ¥513

52.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ¥308

$1.56 ¥250

23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ¥359

$1.66 ¥266

35.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 ¥748

$4.05 ¥648

15.56%

Eggs

$2.02 ¥324

$2.54 ¥407

-20.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ¥2,593

$10.11 ¥1,617

60.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.12 ¥1,779

$6.22 ¥995

78.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.13 ¥4,180

$20.46 ¥3,273

27.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 ¥831

$3.18 ¥508

63.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 ¥426

$1.36 ¥218

95.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 ¥497

$1.37 ¥219

127.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.98 ¥956

$3.12 ¥500

91.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.56 ¥569

$2.83 ¥453

25.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 ¥446

$3.12 ¥498

-10.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 ¥252

$0.92 ¥147

70.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥150

$0.79 ¥127

18.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 ¥758

$3.99 ¥638

18.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.10 ¥975

$6.19 ¥990

-1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ¥291

$1.95 ¥312

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ¥480

$2.13 ¥341

40.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥267

$1.65 ¥263

1.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.72 ¥5,553

$55.6 ¥8,888

-37.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 ¥658

$4.67 ¥748

-11.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.63 ¥581

$2.92 ¥467

24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.69 ¥2,030

$19.35 ¥3,095

-34.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥190

$1.18 ¥189

0.85%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

1.84%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$19.8K ¥3.2M

-12.76%

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

$174 ¥27.9K

$217 ¥34.7K

-19.69%

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

$27.88 ¥4,459

$26.66 ¥4,263

4.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.40 ¥5,023

$35.62 ¥5,697

-11.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ¥8,365

$56.4 ¥9,022

-7.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.99 ¥1,117

$13.65 ¥2,183

-48.79%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥1,991

$14.11 ¥2,256

-11.76%

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

$344 ¥55.0K

$418 ¥66.8K

-17.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K ¥2.2M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

2.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥7,762

$43.39 ¥6,939

11.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.20 ¥4,671

$28.98 ¥4,635

0.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 ¥11.4K

$64.9 ¥10.4K

9.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 ¥14.5K

$59.5 ¥9,512

51.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 ¥70.2K

$463 ¥74.1K

-5.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 ¥64.2K

$328 ¥52.5K

22.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$951 ¥152.1K

$856 ¥136.9K

11.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 ¥117.0K

$662 ¥105.9K

10.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,781 ¥1.4M

$4,507 ¥720.9K

94.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 ¥191.4K

$2,376 ¥380.0K

-49.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,817 ¥290.7K

$1,503 ¥240.3K

20.95%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kitakyushu: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Okinawa versus $463 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 21% 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 $41.00 in Okinawa versus $42.00 in Kitakyushu. Groceries tell a different story – $396 in Okinawa vs $281 in Kitakyushu – so Kitakyushu 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 Kitakyushu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,459 in Okinawa, $1,290 in Kitakyushu – roughly 13% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,188 per month in Okinawa and $1,935 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 41% 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 $41.00 in Okinawa and $42.00 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 $1,290, than in Okinawa at $1,459. 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 $1,290 in Kitakyushu to $1,459 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.