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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,427 per month in Okinawa vs $1,233 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,228 per month in Okinawa vs $1,926 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,030 per month in Okinawa vs $2,620 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 16% more than Kitakyushu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 4% above the global median, while Kitakyushu is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,512

$7.22 ¥1,128

34.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,297

$33.59 ¥5,246

20.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,083

$5.55 ¥867

25.05%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥653

$3.37 ¥526

24.04%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.04 ¥162

41.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$0.70 ¥109

44.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥313

$2.97 ¥463

-32.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥697

$2.26 ¥352

97.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥249

$1.53 ¥239

3.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥344

$1.31 ¥204

67.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥621

$5.55 ¥867

-28.29%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥282

$2.26 ¥354

-19.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,809

$9.98 ¥1,559

80.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥789

$5.49 ¥857

-8.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,577

$19.18 ¥2,996

19.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥583

$3.71 ¥579

0.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥434

$1.85 ¥289

50.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥359

$2.88 ¥450

-20.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥823

$2.97 ¥464

77.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥382

$2.26 ¥354

8.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥394

$2.60 ¥406

-2.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥211

$1.09 ¥171

23.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥120

$0.94 ¥147

-18.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥614

$4.04 ¥631

-2.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,016

$6.40 ¥1,000

1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥306

$1.78 ¥278

10.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥539

$1.76 ¥276

96.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥229

$1.64 ¥257

-10.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.6K

$58.2 ¥9,094

16.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥615

$3.93 ¥614

0.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥560

$2.06 ¥322

74.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,854

$18.42 ¥2,876

-35.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥177

$1.06 ¥165

6.60%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$21.3K ¥3.3M

2.95%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$17.6K ¥2.8M

-12.58%

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

$165 ¥25.8K

$195 ¥30.5K

-15.46%

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

$25.69 ¥4,012

$25.26 ¥3,944

1.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,558

$33.60 ¥5,248

63.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$52.3 ¥8,171

41.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,822

$3.15 ¥493

1693.33%

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,952

$11.52 ¥1,798

8.51%

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

$345 ¥53.9K

$389 ¥60.8K

-11.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥909.9K

$12.4K ¥1.9M

-52.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,070

$39.38 ¥6,151

31.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,766

$24.50 ¥3,826

-1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$60.7 ¥9,473

33.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.0K

$48.25 ¥7,535

98.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.2K

$520 ¥81.2K

-20.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥51.8K

$331 ¥51.7K

0.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥134.8K

$1,049 ¥163.9K

-17.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.3K

$739 ¥115.4K

-6.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$3,702 ¥578.1K

135.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥187.4K

$1,776 ¥277.3K

-32.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥290.6K

$1,527 ¥238.4K

21.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

1.69

31.95%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kitakyushu: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Okinawa versus $520 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 22% 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 $40.00 in Okinawa versus $34.00 in Kitakyushu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 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: $1,427 in Okinawa, $1,233 in Kitakyushu – roughly 16% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,140 per month in Okinawa and $1,850 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 19% 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 $40.00 in Okinawa and $34.00 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 $1,233, than in Okinawa at $1,427. 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 $1,233 in Kitakyushu to $1,427 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.