Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Miyazaki Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Miyazaki

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,430 in Okinawa versus $1,155 in Miyazaki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,196 in Okinawa versus $1,782 in Miyazaki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,961 in Okinawa versus $2,409 in Miyazaki.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 24% more expensive than Miyazaki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 7% above, Miyazaki is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$7.70 ¥1,231

11.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$34.40 ¥5,501

20.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$5.50 ¥880

11.27%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$1.02 ¥163

224.51%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$0.80 ¥128

65.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.70 ¥112

22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$1.90 ¥303

83.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$4.22 ¥675

13.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.51 ¥241

23.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.60 ¥256

43.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$4.24 ¥679

13.92%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.31 ¥370

-12.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$14.06 ¥2,249

16.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$6.18 ¥989

80.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$13.76 ¥2,200

95.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$3.50 ¥560

50.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$1.85 ¥296

41.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$2.84 ¥454

98.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$1.76 ¥281

109.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$1.68 ¥269

72.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$0.83 ¥133

92.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.74 ¥119

27.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$3.95 ¥632

22.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$6.36 ¥1,018

-3.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.97 ¥316

-12.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.11 ¥338

36.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.64 ¥262

1.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$55.1 ¥8,815

-36.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.85 ¥616

8.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$2.85 ¥456

32.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$17.66 ¥2,824

-27.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.17 ¥187

2.56%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-3.23%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$16.6K ¥2.7M

2.02%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$117 ¥18.6K

48.44%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$26.65 ¥4,262

4.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$35.68 ¥5,707

-8.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$56.6 ¥9,046

-5.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$13.99 ¥2,238

-51.68%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$13.03 ¥2,084

-3.30%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$412 ¥65.8K

-15.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$13.4K ¥2.1M

0.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$42.83 ¥6,851

14.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$29.84 ¥4,773

-1.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$62.6 ¥10.0K

16.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$61.2 ¥9,788

52.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$464 ¥74.1K

-5.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$334 ¥53.4K

18.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$880 ¥140.7K

7.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$651 ¥104.2K

15.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$4,437 ¥709.7K

92.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$2,213 ¥354.0K

-46.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

$1,263 ¥202.0K

2.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

19.76%

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

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Miyazaki: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Okinawa and $464 in Miyazaki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 2% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $41.00 in Okinawa vs $34.00 in Miyazaki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $274 per month, with Miyazaki 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 Miyazaki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Okinawa and Miyazaki differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,430 vs $1,155 including rent). Miyazaki is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Okinawa pays 2% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $437 in Okinawa versus $464 in Miyazaki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Miyazaki – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $41.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,430 per month in Okinawa versus $1,155 in Miyazaki – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,155 in Miyazaki versus $1,430 in Okinawa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Miyazaki but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Miyazaki 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 Miyazaki 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 Miyazaki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.