Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Morioka Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Morioka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,427 per month in Okinawa vs $1,224 in Morioka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,228 per month in Okinawa vs $1,937 in Morioka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,030 per month in Okinawa vs $2,650 in Morioka, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 17% more than Morioka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Okinawa sits 4% above the global median, while Morioka is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,520

$6.54 ¥1,026

48.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,331

$31.76 ¥4,987

26.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,089

$5.31 ¥834

30.70%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥657

$3.13 ¥491

33.55%

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

$1.47 ¥231

$1.13 ¥178

30.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥159

$0.82 ¥129

23.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥315

$2.53 ¥398

-20.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥701

$3.15 ¥495

41.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥250

$1.55 ¥244

2.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥346

$1.52 ¥239

44.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥624

$4.40 ¥690

-9.55%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥284

$2.11 ¥331

-14.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,824

$11.38 ¥1,787

58.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥793

$6.90 ¥1,084

-26.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,596

$17.46 ¥2,741

31.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥586

$4.88 ¥767

-23.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥436

$2.61 ¥410

6.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥361

$2.91 ¥457

-20.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥827

$4.89 ¥768

7.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥384

$2.76 ¥434

-11.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥396

$2.21 ¥347

14.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥213

$1.24 ¥195

8.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥121

$0.80 ¥126

-3.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥618

$3.88 ¥610

1.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,021

$7.49 ¥1,176

-13.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥308

$1.66 ¥261

18.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥542

$1.97 ¥310

75.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥230

$1.48 ¥233

-1.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.7K

$58.8 ¥9,227

15.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥618

$3.20 ¥502

23.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥563

$3.08 ¥483

16.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,864

$18.72 ¥2,940

-36.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥178

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$19.1K ¥3.0M

14.53%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$15.5K ¥2.4M

-0.58%

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

$165 ¥25.9K

$136 ¥21.4K

21.33%

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

$25.69 ¥4,034

$25.03 ¥3,929

2.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,604

$31.40 ¥4,930

74.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$49.42 ¥7,760

49.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,869

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,963

$11.81 ¥1,854

5.84%

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

$345 ¥54.2K

$620 ¥97.4K

-44.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥914.8K

$13.3K ¥2.1M

-56.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,113

$54.7 ¥8,592

-5.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,786

$35.87 ¥5,632

-32.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$65.2 ¥10.2K

24.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.1K

$101 ¥15.8K

-4.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.6K

$527 ¥82.7K

-21.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥52.1K

$344 ¥54.1K

-3.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥135.5K

$1,037 ¥162.8K

-16.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.9K

$783 ¥123.0K

-11.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$3,776 ¥592.9K

130.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥188.5K

$1,889 ¥296.5K

-36.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥292.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

2.09

6.70%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Morioka: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Okinawa versus $527 in Morioka. 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 $32.00 in Morioka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $309 – making Morioka 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 Morioka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,427 in Okinawa, $1,224 in Morioka – roughly 17% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,140 per month in Okinawa and $1,836 in Morioka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Morioka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Okinawa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Okinawa and $32.00 in Morioka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Morioka, where all-in costs run around $1,224, than in Okinawa at $1,427. In Morioka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Morioka – 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 Morioka. 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.