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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,459 per month in Okinawa vs $1,280 in Kyoto, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Okinawa vs $2,181 in Kyoto, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,052 per month in Okinawa vs $3,081 in Kyoto, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 14% more than Kyoto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 9% above the global median, while Kyoto is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.24 ¥1,317

$10.54 ¥1,685

-21.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.98 ¥6,554

$34.94 ¥5,589

17.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 ¥942

$5.45 ¥871

8.07%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ¥552

$3.40 ¥544

1.47%

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

$1.38 ¥220

$0.86 ¥137

60.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.79 ¥127

7.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.39 ¥543

2.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 ¥782

$6.54 ¥1,047

-25.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ¥308

$1.62 ¥259

18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ¥359

$1.73 ¥277

30.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 ¥748

$3.18 ¥509

47.17%

Eggs

$2.02 ¥324

$2.33 ¥372

-13.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ¥2,593

$9.43 ¥1,508

71.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.12 ¥1,779

$7.84 ¥1,254

41.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.13 ¥4,180

$15.37 ¥2,458

70.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 ¥831

$5.47 ¥875

-5.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 ¥426

$2.51 ¥402

5.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 ¥497

$6.53 ¥1,045

-52.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.98 ¥956

$3.82 ¥611

56.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.56 ¥569

$1.64 ¥263

117.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 ¥446

$2.29 ¥366

21.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 ¥252

$1.25 ¥201

25.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥150

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 ¥758

$4.04 ¥646

17.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.10 ¥975

$7.59 ¥1,214

-19.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ¥291

$1.77 ¥284

2.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ¥480

$3.64 ¥582

-17.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥267

$1.65 ¥265

1.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.72 ¥5,553

$70.0 ¥11.2K

-50.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 ¥658

$3.55 ¥567

16.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.63 ¥581

$2.88 ¥461

26.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.69 ¥2,030

$17.89 ¥2,862

-29.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥190

$1.23 ¥197

-3.25%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.4K ¥3.7M

0.67%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

0.04%

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

$174 ¥27.9K

$111 ¥17.8K

56.73%

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

$27.88 ¥4,459

$26.44 ¥4,229

5.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.40 ¥5,023

$34.33 ¥5,491

-8.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ¥8,365

$58.5 ¥9,359

-10.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.99 ¥1,117

$20.85 ¥3,335

-66.47%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥1,991

$13.11 ¥2,097

-5.03%

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

$344 ¥55.0K

$369 ¥59.0K

-6.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K ¥2.2M

$7,257 ¥1.2M

88.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥7,762

$46.88 ¥7,497

3.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.20 ¥4,671

$31.55 ¥5,047

-7.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 ¥11.4K

$73.2 ¥11.7K

-2.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 ¥14.5K

$93.5 ¥14.9K

-3.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 ¥70.2K

$588 ¥94.1K

-25.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 ¥64.2K

$347 ¥55.5K

15.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$951 ¥152.1K

$1,633 ¥261.2K

-41.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 ¥117.0K

$939 ¥150.2K

-22.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,781 ¥1.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 ¥191.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,817 ¥290.7K

$1,848 ¥295.6K

-1.67%

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 8, 2026

Last update for Kyoto: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Okinawa versus $588 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 2% 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 $41.00 in Okinawa versus $35.00 in Kyoto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $314 – 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: $1,459 in Okinawa, $1,280 in Kyoto – roughly 14% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,188 per month in Okinawa and $1,920 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 26% 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 $41.00 in Okinawa and $35.00 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 $1,280, than in Okinawa at $1,459. 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 $1,280 in Kyoto to $1,459 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.