Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Mito Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Mito

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,427 in Okinawa versus $1,224 in Mito.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,228 in Okinawa versus $1,974 in Mito.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,030 in Okinawa versus $2,724 in Mito.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 17% more expensive than in Mito, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 4% above, Mito is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,512

$6.61 ¥1,032

46.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,297

$42.30 ¥6,606

-4.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,083

$5.11 ¥799

35.81%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥653

$3.54 ¥553

18.08%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.09 ¥170

34.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$0.81 ¥127

24.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥313

$2.55 ¥399

-21.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥697

$3.28 ¥512

35.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥249

$1.46 ¥228

8.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥344

$1.79 ¥279

22.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥621

$3.79 ¥591

5.01%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥282

$2.13 ¥333

-15.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,809

$11.98 ¥1,871

50.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥789

$6.25 ¥975

-19.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,577

$14.56 ¥2,273

57.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥583

$5.78 ¥902

-35.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥434

$2.89 ¥452

-3.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥359

$3.03 ¥474

-24.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥823

$4.25 ¥664

24.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥382

$2.58 ¥402

-5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥394

$2.73 ¥426

-7.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥211

$1.33 ¥208

1.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥120

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥614

$3.97 ¥620

-1.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,016

$6.55 ¥1,023

-0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥306

$1.77 ¥277

10.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥539

$2.15 ¥336

60.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥229

$1.66 ¥259

-12.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.6K

$63.5 ¥9,923

7.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥615

$3.31 ¥516

19.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥560

$2.66 ¥415

34.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,854

$20.67 ¥3,228

-42.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥177

$1.15 ¥180

-1.74%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$22.1K ¥3.5M

-0.81%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$19.1K ¥3.0M

-19.10%

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

$165 ¥25.8K

$136 ¥21.2K

21.45%

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

$25.69 ¥4,012

$24.81 ¥3,875

3.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,558

$32.90 ¥5,137

66.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$57.6 ¥8,993

28.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,822

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,952

$12.81 ¥2,001

-2.42%

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

$345 ¥53.9K

$655 ¥102.3K

-47.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥909.9K

$14.8K ¥2.3M

-60.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,070

$63.8 ¥9,966

-19.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,766

$32.75 ¥5,114

-26.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$63.6 ¥9,936

27.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.0K

$106 ¥16.5K

-9.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.2K

$510 ¥79.6K

-19.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥51.8K

$320 ¥49.9K

3.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥134.8K

$1,019 ¥159.2K

-15.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.3K

$741 ¥115.7K

-6.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$3,673 ¥573.6K

136.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥187.4K

$1,732 ¥270.4K

-30.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥290.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

2.12

5.19%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mito: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $411 in Okinawa and $510 in Mito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Okinawa vs $42.00 in Mito. Groceries flip the comparison at $337 vs $301, with Mito cheaper for home cooking.

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 Mito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mito wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Okinawa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mito the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,140 in Okinawa and $1,835 in Mito to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $411 in Okinawa versus $510 in Mito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mito – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $40.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,224 in Mito versus $1,427 in Okinawa, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mito but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Mito 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 Mito 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 Mito gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.