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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,250 in Morioka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $1,953 in Morioka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $2,656 in Morioka, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 14% more than Morioka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 7% above the global median, while Morioka is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,373

$7.12 ¥1,142

20.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,624

$34.20 ¥5,482

20.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥981

$5.51 ¥883

11.07%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥530

$3.05 ¥489

8.52%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.07 ¥171

23.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥138

$0.74 ¥119

16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥558

$2.55 ¥409

36.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥770

$3.05 ¥488

57.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.60 ¥257

16.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥368

$1.53 ¥245

50.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥774

$4.84 ¥775

-0.21%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥322

$2.31 ¥370

-12.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,618

$9.97 ¥1,599

63.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,784

$6.43 ¥1,031

73.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,319

$15.43 ¥2,474

74.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥844

$5.52 ¥885

-4.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥419

$2.51 ¥403

3.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥486

$4.01 ¥642

-24.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥905

$5.93 ¥951

-4.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥591

$3.14 ¥503

17.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥465

$2.54 ¥408

14.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥257

$1.39 ¥222

15.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.82 ¥132

14.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥772

$4.21 ¥676

14.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥980

$8.72 ¥1,397

-29.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.85 ¥296

-7.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥462

$2.16 ¥346

33.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.60 ¥256

4.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,654

$55.0 ¥8,811

-35.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥672

$3.39 ¥543

23.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥605

$3.02 ¥484

24.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,041

$20.42 ¥3,273

-37.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.24 ¥198

-3.23%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

-0.99%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$17.6K ¥2.8M

-3.46%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$143 ¥22.9K

21.03%

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

$27.72 ¥4,444

$26.96 ¥4,321

2.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,211

$33.48 ¥5,367

-2.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,566

$56.9 ¥9,116

-6.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,084

$14.06 ¥2,253

-51.92%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,020

$12.39 ¥1,986

1.69%

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

$347 ¥55.6K

$286 ¥45.9K

21.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

-0.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,829

$42.69 ¥6,842

14.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,693

$29.36 ¥4,707

-0.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$60.6 ¥9,715

20.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$92.1 ¥14.8K

1.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥70.1K

$475 ¥76.1K

-7.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.2K

$334 ¥53.5K

18.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥151.3K

$872 ¥139.7K

8.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥120.2K

$668 ¥107.1K

12.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$5,253 ¥842.1K

62.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥190.2K

$2,121 ¥339.9K

-44.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥207.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

12.36%

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

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Morioka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $475 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 $41.00 in Okinawa versus $34.00 in Morioka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $318 – 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: $1,430 in Okinawa, $1,250 in Morioka – roughly 14% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,145 per month in Okinawa and $1,875 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 25% 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 $41.00 in Okinawa and $34.00 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 $1,250, than in Okinawa at $1,430. 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.