Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Nagano Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Nagano

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,427 per month in Okinawa vs $1,206 in Nagano, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,228 per month in Okinawa vs $1,942 in Nagano, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,030 per month in Okinawa vs $2,679 in Nagano, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 18% more than Nagano, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Okinawa sits 4% above the global median, while Nagano is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,511

$6.35 ¥991

52.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,292

$42.17 ¥6,579

-4.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,082

$5.14 ¥802

35.02%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥653

$3.58 ¥559

16.76%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.12 ¥174

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$0.75 ¥118

34.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥313

$2.64 ¥412

-24.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥696

$3.22 ¥502

38.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥249

$1.43 ¥222

11.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥344

$1.75 ¥273

25.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥620

$3.64 ¥568

9.34%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥282

$2.11 ¥329

-14.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,807

$12.12 ¥1,892

48.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥788

$6.38 ¥996

-20.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,574

$14.95 ¥2,333

53.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥582

$5.89 ¥918

-36.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥434

$2.85 ¥444

-2.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥358

$2.97 ¥463

-22.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥822

$4.40 ¥687

19.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥382

$2.61 ¥408

-6.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥394

$2.62 ¥408

-3.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥211

$1.27 ¥198

6.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥120

$0.82 ¥128

-6.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥614

$3.78 ¥589

3.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,015

$6.31 ¥985

3.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥306

$1.79 ¥279

9.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥538

$2.08 ¥324

65.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥229

$1.47 ¥229

-0.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.6K

$56.6 ¥8,827

20.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥614

$3.33 ¥520

18.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥560

$2.66 ¥416

34.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,853

$20.94 ¥3,267

-43.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥177

$1.15 ¥179

-1.74%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$22.0K ¥3.4M

-0.49%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$18.6K ¥2.9M

-16.94%

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

$165 ¥25.7K

$135 ¥21.1K

22.16%

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

$25.69 ¥4,009

$24.49 ¥3,821

4.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,550

$13.08 ¥2,040

318.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$53.3 ¥8,313

38.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,814

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,951

$12.72 ¥1,984

-1.73%

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

$345 ¥53.8K

$638 ¥99.5K

-45.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥909.1K

$14.9K ¥2.3M

-60.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,063

$63.1 ¥9,851

-18.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,763

$32.94 ¥5,139

-26.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$62.4 ¥9,739

29.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.0K

$105 ¥16.4K

-8.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.2K

$492 ¥76.8K

-16.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥51.8K

$341 ¥53.1K

-2.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥134.7K

$1,131 ¥176.5K

-23.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.2K

$652 ¥101.7K

6.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$3,366 ¥525.3K

158.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥187.3K

$1,663 ¥259.5K

-27.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥290.4K

$648 ¥101.1K

187.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

2.12

5.19%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Nagano: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Okinawa versus $492 in Nagano. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 187% higher in Okinawa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Okinawa versus $42.00 in Nagano. Groceries tell a different story – $337 in Okinawa vs $302 in Nagano – so Nagano wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Nagano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Okinawa costs about 18% more than Nagano, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,140 per month in Okinawa and $1,809 in Nagano. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Okinawa and $42.00 in Nagano. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,427 in Okinawa and $1,206 in Nagano. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nagano, where all-in costs run around $1,206, than in Okinawa at $1,427. In Nagano it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nagano – 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 Nagano. 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.