Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Nagoya Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Nagoya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,463 in Okinawa versus $1,389 in Nagoya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,234 in Okinawa versus $2,191 in Nagoya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,004 in Okinawa versus $2,994 in Nagoya.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 5% more expensive than Nagoya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Okinawa 10% above, Nagoya 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.50 ¥1,364

$6.89 ¥1,106

23.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.40 ¥6,802

$34.26 ¥5,495

23.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 ¥940

$5.44 ¥872

7.72%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ¥547

$3.07 ¥493

11.07%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.21 ¥195

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥148

$0.70 ¥112

31.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 ¥549

$2.05 ¥329

66.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 ¥767

$3.04 ¥488

57.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥301

$1.61 ¥258

16.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 ¥375

$1.72 ¥276

36.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 ¥751

$4.87 ¥782

-3.90%

Eggs

$2.11 ¥338

$2.21 ¥355

-4.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.36 ¥2,624

$10.13 ¥1,625

61.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.01 ¥1,766

$6.22 ¥997

77.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.29 ¥4,217

$15.15 ¥2,430

73.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.99 ¥800

$9.18 ¥1,472

-45.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 ¥431

$2.77 ¥444

-2.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥487

$4.05 ¥650

-25.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.76 ¥925

$5.94 ¥953

-3.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.59 ¥575

$3.82 ¥613

-6.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 ¥446

$2.68 ¥430

3.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 ¥247

$1.39 ¥223

10.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥142

$1.43 ¥229

-38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.97 ¥797

$3.38 ¥542

47.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ¥975

$9.51 ¥1,525

-36.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ¥289

$1.74 ¥279

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥460

$2.06 ¥330

39.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 ¥270

$1.68 ¥269

0.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.10 ¥5,630

$69.3 ¥11.1K

-49.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.14 ¥665

$3.44 ¥551

20.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥575

$2.96 ¥474

21.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.62 ¥2,024

$17.41 ¥2,793

-27.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥193

$1.24 ¥199

-3.23%

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

$23.4K ¥3.8M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

1.13%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

-0.58%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$143 ¥23.0K

20.50%

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

$27.81 ¥4,460

$27.19 ¥4,362

2.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.37 ¥5,192

$34.20 ¥5,486

-5.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 ¥8,330

$55.4 ¥8,880

-6.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.08 ¥1,136

$18.26 ¥2,929

-61.23%

Cinema Ticket

$12.67 ¥2,032

$12.27 ¥1,969

3.26%

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

$345 ¥55.4K

$464 ¥74.5K

-25.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.2M

$11.5K ¥1.8M

16.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.62 ¥7,640

$45.50 ¥7,299

4.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.93 ¥4,640

$29.00 ¥4,651

-0.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 ¥11.5K

$57.1 ¥9,162

26.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.9 ¥14.7K

$93.4 ¥15.0K

-1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 ¥72.6K

$594 ¥95.2K

-23.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ¥64.5K

$403 ¥64.7K

-0.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 ¥150.7K

$1,358 ¥217.8K

-30.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 ¥117.3K

$840 ¥134.7K

-12.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,521 ¥1.4M

$2,515 ¥403.4K

238.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,189 ¥190.8K

$1,116 ¥179.1K

6.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,791 ¥287.3K

$1,854 ¥297.4K

-3.37%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Nagoya: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $453 in Okinawa and $594 in Nagoya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nagoya pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Okinawa vs $34.00 in Nagoya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 vs $348 per month, with Nagoya 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 Nagoya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nagoya is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Nagoya earns 3% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $453 in Okinawa versus $594 in Nagoya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nagoya runs roughly 97% less than in Okinawa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $345 in Okinawa versus $464 in Nagoya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,389 in Nagoya versus $1,463 in Okinawa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nagoya but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Nagoya 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 Nagoya 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 Nagoya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.