Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Oita Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Oita

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,430 in Okinawa versus $1,147 in Oita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,196 in Okinawa versus $1,739 in Oita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,961 in Okinawa versus $2,330 in Oita.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 25% more expensive than Oita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 7% above, Oita is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$5.43 ¥868

57.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$41.03 ¥6,563

0.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$6.13 ¥980

-0.16%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$2.07 ¥330

59.90%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.08 ¥173

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.68 ¥108

26.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$3.40 ¥544

2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$3.20 ¥512

50.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.31 ¥210

42.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.34 ¥215

71.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$4.08 ¥653

18.38%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.51 ¥401

-19.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$5.91 ¥945

176.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$6.11 ¥978

82.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$11.37 ¥1,819

137.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$5.38 ¥860

-2.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$5.00 ¥800

-47.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$5.19 ¥830

-41.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$2.28 ¥365

147.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$1.37 ¥219

169.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$1.42 ¥228

104.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.18 ¥189

35.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.76 ¥121

23.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$3.96 ¥634

21.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$6.35 ¥1,016

-3.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$2.00 ¥320

-14.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.12 ¥339

36.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.27 ¥204

31.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$34.59 ¥5,533

1.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.55 ¥568

18.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$1.96 ¥314

92.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$19.67 ¥3,147

-35.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.22 ¥195

-1.64%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-3.44%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$14.6K ¥2.3M

16.26%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$83.2 ¥13.3K

107.98%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$26.80 ¥4,287

3.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$22.56 ¥3,608

44.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$57.7 ¥9,232

-7.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$6.88 ¥1,100

-1.74%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$10.34 ¥1,654

21.86%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$424 ¥67.9K

-18.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

-0.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$39.51 ¥6,320

23.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$28.90 ¥4,622

1.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$67.2 ¥10.7K

8.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$94.0 ¥15.0K

-0.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$455 ¥72.8K

-3.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$373 ¥59.6K

5.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$765 ¥122.3K

23.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$549 ¥87.8K

36.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$3,984 ¥637.2K

114.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$2,048 ¥327.6K

-42.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

$1,272 ¥203.5K

1.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.5

33.33%

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

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Oita: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Okinawa and $455 in Oita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 2% 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: $41.00 in Okinawa vs $41.00 in Oita. Groceries flip the comparison at $398 vs $272, with Oita cheaper for home cooking.

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 Oita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oita wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Okinawa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oita the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Okinawa pays 2% more on average, 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: $437 in Okinawa versus $455 in Oita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $347 in Okinawa versus $424 in Oita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,147 in Oita versus $1,430 in Okinawa, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Oita but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Oita 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 Oita 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 Oita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.