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: $1,419 in Okinawa versus $1,267 in Koriyama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Okinawa versus $1,962 in Koriyama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,012 in Okinawa versus $2,656 in Koriyama.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 12% more expensive than in Koriyama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 6% above, Koriyama is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.24 ¥1,344

$7.05 ¥1,151

16.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.98 ¥6,687

$34.94 ¥5,701

17.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.16 ¥1,005

$5.35 ¥872

15.14%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥545

$3.17 ¥517

5.36%

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

$1.35 ¥221

$1.11 ¥181

21.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.81 ¥133

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 ¥558

$2.64 ¥430

29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 ¥811

$3.17 ¥517

56.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.57 ¥257

24.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 ¥371

$1.59 ¥259

42.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.65 ¥759

$4.85 ¥792

-4.12%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥328

$2.24 ¥365

-10.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.63 ¥2,713

$10.13 ¥1,652

64.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.95 ¥1,787

$6.43 ¥1,050

70.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.74 ¥4,364

$15.70 ¥2,562

70.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.97 ¥812

$5.44 ¥888

-8.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 ¥425

$2.60 ¥424

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 ¥491

$3.91 ¥638

-23.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.92 ¥966

$5.90 ¥962

0.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 ¥590

$3.04 ¥496

19.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 ¥468

$2.65 ¥432

8.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 ¥258

$1.32 ¥216

19.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.90 ¥147

-2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.87 ¥795

$4.26 ¥695

14.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ¥992

$7.63 ¥1,245

-20.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥283

$1.92 ¥313

-9.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ¥476

$2.27 ¥371

28.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 ¥268

$1.59 ¥259

3.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.16 ¥5,574

$56.3 ¥9,194

-39.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 ¥698

$3.55 ¥580

20.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.63 ¥593

$2.86 ¥466

26.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.53 ¥2,044

$20.50 ¥3,346

-38.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥201

$1.24 ¥202

-0.81%

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

$22.9K ¥3.7M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-2.82%

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

$17.0K ¥2.8M

$17.1K ¥2.8M

-0.62%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$146 ¥23.8K

18.55%

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

$27.30 ¥4,454

$26.60 ¥4,341

2.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.24 ¥5,261

$33.68 ¥5,496

-4.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 ¥8,740

$55.7 ¥9,091

-3.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.08 ¥1,156

$14.08 ¥2,298

-49.72%

Cinema Ticket

$12.23 ¥1,996

$12.50 ¥2,039

-2.16%

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

$343 ¥56.0K

$283 ¥46.1K

21.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.2M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

-1.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.70 ¥7,947

$44.11 ¥7,198

10.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.70 ¥4,683

$29.30 ¥4,781

-2.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.4 ¥11.6K

$59.7 ¥9,748

19.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 ¥15.1K

$93.4 ¥15.2K

-0.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 ¥73.1K

$471 ¥76.9K

-5.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥64.3K

$323 ¥52.7K

22.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 ¥155.6K

$868 ¥141.7K

9.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 ¥123.7K

$666 ¥108.6K

13.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,678 ¥1.4M

$4,121 ¥672.5K

110.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,198 ¥195.6K

$2,332 ¥380.5K

-48.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,762 ¥287.6K

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 22, 2026

Last update for Koriyama: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $448 in Okinawa and $471 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 $396 vs $317 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 12% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $1,267 including rent). Koriyama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,129 in Okinawa and $1,901 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: $448 in Okinawa versus $471 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 65% less than in Okinawa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $343 in Okinawa versus $283 in Koriyama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,267 in Koriyama versus $1,419 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 12% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.