Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Matsuyama Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Matsuyama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,437 per month in Okinawa vs $1,239 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,214 per month in Okinawa vs $1,952 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,992 per month in Okinawa vs $2,666 in Matsuyama, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 16% more than Matsuyama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 8% above the global median, while Matsuyama is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$7.00 ¥1,137

16.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$35.00 ¥5,687

19.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$5.44 ¥884

9.93%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$3.09 ¥502

8.09%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$1.11 ¥180

18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.80 ¥130

16.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$2.55 ¥414

37.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$3.17 ¥514

54.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.53 ¥248

27.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.52 ¥247

55.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$4.69 ¥762

3.84%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$2.21 ¥359

-9.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$9.90 ¥1,609

65.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$6.54 ¥1,063

65.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$15.32 ¥2,490

72.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$5.41 ¥879

-6.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$2.63 ¥428

-1.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$4.07 ¥661

-23.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$6.04 ¥981

-6.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$3.16 ¥514

10.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$2.58 ¥419

12.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.38 ¥224

15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.88 ¥142

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$4.08 ¥663

20.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$8.57 ¥1,392

-28.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$1.82 ¥296

-4.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.19 ¥356

32.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.61 ¥261

1.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$56.0 ¥9,099

-37.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.52 ¥572

16.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$3.00 ¥488

20.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$20.64 ¥3,353

-39.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.20 ¥195

3.33%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

1.49%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

-3.37%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$141 ¥22.9K

23.23%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$26.78 ¥4,351

1.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$34.23 ¥5,561

-7.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$54.8 ¥8,896

-1.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$13.63 ¥2,215

-48.35%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$12.61 ¥2,048

-1.27%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$283 ¥45.9K

22.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$13.4K ¥2.2M

-1.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$43.18 ¥7,016

10.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$29.37 ¥4,772

-0.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$60.7 ¥9,860

21.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$90.7 ¥14.7K

0.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$398 ¥64.7K

11.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$324 ¥52.7K

23.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$878 ¥142.7K

7.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$652 ¥106.0K

14.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$4,812 ¥781.8K

78.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$2,180 ¥354.2K

-43.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

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 Matsuyama: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Okinawa versus $398 in Matsuyama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Okinawa versus $35.00 in Matsuyama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $317 – making Matsuyama 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 Matsuyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,437 in Okinawa, $1,239 in Matsuyama – roughly 16% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,155 per month in Okinawa and $1,859 in Matsuyama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 60% less in Matsuyama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $346 per month in Okinawa and $283 in Matsuyama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Matsuyama, where all-in costs run around $1,239, than in Okinawa at $1,437. In Matsuyama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Matsuyama – 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 Matsuyama. 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.