Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kyoto Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kyoto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,436 per month in Okinawa vs $1,279 in Kyoto, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,236 per month in Okinawa vs $2,052 in Kyoto, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,037 per month in Okinawa vs $2,826 in Kyoto, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 12% more than Kyoto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 4% above the global median, while Kyoto is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,562

$9.48 ¥1,455

7.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.22 ¥6,483

$32.66 ¥5,015

29.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 ¥1,113

$5.33 ¥819

36.02%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ¥644

$3.40 ¥522

23.53%

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

$1.52 ¥233

$0.90 ¥137

68.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ¥149

$0.76 ¥116

27.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ¥324

$3.30 ¥507

-36.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 ¥709

$5.69 ¥874

-18.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ¥256

$1.60 ¥246

3.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 ¥322

$1.68 ¥258

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.00 ¥615

$6.04 ¥927

-33.77%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥288

$2.13 ¥328

-12.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 ¥2,815

$8.73 ¥1,341

109.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 ¥781

$6.45 ¥991

-21.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.99 ¥3,531

$11.65 ¥1,790

97.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 ¥577

$5.08 ¥780

-25.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 ¥412

$2.32 ¥356

15.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ¥349

$5.15 ¥790

-55.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 ¥827

$3.76 ¥578

43.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 ¥391

$1.98 ¥305

28.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥388

$1.76 ¥271

43.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥205

$1.21 ¥185

10.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥125

$0.95 ¥146

-14.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥612

$3.96 ¥608

0.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.33 ¥972

$7.60 ¥1,167

-16.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ¥309

$1.61 ¥248

24.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 ¥527

$3.49 ¥536

-1.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 ¥232

$1.46 ¥224

3.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.4K

$64.4 ¥9,888

4.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 ¥582

$3.47 ¥534

9.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.47 ¥532

$3.78 ¥580

-8.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.86 ¥1,821

$29.10 ¥4,468

-59.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥175

$1.08 ¥165

5.56%

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

$21.7K ¥3.3M

$21.9K ¥3.4M

-0.97%

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

$15.5K ¥2.4M

$15.8K ¥2.4M

-1.64%

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

$166 ¥25.5K

$104 ¥16.0K

59.04%

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

$25.25 ¥3,877

$24.66 ¥3,786

2.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 ¥8,344

$31.80 ¥4,882

70.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 ¥11.3K

$54.7 ¥8,394

34.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.5 ¥8,832

$19.22 ¥2,951

199.27%

Cinema Ticket

$12.27 ¥1,885

$12.45 ¥1,912

-1.45%

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

$346 ¥53.1K

$667 ¥102.5K

-48.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,652 ¥867.9K

$6,681 ¥1.0M

-15.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 ¥7,795

$58.5 ¥8,984

-13.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.35 ¥3,739

$46.00 ¥7,064

-47.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ¥12.9K

$71.8 ¥11.0K

17.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 ¥15.0K

$105 ¥16.1K

-7.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 ¥62.9K

$577 ¥88.6K

-29.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 ¥50.9K

$334 ¥51.3K

-0.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 ¥132.4K

$1,803 ¥276.8K

-52.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 ¥107.2K

$789 ¥121.2K

-11.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,819 ¥1.4M

$2,267 ¥348.1K

289.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,241 ¥190.5K

$1,296 ¥199.0K

-4.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,890 ¥290.2K

$1,981 ¥304.2K

-4.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kyoto: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $409 in Okinawa versus $577 in Kyoto. 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 5% higher in Kyoto, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Okinawa versus $33.00 in Kyoto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $294 – making Kyoto 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 Kyoto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,436 in Okinawa, $1,279 in Kyoto – roughly 12% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,153 per month in Okinawa and $1,918 in Kyoto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kyoto, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $42.00 in Okinawa and $33.00 in Kyoto. 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 Kyoto, where all-in costs run around $1,279, than in Okinawa at $1,436. In Kyoto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Okinawa has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,279 in Kyoto to $1,436 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 Kyoto. 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.