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: $1,459 in Okinawa versus $1,212 in Nagasaki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Okinawa versus $1,912 in Nagasaki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,052 in Okinawa versus $2,611 in Nagasaki.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 20% more expensive than Nagasaki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 9% above, Nagasaki is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.24 ¥1,317

$5.46 ¥874

50.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.98 ¥6,554

$21.08 ¥3,372

94.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 ¥942

$5.56 ¥890

5.94%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ¥552

$3.03 ¥485

13.86%

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

$1.38 ¥220

$1.04 ¥166

32.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.74 ¥119

14.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 ¥559

$2.50 ¥400

39.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 ¥782

$2.39 ¥382

104.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ¥308

$1.55 ¥248

23.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ¥359

$1.23 ¥197

82.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 ¥748

$4.05 ¥648

15.56%

Eggs

$2.02 ¥324

$2.22 ¥355

-9.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ¥2,593

$10.48 ¥1,677

54.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.12 ¥1,779

$3.48 ¥557

219.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.13 ¥4,180

$20.73 ¥3,315

26.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 ¥831

$3.06 ¥489

69.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 ¥426

$1.43 ¥228

86.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 ¥497

$1.35 ¥216

130.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.98 ¥956

$5.94 ¥950

0.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.56 ¥569

$2.82 ¥450

26.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 ¥446

$3.27 ¥523

-14.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 ¥252

$0.92 ¥147

70.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥150

$0.53 ¥84.6

77.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 ¥758

$3.86 ¥617

22.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.10 ¥975

$6.19 ¥990

-1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ¥291

$1.92 ¥307

-5.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ¥480

$2.06 ¥330

45.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥267

$1.01 ¥162

65.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.72 ¥5,553

$115 ¥18.3K

-69.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 ¥658

$4.02 ¥644

2.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.63 ¥581

$2.96 ¥473

22.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.69 ¥2,030

$19.97 ¥3,193

-36.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥190

$1.20 ¥192

-0.83%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$20.3K ¥3.3M

-15.16%

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

$174 ¥27.9K

$219 ¥35.1K

-20.51%

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

$27.88 ¥4,459

$27.32 ¥4,370

2.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.40 ¥5,023

$36.23 ¥5,794

-13.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ¥8,365

$55.3 ¥8,843

-5.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.99 ¥1,117

$14.05 ¥2,247

-50.25%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥1,991

$13.79 ¥2,206

-9.72%

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

$344 ¥55.0K

$260 ¥41.6K

32.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K ¥2.2M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

2.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥7,762

$44.07 ¥7,049

10.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.20 ¥4,671

$29.14 ¥4,660

0.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 ¥11.4K

$67.1 ¥10.7K

6.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 ¥14.5K

$60.6 ¥9,685

49.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 ¥70.2K

$316 ¥50.5K

38.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 ¥64.2K

$205 ¥32.7K

95.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$951 ¥152.1K

$852 ¥136.3K

11.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 ¥117.0K

$668 ¥106.8K

9.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,781 ¥1.4M

$4,621 ¥739.1K

90.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 ¥191.4K

$2,324 ¥371.7K

-48.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,817 ¥290.7K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Nagasaki: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Okinawa and $316 in Nagasaki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $41.00 in Okinawa vs $21.00 in Nagasaki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $274 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. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,188 in Okinawa and $1,818 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: $439 in Okinawa versus $316 in Nagasaki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% 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 $21.00 versus $41.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,212 in Nagasaki versus $1,459 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 20% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.