Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Nagasaki Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Nagasaki

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,427 in Okinawa versus $1,218 in Nagasaki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,228 in Okinawa versus $1,844 in Nagasaki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,030 in Okinawa versus $2,470 in Nagasaki.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 17% more expensive than in Nagasaki, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 4% above, Nagasaki is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,511

$5.21 ¥813

85.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,292

$19.09 ¥2,979

111.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,082

$5.08 ¥792

36.61%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥653

$3.41 ¥532

22.58%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.02 ¥159

44.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$0.65 ¥101

55.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥313

$2.23 ¥347

-10.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥696

$2.33 ¥363

91.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥249

$1.57 ¥245

1.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥344

$1.97 ¥307

11.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥620

$6.30 ¥982

-36.83%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥282

$2.15 ¥335

-15.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,807

$9.77 ¥1,524

84.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥788

$3.21 ¥501

57.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,574

$19.61 ¥3,059

16.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥582

$3.70 ¥577

0.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥434

$1.84 ¥286

51.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥358

$3.00 ¥467

-23.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥822

$3.34 ¥522

57.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥382

$2.30 ¥358

6.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥394

$2.56 ¥399

-1.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥211

$1.11 ¥173

21.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥120

$1.01 ¥158

-23.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥614

$4.05 ¥633

-2.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,015

$6.36 ¥993

2.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥306

$1.78 ¥277

10.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥538

$1.94 ¥303

77.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥229

$1.35 ¥210

8.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.6K

$58.5 ¥9,125

16.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥614

$3.96 ¥618

-0.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥560

$2.09 ¥326

71.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,853

$18.67 ¥2,912

-36.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥177

$1.13 ¥176

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$22.4K ¥3.5M

-2.12%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$17.9K ¥2.8M

-13.93%

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

$165 ¥25.7K

$195 ¥30.4K

-15.37%

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

$25.69 ¥4,009

$25.63 ¥3,999

0.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,550

$34.84 ¥5,437

57.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$48.26 ¥7,531

53.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,814

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,951

$11.25 ¥1,756

11.11%

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

$345 ¥53.8K

$130 ¥20.3K

165.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥909.1K

$12.4K ¥1.9M

-52.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,063

$38.36 ¥5,986

34.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,763

$24.70 ¥3,854

-2.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$61.0 ¥9,522

32.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.0K

$48.40 ¥7,552

98.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.2K

$506 ¥78.9K

-18.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥51.8K

$312 ¥48.7K

6.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥134.7K

$1,033 ¥161.1K

-16.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.2K

$776 ¥121.1K

-10.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$3,749 ¥584.9K

132.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥187.3K

$1,816 ¥283.4K

-33.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥290.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

1.85

20.54%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Nagasaki: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $411 in Okinawa and $506 in Nagasaki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Okinawa vs $19.00 in Nagasaki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $286 per month, with Nagasaki 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 Nagasaki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nagasaki is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,140 in Okinawa and $1,827 in Nagasaki to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $411 in Okinawa versus $506 in Nagasaki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Nagasaki – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $40.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,218 in Nagasaki versus $1,427 in Okinawa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nagasaki but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Nagasaki 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 Nagasaki 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 Nagasaki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.