Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Koriyama Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Koriyama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,430 in Okinawa versus $1,249 in Koriyama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,196 in Okinawa versus $1,928 in Koriyama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,961 in Okinawa versus $2,606 in Koriyama.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 15% more expensive than Koriyama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 7% above, Koriyama is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,373

$6.87 ¥1,102

24.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,624

$34.91 ¥5,595

18.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥981

$5.35 ¥857

14.39%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥530

$3.03 ¥486

9.24%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.07 ¥172

23.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥138

$0.75 ¥121

14.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥558

$2.58 ¥414

34.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥770

$3.10 ¥497

55.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.60 ¥256

16.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥368

$1.58 ¥253

45.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥774

$4.74 ¥759

1.90%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥322

$2.21 ¥354

-9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,618

$10.03 ¥1,609

62.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,784

$6.25 ¥1,002

78.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,319

$15.41 ¥2,470

74.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥844

$5.42 ¥869

-2.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥419

$2.54 ¥408

2.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥486

$4.11 ¥659

-26.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥905

$5.71 ¥916

-1.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥591

$3.16 ¥507

16.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥465

$2.64 ¥424

9.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥257

$1.38 ¥221

15.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.83 ¥133

13.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥772

$4.23 ¥679

13.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥980

$7.33 ¥1,175

-16.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.85 ¥296

-7.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥462

$2.25 ¥361

28.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.60 ¥257

4.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,654

$55.7 ¥8,933

-36.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥672

$3.42 ¥548

22.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥605

$2.98 ¥478

26.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,041

$20.68 ¥3,315

-38.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.18 ¥189

1.69%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-2.96%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$17.4K ¥2.8M

-2.55%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$144 ¥23.1K

20.10%

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

$27.72 ¥4,444

$26.95 ¥4,319

2.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,211

$34.34 ¥5,505

-5.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,566

$55.3 ¥8,865

-3.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,084

$14.04 ¥2,250

-51.85%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,020

$12.63 ¥2,025

-0.24%

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

$347 ¥55.6K

$277 ¥44.5K

25.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

-0.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,829

$43.85 ¥7,029

11.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,693

$29.35 ¥4,705

-0.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$60.2 ¥9,648

21.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

0.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥70.1K

$477 ¥76.4K

-8.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.2K

$333 ¥53.4K

18.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥151.3K

$857 ¥137.4K

10.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥120.2K

$653 ¥104.7K

14.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$5,244 ¥840.6K

62.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥190.2K

$2,162 ¥346.6K

-45.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥207.0K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Koriyama: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Okinawa and $477 in Koriyama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $41.00 in Okinawa vs $35.00 in Koriyama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $313 per month, with Koriyama 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 Koriyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Okinawa and Koriyama differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,430 vs $1,249 including rent). Koriyama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,145 in Okinawa and $1,873 in Koriyama to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $437 in Okinawa versus $477 in Koriyama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Koriyama runs roughly 58% less than in Okinawa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $347 in Okinawa versus $277 in Koriyama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,249 in Koriyama versus $1,430 in Okinawa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Koriyama but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Koriyama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Okinawa and Koriyama 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 Koriyama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.