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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,385 per month in Okinawa vs $1,169 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,168 per month in Okinawa vs $1,854 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,950 per month in Okinawa vs $2,540 in Matsuyama, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 18% more than Matsuyama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Okinawa sits 1% above the global median, while Matsuyama is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,589

$6.13 ¥958

65.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.19 ¥6,278

$26.80 ¥4,187

49.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 ¥1,090

$5.19 ¥811

34.49%

Cappuccino

$4.17 ¥651

$2.84 ¥444

46.83%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.04 ¥163

41.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥146

$0.71 ¥111

30.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ¥319

$2.43 ¥379

-16.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ¥675

$3.13 ¥489

38.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥242

$1.47 ¥229

5.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 ¥332

$1.65 ¥257

28.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 ¥588

$4.35 ¥679

-13.56%

Eggs

$1.76 ¥275

$1.86 ¥291

-5.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.00 ¥2,812

$12.74 ¥1,990

41.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 ¥747

$5.80 ¥907

-17.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.13 ¥3,457

$15.74 ¥2,459

40.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥572

$4.52 ¥706

-19.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 ¥415

$2.21 ¥345

20.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ¥334

$3.13 ¥489

-31.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 ¥811

$3.79 ¥592

36.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 ¥371

$2.30 ¥360

3.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 ¥398

$2.21 ¥345

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$1.25 ¥196

3.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥122

$0.81 ¥127

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥601

$4.42 ¥691

-13.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 ¥973

$7.49 ¥1,169

-16.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ¥305

$1.96 ¥307

-0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ¥494

$2.28 ¥355

38.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.50 ¥234

-4.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 ¥10.1K

$55.3 ¥8,646

16.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 ¥583

$3.55 ¥555

5.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.48 ¥544

$2.76 ¥431

26.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.36 ¥1,774

$15.94 ¥2,490

-28.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ¥164

$1.22 ¥190

-13.93%

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

$20.7K ¥3.2M

$19.3K ¥3.0M

7.33%

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

$14.8K ¥2.3M

$16.1K ¥2.5M

-8.37%

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

$158 ¥24.8K

$131 ¥20.5K

20.71%

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

$25.07 ¥3,916

$26.21 ¥4,095

-4.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 ¥8,309

$30.89 ¥4,826

72.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.8 ¥11.2K

$44.74 ¥6,989

60.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.2 ¥8,461

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 ¥1,889

$11.83 ¥1,847

2.20%

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

$324 ¥50.6K

$498 ¥77.8K

-34.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 ¥861.6K

$11.4K ¥1.8M

-51.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.91 ¥7,797

$52.4 ¥8,178

-4.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.70 ¥3,546

$27.39 ¥4,278

-17.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 ¥12.3K

$52.6 ¥8,212

50.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ¥14.8K

$95.1 ¥14.8K

-0.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ¥62.2K

$476 ¥74.4K

-16.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 ¥49.6K

$313 ¥49.0K

1.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 ¥129.3K

$1,160 ¥181.2K

-28.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 ¥102.0K

$640 ¥100.0K

1.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,509 ¥1.3M

$3,948 ¥616.8K

115.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,199 ¥187.2K

$1,963 ¥306.6K

-38.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,819 ¥284.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

2.06

8.25%

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

Last update for Okinawa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Matsuyama: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $398 in Okinawa versus $476 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 $40.00 in Okinawa versus $27.00 in Matsuyama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $293 – 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: $1,385 in Okinawa, $1,169 in Matsuyama – roughly 18% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,077 per month in Okinawa and $1,753 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 17% less in Matsuyama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $324 per month in Okinawa and $498 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 $1,169, than in Okinawa at $1,385. 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.