Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kobe Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kobe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,437 in Okinawa versus $1,223 in Kobe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,214 in Okinawa versus $1,896 in Kobe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,992 in Okinawa versus $2,570 in Kobe.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 17% more expensive than in Kobe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 8% above, Kobe is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$8.47 ¥1,377

-3.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$28.16 ¥4,576

48.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$4.95 ¥804

20.81%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$3.03 ¥492

10.23%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$0.99 ¥162

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.76 ¥123

22.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$2.48 ¥403

41.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$3.15 ¥512

55.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.62 ¥263

20.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.27 ¥207

86.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$4.85 ¥788

0.41%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$1.61 ¥262

24.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$13.71 ¥2,227

19.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$7.51 ¥1,220

44.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$15.25 ¥2,478

73.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$8.97 ¥1,457

-43.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$2.91 ¥472

-11.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$4.83 ¥785

-35.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$9.53 ¥1,549

-40.82%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$3.90 ¥634

-10.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$2.63 ¥428

9.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.33 ¥216

19.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$1.37 ¥223

-35.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$3.52 ¥571

39.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$7.92 ¥1,287

-23.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$2.76 ¥448

-37.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.36 ¥384

23.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.48 ¥240

10.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$38.41 ¥6,240

-9.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.53 ¥573

16.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$1.35 ¥219

168.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$17.46 ¥2,836

-27.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.22 ¥198

1.64%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$22.3K ¥3.6M

4.73%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$14.6K ¥2.4M

14.24%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$141 ¥23.0K

22.63%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$26.68 ¥4,335

2.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$34.35 ¥5,581

-7.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$48.51 ¥7,882

10.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$20.94 ¥3,403

-66.38%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$12.50 ¥2,031

-0.40%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$350 ¥56.9K

-1.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$11.2K ¥1.8M

17.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$46.02 ¥7,477

3.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$32.30 ¥5,248

-9.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$40.98 ¥6,659

79.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$49.49 ¥8,041

83.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$486 ¥79.0K

-8.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$316 ¥51.4K

26.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$701 ¥113.9K

34.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$598 ¥97.1K

25.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$4,228 ¥687.0K

103.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$2,856 ¥464.1K

-57.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

$1,739 ¥282.5K

1.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

12.36%

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

Last update for Okinawa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kobe: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Okinawa and $486 in Kobe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 2% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Okinawa vs $28.00 in Kobe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $382 per month, with Kobe cheaper across the board.

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 Kobe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kobe wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Okinawa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kobe the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Okinawa, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $445 in Okinawa versus $486 in Kobe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kobe runs roughly 10% less than in Okinawa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $346 in Okinawa versus $350 in Kobe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,223 in Kobe versus $1,437 in Okinawa, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kobe but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Kobe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kobe delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,223 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kobe hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Okinawa and Kobe are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kobe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.