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: $1,428 in Okinawa versus $1,185 in Nagasaki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,217 in Okinawa versus $1,905 in Nagasaki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,007 in Okinawa versus $2,625 in Nagasaki.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 7% above, Nagasaki is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 ¥1,335

$5.61 ¥884

50.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.01 ¥6,620

$20.62 ¥3,250

103.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 ¥921

$5.72 ¥901

2.10%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥525

$3.10 ¥488

7.42%

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

$1.35 ¥213

$1.09 ¥171

23.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥136

$0.80 ¥125

7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 ¥560

$2.50 ¥393

42.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 ¥754

$2.39 ¥377

100.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥298

$1.59 ¥250

18.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ¥355

$1.28 ¥201

75.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.60 ¥725

$4.14 ¥652

11.11%

Eggs

$2.04 ¥322

$2.28 ¥359

-10.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ¥2,592

$10.20 ¥1,608

61.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.24 ¥1,771

$3.54 ¥557

217.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.66 ¥4,200

$20.71 ¥3,263

28.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 ¥791

$3.06 ¥482

64.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 ¥423

$1.35 ¥213

99.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 ¥482

$1.42 ¥224

115.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.76 ¥907

$5.92 ¥932

-2.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.53 ¥556

$2.84 ¥447

24.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 ¥437

$3.17 ¥499

-12.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 ¥240

$0.98 ¥154

55.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥138

$0.57 ¥89.5

54.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.76 ¥749

$3.84 ¥605

23.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.27 ¥989

$6.25 ¥984

0.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥286

$1.99 ¥313

-9.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ¥467

$2.13 ¥336

38.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.68 ¥265

$0.93 ¥146

80.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.11 ¥5,533

$113 ¥17.8K

-68.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 ¥640

$4.10 ¥646

-0.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥594

$2.91 ¥458

29.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.85 ¥2,025

$19.65 ¥3,097

-34.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥197

$1.15 ¥181

8.70%

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

$23.2K ¥3.7M

$23.2K ¥3.6M

0.19%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$20.4K ¥3.2M

-16.80%

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

$176 ¥27.7K

$215 ¥33.9K

-18.22%

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

$27.21 ¥4,287

$27.15 ¥4,278

0.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.15 ¥5,066

$35.72 ¥5,629

-9.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ¥8,252

$55.6 ¥8,759

-5.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.11 ¥1,120

$13.80 ¥2,175

-48.48%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 ¥1,990

$14.13 ¥2,227

-10.62%

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

$346 ¥54.6K

$259 ¥40.9K

33.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.1M

0.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.92 ¥7,709

$43.40 ¥6,839

12.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.26 ¥4,610

$29.96 ¥4,720

-2.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.5K

$66.6 ¥10.5K

9.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 ¥14.3K

$60.1 ¥9,463

50.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 ¥71.4K

$309 ¥48.7K

46.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥63.0K

$208 ¥32.7K

92.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 ¥151.3K

$857 ¥135.1K

12.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥116.1K

$659 ¥103.8K

11.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,685 ¥1.4M

$4,346 ¥684.8K

99.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,206 ¥190.1K

$2,051 ¥323.2K

-41.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,744 ¥274.8K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Nagasaki: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $453 in Okinawa and $309 in Nagasaki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Okinawa vs $21.00 in Nagasaki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $276 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 $2,141 in Okinawa and $1,778 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: $453 in Okinawa versus $309 in Nagasaki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% 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 $42.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,185 in Nagasaki versus $1,428 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.