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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,265 in Obihiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $1,978 in Obihiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $2,692 in Obihiro, rent included.

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

Okinawa sits 7% above the global median, while Obihiro is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,373

$7.76 ¥1,244

10.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,624

$35.11 ¥5,628

17.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥981

$5.67 ¥910

7.94%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥530

$3.20 ¥513

3.44%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.06 ¥171

24.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥138

$0.80 ¥128

7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥558

$2.66 ¥426

30.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥770

$3.05 ¥489

57.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.51 ¥241

23.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥368

$1.45 ¥232

58.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥774

$3.78 ¥606

27.78%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥322

$2.27 ¥364

-11.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,618

$12.37 ¥1,982

32.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,784

$6.39 ¥1,025

74.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,319

$15.41 ¥2,470

74.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥844

$5.38 ¥863

-2.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥419

$2.60 ¥417

0.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥486

$4.04 ¥647

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥905

$5.73 ¥918

-1.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥591

$3.02 ¥484

22.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥465

$2.59 ¥415

11.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥257

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.84 ¥134

11.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥772

$4.27 ¥684

12.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥980

$7.57 ¥1,213

-19.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.83 ¥293

-6.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥462

$2.25 ¥361

28.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.66 ¥267

0.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,654

$55.1 ¥8,826

-35.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥672

$3.43 ¥549

22.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥605

$2.90 ¥465

30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,041

$20.43 ¥3,275

-37.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.23 ¥197

-2.44%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-3.04%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

-0.16%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$165 ¥26.5K

4.51%

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

$27.72 ¥4,444

$27.30 ¥4,376

1.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,211

$44.12 ¥7,073

-26.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,566

$56.9 ¥9,116

-6.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,084

$13.84 ¥2,219

-51.16%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,020

$12.55 ¥2,012

0.40%

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

$347 ¥55.6K

$285 ¥45.7K

21.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$13.4K ¥2.1M

0.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,829

$28.15 ¥4,513

73.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,693

$29.76 ¥4,770

-1.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$59.3 ¥9,505

22.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$93.3 ¥14.9K

-0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥70.1K

$458 ¥73.5K

-4.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.2K

$311 ¥49.9K

26.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥151.3K

$852 ¥136.5K

10.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥120.2K

$653 ¥104.7K

14.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$4,717 ¥756.1K

81.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥190.2K

$2,444 ¥391.7K

-51.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥207.0K

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 1, 2026

Last update for Obihiro: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $458 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 $41.00 in Okinawa versus $35.00 in Obihiro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $316 – 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: $1,430 in Okinawa, $1,265 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 $2,145 per month in Okinawa and $1,897 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 26% 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 $41.00 in Okinawa and $35.00 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 $1,265, than in Okinawa at $1,430. 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.