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: $1,436 in Okinawa versus $1,211 in Koriyama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,236 in Okinawa versus $1,924 in Koriyama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,037 in Okinawa versus $2,637 in Koriyama.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 19% more expensive than in Koriyama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 4% above, Koriyama is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,562

$6.09 ¥935

67.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.22 ¥6,483

$31.00 ¥4,760

36.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 ¥1,113

$5.06 ¥777

43.28%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ¥644

$3.04 ¥467

38.16%

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

$1.52 ¥233

$1.04 ¥160

46.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ¥149

$0.77 ¥118

25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ¥324

$2.55 ¥392

-17.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 ¥709

$3.08 ¥473

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ¥256

$1.44 ¥221

15.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 ¥322

$1.46 ¥225

43.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.00 ¥615

$4.04 ¥621

-0.99%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥288

$1.98 ¥303

-5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 ¥2,815

$11.38 ¥1,747

61.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 ¥781

$6.34 ¥973

-19.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.99 ¥3,531

$17.34 ¥2,663

32.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 ¥577

$5.10 ¥783

-26.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 ¥412

$2.32 ¥356

15.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ¥349

$3.19 ¥489

-28.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 ¥827

$4.08 ¥626

31.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 ¥391

$2.55 ¥392

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥388

$2.31 ¥355

9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥205

$1.27 ¥195

5.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥125

$0.79 ¥121

2.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥612

$3.86 ¥593

3.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.33 ¥972

$7.58 ¥1,164

-16.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ¥309

$1.76 ¥271

14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 ¥527

$2.12 ¥325

61.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 ¥232

$1.45 ¥223

4.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.4K

$55.3 ¥8,495

22.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 ¥582

$3.20 ¥491

18.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.47 ¥532

$2.77 ¥426

25.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.86 ¥1,821

$18.48 ¥2,837

-35.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥175

$1.06 ¥162

7.55%

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

$21.7K ¥3.3M

$21.5K ¥3.3M

1.09%

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

$15.5K ¥2.4M

$14.8K ¥2.3M

4.99%

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

$166 ¥25.5K

$129 ¥19.8K

28.61%

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

$25.25 ¥3,877

$23.83 ¥3,660

5.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 ¥8,344

$31.35 ¥4,814

73.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 ¥11.3K

$49.92 ¥7,665

47.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.5 ¥8,832

Cinema Ticket

$12.27 ¥1,885

$11.68 ¥1,794

5.05%

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

$346 ¥53.1K

$548 ¥84.2K

-36.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,652 ¥867.9K

$13.1K ¥2.0M

-56.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 ¥7,795

$49.16 ¥7,549

3.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.35 ¥3,739

$32.30 ¥4,959

-24.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ¥12.9K

$60.4 ¥9,276

39.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 ¥15.0K

$91.7 ¥14.1K

6.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 ¥62.9K

$466 ¥71.5K

-12.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 ¥50.9K

$327 ¥50.2K

1.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 ¥132.4K

$1,071 ¥164.4K

-19.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 ¥107.2K

$736 ¥113.0K

-5.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,819 ¥1.4M

$4,353 ¥668.5K

102.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,241 ¥190.5K

$1,893 ¥290.7K

-34.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,890 ¥290.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

2.06

8.25%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 5, 2026

Last update for Koriyama: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Okinawa and $466 in Koriyama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Okinawa vs $31.00 in Koriyama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $298 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 19% in total monthly costs ($1,436 vs $1,211 including rent). Koriyama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,153 in Okinawa and $1,817 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: $409 in Okinawa versus $466 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 22% 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 $548 in Koriyama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,211 in Koriyama versus $1,436 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 19% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.