Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Nishinomiya Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Nishinomiya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,385 per month in Okinawa vs $1,237 in Nishinomiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,168 per month in Okinawa vs $1,938 in Nishinomiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,950 per month in Okinawa vs $2,640 in Nishinomiya, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 12% more than Nishinomiya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Okinawa sits 1% above the global median, while Nishinomiya is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,589

$8.54 ¥1,333

19.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.19 ¥6,278

$31.27 ¥4,885

28.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 ¥1,090

$4.90 ¥766

42.45%

Cappuccino

$4.17 ¥651

$2.42 ¥377

72.31%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.22 ¥191

20.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥146

$0.72 ¥113

29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ¥319

$2.71 ¥424

-24.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ¥675

$3.10 ¥485

39.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥242

$1.48 ¥231

4.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 ¥332

$1.51 ¥236

40.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 ¥588

$5.19 ¥810

-27.55%

Eggs

$1.76 ¥275

$2.11 ¥330

-16.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.00 ¥2,812

$9.40 ¥1,469

91.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 ¥747

$9.50 ¥1,484

-49.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.13 ¥3,457

$18.29 ¥2,858

21.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥572

$4.90 ¥765

-25.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 ¥415

$1.91 ¥298

39.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ¥334

$3.07 ¥480

-30.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 ¥811

$6.23 ¥973

-16.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 ¥371

$1.54 ¥241

54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 ¥398

$2.43 ¥380

4.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$1.26 ¥197

2.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥122

$0.83 ¥130

-6.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥601

$3.87 ¥604

-0.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 ¥973

$9.66 ¥1,509

-35.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ¥305

$2.36 ¥368

-17.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ¥494

$2.13 ¥333

48.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.49 ¥232

-4.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 ¥10.1K

$48.37 ¥7,556

33.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 ¥583

$3.08 ¥482

21.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.48 ¥544

$2.88 ¥450

20.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.36 ¥1,774

$15.79 ¥2,467

-28.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ¥164

$1.10 ¥172

-4.55%

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

$20.7K ¥3.2M

$21.6K ¥3.4M

-4.21%

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

$14.8K ¥2.3M

$15.0K ¥2.4M

-1.70%

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

$158 ¥24.8K

$117 ¥18.2K

35.65%

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

$25.07 ¥3,916

$23.45 ¥3,663

6.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 ¥8,309

$30.12 ¥4,705

76.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.8 ¥11.2K

$63.4 ¥9,905

13.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.2 ¥8,461

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 ¥1,889

$11.48 ¥1,794

5.31%

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

$324 ¥50.6K

$501 ¥78.2K

-35.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 ¥861.6K

$12.7K ¥2.0M

-56.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.91 ¥7,797

$44.28 ¥6,918

12.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.70 ¥3,546

$30.37 ¥4,744

-25.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 ¥12.3K

$60.3 ¥9,420

31.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ¥14.8K

$90.5 ¥14.1K

4.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ¥62.2K

$435 ¥67.9K

-8.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 ¥49.6K

$297 ¥46.4K

6.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 ¥129.3K

$909 ¥142.0K

-8.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 ¥102.0K

$783 ¥122.3K

-16.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,509 ¥1.3M

$4,053 ¥633.2K

109.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,199 ¥187.2K

$1,818 ¥284.0K

-34.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,819 ¥284.2K

$1,966 ¥307.1K

-7.46%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nishinomiya: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $398 in Okinawa versus $435 in Nishinomiya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Nishinomiya, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Okinawa versus $31.00 in Nishinomiya. Groceries tell a different story – $327 in Okinawa vs $329 in Nishinomiya – so Okinawa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Nishinomiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,077 per month in Okinawa and $1,855 in Nishinomiya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nishinomiya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Okinawa and $31.00 in Nishinomiya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,385 in Okinawa and $1,237 in Nishinomiya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nishinomiya, where all-in costs run around $1,237, than in Okinawa at $1,385. In Nishinomiya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nishinomiya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Nishinomiya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Okinawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.