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: $1,437 in Okinawa versus $1,172 in Miyazaki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,214 in Okinawa versus $1,801 in Miyazaki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,992 in Okinawa versus $2,430 in Miyazaki.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 23% more expensive than in Miyazaki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 8% above, Miyazaki is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$7.58 ¥1,231

7.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$34.03 ¥5,530

23.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$5.23 ¥849

14.34%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$1.06 ¥173

215.09%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$0.80 ¥129

65.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.66 ¥108

40.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$1.86 ¥302

88.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$4.23 ¥687

16.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.56 ¥253

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.67 ¥271

41.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$4.11 ¥667

18.49%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$2.29 ¥373

-12.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$13.83 ¥2,247

18.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$6.23 ¥1,012

74.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$13.63 ¥2,214

94.28%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$3.49 ¥567

44.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$1.81 ¥293

43.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$3.14 ¥510

-0.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$2.85 ¥463

97.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$1.70 ¥277

105.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$1.78 ¥289

62.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$0.90 ¥147

76.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.80 ¥130

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$3.81 ¥620

29.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$6.26 ¥1,018

-2.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$2.00 ¥325

-13.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.06 ¥334

41.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.64 ¥267

-0.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$56.3 ¥9,141

-37.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.70 ¥601

11.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$3.01 ¥489

20.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$17.44 ¥2,834

-27.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.11 ¥180

11.71%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$23.1K ¥3.8M

1.07%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$16.3K ¥2.7M

2.32%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$116 ¥18.9K

48.98%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$27.02 ¥4,391

0.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$35.19 ¥5,717

-10.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$56.8 ¥9,235

-5.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$13.74 ¥2,232

-48.76%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$12.95 ¥2,104

-3.86%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$418 ¥67.9K

-17.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

-3.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$43.90 ¥7,133

8.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$29.97 ¥4,869

-2.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$62.2 ¥10.1K

18.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$61.3 ¥9,961

48.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$462 ¥75.1K

-3.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$331 ¥53.8K

20.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$872 ¥141.6K

8.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$656 ¥106.6K

14.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$4,954 ¥804.8K

73.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$1,781 ¥289.4K

-31.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

$1,216 ¥197.6K

45.43%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Miyazaki: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Okinawa and $462 in Miyazaki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 45% 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: $42.00 in Okinawa vs $34.00 in Miyazaki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $275 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 23% in total monthly costs ($1,437 vs $1,172 including rent). Miyazaki is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 45% 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: $445 in Okinawa versus $462 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 $42.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,437 per month in Okinawa versus $1,172 in Miyazaki – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,172 in Miyazaki versus $1,437 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 23% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.