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: $1,385 in Okinawa versus $1,066 in Miyazaki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,168 in Okinawa versus $1,705 in Miyazaki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,950 in Okinawa versus $2,343 in Miyazaki.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 30% more expensive than in Miyazaki, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 1% above, Miyazaki is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,589

$6.08 ¥950

67.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.19 ¥6,278

$27.75 ¥4,335

44.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 ¥1,090

$4.56 ¥713

53.07%

Cappuccino

$4.17 ¥651

$2.25 ¥351

85.33%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.07 ¥167

37.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥146

$0.61 ¥95.8

52.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ¥319

$1.55 ¥242

31.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ¥675

$2.24 ¥351

92.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥242

$1.28 ¥199

21.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 ¥332

$1.59 ¥248

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 ¥588

$2.56 ¥400

46.87%

Eggs

$1.76 ¥275

$1.98 ¥309

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.00 ¥2,812

$12.35 ¥1,929

45.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 ¥747

$5.31 ¥830

-9.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.13 ¥3,457

$19.37 ¥3,026

14.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥572

$3.62 ¥565

1.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 ¥415

$1.72 ¥269

54.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ¥334

$2.77 ¥432

-22.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 ¥811

$3.07 ¥479

69.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 ¥371

$1.83 ¥286

30.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 ¥398

$1.85 ¥290

37.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$0.62 ¥96.6

108.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥122

$0.92 ¥143

-15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥601

$3.77 ¥588

1.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 ¥973

$6.24 ¥975

-0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ¥305

$1.64 ¥255

18.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ¥494

$1.88 ¥294

68.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.51 ¥236

-5.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 ¥10.1K

$54.1 ¥8,447

19.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 ¥583

$3.39 ¥530

10.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.48 ¥544

$1.98 ¥310

75.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.36 ¥1,774

$16.00 ¥2,499

-29.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ¥164

$1.05 ¥163

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

$20.7K ¥3.2M

$21.9K ¥3.4M

-5.39%

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

$14.8K ¥2.3M

$15.0K ¥2.3M

-1.67%

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

$158 ¥24.8K

$106 ¥16.5K

49.69%

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

$25.07 ¥3,916

$24.60 ¥3,843

1.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 ¥8,309

$32.44 ¥5,068

63.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.8 ¥11.2K

$44.63 ¥6,973

60.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.2 ¥8,461

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 ¥1,889

$11.10 ¥1,734

8.92%

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

$324 ¥50.6K

$123 ¥19.2K

163.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 ¥861.6K

$12.3K ¥1.9M

-55.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.91 ¥7,797

$38.05 ¥5,944

31.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.70 ¥3,546

$23.82 ¥3,721

-4.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 ¥12.3K

$56.7 ¥8,849

39.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ¥14.8K

$46.47 ¥7,259

104.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ¥62.2K

$471 ¥73.6K

-15.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 ¥49.6K

$327 ¥51.0K

-2.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 ¥129.3K

$978 ¥152.8K

-15.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 ¥102.0K

$628 ¥98.1K

3.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,509 ¥1.3M

$4,691 ¥732.8K

81.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,199 ¥187.2K

$2,101 ¥328.2K

-42.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,819 ¥284.2K

$1,249 ¥195.1K

45.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

1.97

13.20%

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

Last update for Okinawa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Miyazaki: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $398 in Okinawa and $471 in Miyazaki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 46% 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: $40.00 in Okinawa vs $28.00 in Miyazaki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $270 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 30% in total monthly costs ($1,385 vs $1,066 including rent). Miyazaki is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 46% higher in Okinawa, 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: $398 in Okinawa versus $471 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 $28.00 versus $40.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,385 per month in Okinawa versus $1,066 in Miyazaki – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,066 in Miyazaki versus $1,385 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 30% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.