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: $1,437 in Okinawa versus $1,140 in Oita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,214 in Okinawa versus $1,739 in Oita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,992 in Okinawa versus $2,339 in Oita.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 26% more expensive than in Oita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 8% above, Oita is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$5.70 ¥926

43.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$41.49 ¥6,741

1.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$5.99 ¥973

-0.17%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$2.02 ¥328

65.35%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$1.09 ¥177

21.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.72 ¥116

29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$3.46 ¥562

1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$3.09 ¥502

58.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.27 ¥206

53.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.33 ¥216

78.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$4.12 ¥669

18.20%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$2.57 ¥418

-22.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$5.73 ¥931

186.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$6.09 ¥990

78.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$11.50 ¥1,869

130.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$5.36 ¥871

-5.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$4.95 ¥803

-47.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$5.30 ¥861

-40.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$2.27 ¥368

148.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$1.41 ¥229

148.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$1.41 ¥229

104.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.23 ¥201

29.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.81 ¥131

8.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$3.80 ¥617

29.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$6.12 ¥994

-0.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$2.05 ¥334

-15.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.10 ¥341

38.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.28 ¥207

27.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$34.22 ¥5,559

2.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.37 ¥547

21.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$1.97 ¥319

83.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$19.35 ¥3,144

-34.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.22 ¥197

1.64%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

1.22%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$14.5K ¥2.4M

14.82%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$81.2 ¥13.2K

113.59%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$27.71 ¥4,502

-1.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$22.15 ¥3,598

42.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$55.8 ¥9,060

-3.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$6.81 ¥1,107

3.38%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$10.21 ¥1,659

21.94%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$414 ¥67.2K

-16.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$13.4K ¥2.2M

-1.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$40.05 ¥6,506

19.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$29.65 ¥4,818

-1.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$67.1 ¥10.9K

9.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$93.2 ¥15.1K

-2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$470 ¥76.4K

-5.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$373 ¥60.5K

7.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$763 ¥124.0K

23.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$562 ¥91.3K

33.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$4,106 ¥667.1K

109.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$1,771 ¥287.8K

-31.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

$1,258 ¥204.5K

40.56%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Oita: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Okinawa and $470 in Oita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 41% 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: $42.00 in Okinawa vs $41.00 in Oita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $272 per month, with Oita cheaper across the board.

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 26% 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.

Average pay runs 41% higher in Okinawa, 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: $445 in Okinawa versus $470 in Oita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $346 in Okinawa versus $414 in Oita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,140 in Oita versus $1,437 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 26% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.