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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,437 per month in Okinawa vs $1,249 in Obihiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,214 per month in Okinawa vs $1,966 in Obihiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,992 per month in Okinawa vs $2,682 in Obihiro, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 15% more than Obihiro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 8% above the global median, while Obihiro is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$7.86 ¥1,276

4.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$34.61 ¥5,624

21.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$5.81 ¥945

2.93%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$3.06 ¥497

9.15%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$1.05 ¥171

25.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.74 ¥121

25.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$2.57 ¥417

36.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$3.20 ¥519

53.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.56 ¥254

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.48 ¥240

60.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$3.77 ¥613

29.18%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$2.29 ¥372

-12.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$12.01 ¥1,951

36.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$6.50 ¥1,056

66.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$15.35 ¥2,495

72.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$5.44 ¥884

-6.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$2.56 ¥416

1.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$3.92 ¥637

-20.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$6.02 ¥978

-6.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$3.11 ¥506

12.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$2.58 ¥419

12.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.52 ¥248

4.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.88 ¥144

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$4.15 ¥674

18.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$7.44 ¥1,209

-18.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$1.85 ¥300

-6.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.22 ¥361

31.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.61 ¥262

1.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$54.8 ¥8,895

-36.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.57 ¥580

15.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$3.01 ¥488

20.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$20.49 ¥3,330

-38.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.24 ¥201

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$23.2K ¥3.8M

0.78%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$17.4K ¥2.8M

-4.18%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$169 ¥27.5K

2.34%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$27.51 ¥4,470

-0.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$43.64 ¥7,091

-27.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$55.1 ¥8,944

-2.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$13.73 ¥2,230

-48.73%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$12.27 ¥1,994

1.47%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$283 ¥45.9K

22.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

-2.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$27.40 ¥4,452

74.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$29.56 ¥4,803

-1.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$59.9 ¥9,734

22.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$92.7 ¥15.1K

-1.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$443 ¥71.9K

0.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$309 ¥50.2K

29.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$877 ¥142.4K

7.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$649 ¥105.4K

15.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$4,848 ¥787.7K

77.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$1,841 ¥299.1K

-33.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Obihiro: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Okinawa versus $443 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 $42.00 in Okinawa versus $35.00 in Obihiro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $317 – 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: $1,437 in Okinawa, $1,249 in Obihiro – roughly 15% apart. Okinawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,155 per month in Okinawa and $1,873 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 24% 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 $42.00 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 $1,249, than in Okinawa at $1,437. 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.