Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Nara Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Nara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,436 in Okinawa versus $1,274 in Nara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,236 in Okinawa versus $1,904 in Nara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,037 in Okinawa versus $2,535 in Nara.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 13% more expensive than in Nara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 4% above, Nara is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,562

$6.38 ¥979

59.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.22 ¥6,483

$32.05 ¥4,922

31.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 ¥1,113

$5.10 ¥784

42.16%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ¥644

$2.46 ¥377

70.73%

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

$1.52 ¥233

$1.28 ¥197

18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ¥149

$0.76 ¥117

27.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ¥324

$3.22 ¥494

-34.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 ¥709

$3.16 ¥486

46.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ¥256

$1.54 ¥237

7.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 ¥322

$1.32 ¥202

59.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.00 ¥615

$4.30 ¥660

-6.98%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥288

$2.24 ¥344

-16.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 ¥2,815

$10.05 ¥1,543

82.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 ¥781

$7.15 ¥1,097

-28.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.99 ¥3,531

$18.77 ¥2,882

22.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 ¥577

$3.48 ¥534

8.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 ¥412

$2.04 ¥314

31.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ¥349

$2.12 ¥326

7.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 ¥827

$4.22 ¥648

27.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 ¥391

$1.54 ¥237

65.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥388

$1.15 ¥176

120.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥205

$1.21 ¥186

10.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥125

$0.87 ¥133

-6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥612

$3.96 ¥609

0.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.33 ¥972

$9.74 ¥1,496

-35.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ¥309

$1.99 ¥306

1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 ¥527

$2.22 ¥342

54.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 ¥232

$1.58 ¥243

-4.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.4K

$73.8 ¥11.3K

-8.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 ¥582

$3.21 ¥493

18.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.47 ¥532

$2.84 ¥435

22.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.86 ¥1,821

$15.91 ¥2,442

-25.46%

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

$22.5K ¥3.5M

-3.41%

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

$117 ¥17.9K

42.30%

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

$25.25 ¥3,877

$25.23 ¥3,874

0.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 ¥8,344

$31.22 ¥4,794

74.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 ¥11.3K

$85.6 ¥13.1K

-14.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.5 ¥8,832

$7.72 ¥1,185

645.08%

Cinema Ticket

$12.27 ¥1,885

$12.23 ¥1,878

0.33%

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

$346 ¥53.1K

$521 ¥80.0K

-33.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,652 ¥867.9K

$13.2K ¥2.0M

-57.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 ¥7,795

$49.32 ¥7,573

2.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.35 ¥3,739

$31.12 ¥4,779

-21.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ¥12.9K

$61.1 ¥9,378

37.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 ¥15.0K

$91.7 ¥14.1K

6.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 ¥62.9K

$414 ¥63.6K

-1.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 ¥50.9K

$346 ¥53.1K

-4.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 ¥132.4K

$847 ¥130.1K

1.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 ¥107.2K

$553 ¥84.9K

26.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,819 ¥1.4M

$2,786 ¥427.7K

216.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,241 ¥190.5K

$2,019 ¥310.0K

-38.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,890 ¥290.2K

$1,139 ¥174.9K

65.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

2.01

10.95%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 5, 2026

Last update for Nara: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Okinawa and $414 in Nara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 66% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Okinawa vs $32.00 in Nara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $292 per month, with Nara 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 Nara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nara is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 66% higher in Okinawa, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $409 in Okinawa versus $414 in Nara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nara – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $42.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,436 per month in Okinawa versus $1,274 in Nara – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,274 in Nara versus $1,436 in Okinawa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nara but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Nara 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 Nara 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 Nara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.