Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Maebashi Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Maebashi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,437 per month in Okinawa vs $1,285 in Maebashi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,214 per month in Okinawa vs $1,976 in Maebashi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,992 per month in Okinawa vs $2,668 in Maebashi, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 12% more than Maebashi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Okinawa sits 8% above the global median, while Maebashi is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$4.93 ¥802

65.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$35.06 ¥5,696

19.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$5.91 ¥960

1.18%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$3.03 ¥492

10.23%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$0.86 ¥140

53.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.68 ¥110

36.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$2.50 ¥406

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$3.15 ¥512

55.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.40 ¥228

39.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.74 ¥283

36.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$1.48 ¥240

229.05%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$1.77 ¥288

12.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$17.37 ¥2,822

-5.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$4.97 ¥808

118.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$15.43 ¥2,506

71.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$8.80 ¥1,430

-42.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$2.79 ¥453

-7.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$4.98 ¥809

-37.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$9.46 ¥1,538

-40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$3.89 ¥631

-10.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$2.58 ¥419

12.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.33 ¥217

19.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.53 ¥86.6

66.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$3.40 ¥552

44.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$9.08 ¥1,475

-32.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$2.85 ¥464

-39.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.35 ¥382

23.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.58 ¥257

3.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$56.2 ¥9,137

-37.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.50 ¥568

17.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$2.91 ¥474

24.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$34.94 ¥5,676

-64.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.17 ¥190

5.98%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$23.1K ¥3.8M

0.96%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

0.01%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$140 ¥22.8K

23.55%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$27.61 ¥4,487

-1.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$33.58 ¥5,455

-5.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$55.7 ¥9,041

-3.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$14.13 ¥2,296

-50.18%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$12.71 ¥2,065

-2.05%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$469 ¥76.2K

-26.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$11.2K ¥1.8M

17.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$45.84 ¥7,448

4.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$32.23 ¥5,236

-9.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$56.0 ¥9,093

31.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$92.9 ¥15.1K

-2.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$460 ¥74.8K

-3.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$331 ¥53.7K

20.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$849 ¥138.0K

11.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$669 ¥108.7K

11.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$3,976 ¥645.9K

115.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$2,350 ¥381.9K

-48.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

$1,638 ¥266.1K

7.98%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Maebashi: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Okinawa versus $460 in Maebashi. 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 8% higher in Okinawa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Okinawa versus $35.00 in Maebashi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $361 – making Maebashi 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 Maebashi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,155 per month in Okinawa and $1,927 in Maebashi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Okinawa and $35.00 in Maebashi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,437 in Okinawa and $1,285 in Maebashi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maebashi, where all-in costs run around $1,285, than in Okinawa at $1,437. In Maebashi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maebashi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Maebashi. 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.