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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,234 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $1,929 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $2,624 in Matsuyama, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$7.02 ¥1,123

22.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$34.07 ¥5,450

21.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$5.45 ¥872

12.29%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.20 ¥513

3.44%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.11 ¥177

18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.75 ¥120

14.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.55 ¥407

36.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$3.08 ¥493

56.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.53 ¥245

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.52 ¥243

51.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$4.85 ¥776

-0.41%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.29 ¥366

-12.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$10.04 ¥1,605

62.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$6.47 ¥1,035

72.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$15.17 ¥2,427

77.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$5.43 ¥869

-2.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$2.65 ¥424

-1.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$4.10 ¥655

-26.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$6.00 ¥960

-5.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$3.00 ¥480

23.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$2.55 ¥409

13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.37 ¥220

16.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.84 ¥134

11.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$4.11 ¥658

17.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$9.09 ¥1,454

-32.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.93 ¥309

-10.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.16 ¥346

33.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.59 ¥255

5.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$54.8 ¥8,760

-35.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.51 ¥561

19.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$2.97 ¥475

26.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$21.00 ¥3,359

-39.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.20 ¥191

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$22.9K ¥3.7M

-0.44%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

-1.81%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$141 ¥22.6K

22.35%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$26.90 ¥4,302

3.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$33.70 ¥5,389

-3.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$55.6 ¥8,894

-3.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$14.00 ¥2,240

-51.71%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$12.53 ¥2,005

0.56%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$280 ¥44.8K

23.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$13.4K ¥2.1M

0.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$42.87 ¥6,858

13.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$29.59 ¥4,732

-1.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$60.7 ¥9,705

20.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$409 ¥65.4K

6.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$325 ¥51.9K

21.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$857 ¥137.1K

10.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$649 ¥103.9K

15.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$4,142 ¥662.5K

106.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$2,687 ¥429.8K

-55.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

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 1, 2026

Last update for Matsuyama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $409 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 $41.00 in Okinawa versus $34.00 in Matsuyama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $318 – 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: $1,430 in Okinawa, $1,234 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 $2,145 per month in Okinawa and $1,851 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 55% less in Matsuyama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $347 per month in Okinawa and $280 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 $1,234, than in Okinawa at $1,430. 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.