Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Obihiro Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Obihiro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,427 per month in Okinawa vs $1,260 in Obihiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,228 per month in Okinawa vs $1,993 in Obihiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,030 per month in Okinawa vs $2,727 in Obihiro, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 13% more than Obihiro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 4% above the global median, while Obihiro is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,520

$8.07 ¥1,267

19.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,331

$32.31 ¥5,072

24.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,089

$5.14 ¥807

35.02%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥657

$3.12 ¥489

33.97%

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

$1.47 ¥231

$1.09 ¥172

34.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥159

$1.58 ¥248

-36.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥315

$2.54 ¥399

-21.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥701

$3.08 ¥484

44.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥250

$1.47 ¥230

8.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥346

$1.59 ¥249

38.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥624

$4.26 ¥668

-6.57%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥284

$2.13 ¥334

-15.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,824

$11.14 ¥1,749

61.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥793

$5.92 ¥930

-14.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,596

$16.60 ¥2,606

37.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥586

$5.74 ¥902

-35.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥436

$2.70 ¥424

2.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥361

$3.37 ¥530

-31.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥827

$4.07 ¥639

29.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥384

$2.17 ¥341

12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥396

$2.47 ¥387

2.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥213

$1.32 ¥206

2.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥121

$0.81 ¥127

-4.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥618

$3.96 ¥621

-0.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,021

$6.38 ¥1,001

2.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥308

$2.14 ¥337

-8.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥542

$2.20 ¥345

56.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥230

$1.56 ¥244

-6.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.7K

$57.9 ¥9,094

17.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥618

$2.87 ¥451

37.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥563

$2.95 ¥463

21.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,864

$22.75 ¥3,572

-47.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥178

$0.96 ¥150

17.71%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$19.1K ¥3.0M

14.61%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$14.6K ¥2.3M

5.37%

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

$165 ¥25.9K

$135 ¥21.2K

22.33%

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

$25.69 ¥4,034

$24.89 ¥3,908

3.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,604

$32.20 ¥5,056

70.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$59.3 ¥9,313

24.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,869

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,963

$11.40 ¥1,791

9.65%

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

$345 ¥54.2K

$567 ¥89.0K

-39.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥914.8K

$14.8K ¥2.3M

-60.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,113

$52.0 ¥8,162

-0.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,786

$32.88 ¥5,163

-26.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$62.6 ¥9,823

29.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.1K

$93.4 ¥14.7K

2.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.6K

$504 ¥79.2K

-18.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥52.1K

$340 ¥53.4K

-2.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥135.5K

$1,070 ¥168.1K

-19.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.9K

$652 ¥102.4K

6.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$3,339 ¥524.3K

160.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥188.5K

$1,617 ¥253.9K

-25.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥292.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

2.09

6.70%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Obihiro: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Okinawa versus $504 in Obihiro. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Okinawa versus $32.00 in Obihiro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $302 – making Obihiro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Obihiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,427 in Okinawa, $1,260 in Obihiro – roughly 13% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,140 per month in Okinawa and $1,890 in Obihiro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 11% more in Okinawa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Okinawa and $32.00 in Obihiro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Obihiro, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Okinawa at $1,427. In Obihiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Obihiro – 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 Obihiro. 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.