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: $1,436 in Okinawa versus $1,383 in Nagoya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,236 in Okinawa versus $2,176 in Nagoya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,037 in Okinawa versus $2,970 in Nagoya.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 4% more expensive than in Nagoya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Okinawa 4% above, Nagoya 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,562

$8.81 ¥1,352

15.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.22 ¥6,483

$32.95 ¥5,059

28.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 ¥1,113

$5.06 ¥777

43.28%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ¥644

$2.50 ¥384

68.00%

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

$1.52 ¥233

$1.28 ¥197

18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ¥149

$0.89 ¥136

8.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ¥324

$3.26 ¥501

-35.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 ¥709

$3.32 ¥511

39.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ¥256

$1.54 ¥236

7.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 ¥322

$1.59 ¥245

32.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.00 ¥615

$4.37 ¥671

-8.47%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥288

$2.16 ¥331

-13.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 ¥2,815

$16.50 ¥2,534

11.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 ¥781

$7.07 ¥1,086

-28.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.99 ¥3,531

$17.70 ¥2,717

29.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 ¥577

$8.63 ¥1,325

-56.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 ¥412

$3.16 ¥486

-15.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ¥349

$5.09 ¥782

-55.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 ¥827

$7.89 ¥1,211

-31.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 ¥391

$4.20 ¥644

-39.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥388

$4.81 ¥738

-47.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥205

$1.20 ¥185

11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥125

$0.91 ¥140

-10.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥612

$4.08 ¥627

-2.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.33 ¥972

$9.88 ¥1,518

-35.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ¥309

$2.57 ¥395

-21.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 ¥527

$2.14 ¥329

60.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 ¥232

$1.53 ¥234

-1.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.4K

$93.4 ¥14.3K

-27.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 ¥582

$3.19 ¥489

18.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.47 ¥532

$2.87 ¥441

20.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.86 ¥1,821

$15.88 ¥2,438

-25.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥175

$1.08 ¥166

5.56%

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

$21.7K ¥3.3M

$22.1K ¥3.4M

-1.52%

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

$15.5K ¥2.4M

$15.8K ¥2.4M

-1.74%

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

$166 ¥25.5K

$119 ¥18.3K

39.32%

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

$25.25 ¥3,877

$24.14 ¥3,706

4.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 ¥8,344

$31.53 ¥4,841

72.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 ¥11.3K

$52.1 ¥7,998

41.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.5 ¥8,832

$14.28 ¥2,192

302.80%

Cinema Ticket

$12.27 ¥1,885

$11.59 ¥1,780

5.87%

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

$346 ¥53.1K

$597 ¥91.6K

-42.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,652 ¥867.9K

$15.3K ¥2.4M

-63.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 ¥7,795

$51.4 ¥7,892

-1.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.35 ¥3,739

$36.51 ¥5,607

-33.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ¥12.9K

$62.2 ¥9,553

35.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 ¥15.0K

$98.5 ¥15.1K

-0.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 ¥62.9K

$542 ¥83.2K

-24.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 ¥50.9K

$365 ¥56.1K

-9.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 ¥132.4K

$1,258 ¥193.2K

-31.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 ¥107.2K

$751 ¥115.2K

-6.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,819 ¥1.4M

$2,129 ¥326.9K

314.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,241 ¥190.5K

$1,052 ¥161.5K

17.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,890 ¥290.2K

$2,057 ¥315.8K

-8.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

1.66

34.34%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 5, 2026

Last update for Nagoya: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Okinawa and $542 in Nagoya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nagoya pays 9% 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 $33.00 in Nagoya. Groceries flip the comparison at $339 vs $392, with Okinawa cheaper for home cooking.

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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Nagoya. 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: $409 in Okinawa versus $542 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 38% less than in Okinawa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $346 in Okinawa versus $597 in Nagoya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,383 in Nagoya versus $1,436 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 4% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.