Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Matsudo Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Matsudo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,437 in Okinawa versus $1,146 in Matsudo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,214 in Okinawa versus $1,863 in Matsudo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,992 in Okinawa versus $2,580 in Matsudo.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 25% more expensive than in Matsudo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 8% above, Matsudo is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$7.13 ¥1,159

14.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$34.59 ¥5,621

21.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$5.31 ¥863

12.62%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$3.15 ¥512

6.03%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$1.13 ¥183

16.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.80 ¥131

16.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$2.04 ¥331

71.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$2.03 ¥331

141.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.55 ¥252

25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.69 ¥275

40.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$5.05 ¥820

-3.56%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$1.58 ¥256

26.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$10.15 ¥1,649

61.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$6.41 ¥1,042

69.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$15.24 ¥2,477

73.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$5.99 ¥973

-15.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$3.17 ¥514

-18.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$3.97 ¥646

-21.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$4.61 ¥749

22.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$3.32 ¥540

5.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$3.57 ¥580

-19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.34 ¥218

18.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.83 ¥134

6.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$4.28 ¥696

14.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$9.46 ¥1,537

-35.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$1.76 ¥286

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.10 ¥342

38.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.61 ¥261

1.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$55.8 ¥9,062

-37.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.52 ¥573

16.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$2.99 ¥485

21.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$21.75 ¥3,534

-42.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.14 ¥185

8.77%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$23.2K ¥3.8M

0.70%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$18.5K ¥3.0M

-9.78%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$82.0 ¥13.3K

111.35%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$27.63 ¥4,490

-1.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$17.47 ¥2,838

81.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$55.1 ¥8,945

-2.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$13.93 ¥2,264

-49.46%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$11.29 ¥1,834

10.27%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$277 ¥45.0K

24.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$13.8K ¥2.2M

-4.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$41.38 ¥6,723

15.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$29.57 ¥4,804

-1.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$60.6 ¥9,838

21.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$97.7 ¥15.9K

-6.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$476 ¥77.4K

-6.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$332 ¥53.9K

20.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$857 ¥139.3K

10.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$659 ¥107.1K

13.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$4,109 ¥667.6K

108.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$2,141 ¥347.9K

-42.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

$1,974 ¥320.7K

-10.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.05

-2.44%

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

Last update for Okinawa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Matsudo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Okinawa and $476 in Matsudo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Matsudo pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Okinawa vs $35.00 in Matsudo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $319 per month, with Matsudo 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 Matsudo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matsudo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Matsudo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $445 in Okinawa versus $476 in Matsudo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Matsudo runs roughly 60% 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 $277 in Matsudo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,146 in Matsudo versus $1,437 in Okinawa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Matsudo but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Matsudo 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 Matsudo 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 Matsudo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.