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: $1,385 in Okinawa versus $968 in Oita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,168 in Okinawa versus $1,610 in Oita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,950 in Okinawa versus $2,253 in Oita.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 43% more expensive than in Oita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 1% above, Oita is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,589

$4.96 ¥775

105.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.19 ¥6,278

$42.11 ¥6,579

-4.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 ¥1,090

$5.74 ¥896

21.60%

Cappuccino

$4.17 ¥651

$1.94 ¥302

114.95%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.06 ¥166

38.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥146

$0.61 ¥95.8

52.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ¥319

$3.20 ¥500

-36.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ¥675

$2.14 ¥335

101.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥242

$1.32 ¥206

17.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 ¥332

$1.24 ¥194

70.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 ¥588

$6.22 ¥972

-39.55%

Eggs

$1.76 ¥275

$2.19 ¥342

-19.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.00 ¥2,812

$3.05 ¥477

490.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 ¥747

$5.46 ¥853

-12.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.13 ¥3,457

$12.55 ¥1,960

76.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥572

$2.19 ¥342

67.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 ¥415

$1.27 ¥198

109.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ¥334

$1.58 ¥247

35.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 ¥811

$2.00 ¥312

159.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 ¥371

$1.24 ¥194

91.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 ¥398

$1.28 ¥200

99.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$0.91 ¥142

41.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥122

$0.98 ¥153

-20.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥601

$3.80 ¥594

1.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 ¥973

$6.27 ¥980

-0.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ¥305

$1.58 ¥246

23.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ¥494

$1.88 ¥293

68.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.48 ¥231

-3.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 ¥10.1K

$55.6 ¥8,682

16.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 ¥583

$4.02 ¥627

-7.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.48 ¥544

$2.02 ¥315

72.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.36 ¥1,774

$17.55 ¥2,742

-35.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ¥164

$1.10 ¥172

-4.55%

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

$20.7K ¥3.2M

$21.2K ¥3.3M

-2.62%

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

$14.8K ¥2.3M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

-13.05%

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

$158 ¥24.8K

$49.78 ¥7,776

218.30%

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

$25.07 ¥3,916

$25.01 ¥3,908

0.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 ¥8,309

$32.56 ¥5,086

63.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.8 ¥11.2K

$49.61 ¥7,750

44.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.2 ¥8,461

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 ¥1,889

$9.50 ¥1,485

27.26%

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

$324 ¥50.6K

$123 ¥19.3K

162.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 ¥861.6K

$12.1K ¥1.9M

-54.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.91 ¥7,797

$37.43 ¥5,848

33.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.70 ¥3,546

$23.59 ¥3,685

-3.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 ¥12.3K

$59.4 ¥9,275

33.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ¥14.8K

$46.28 ¥7,230

105.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ¥62.2K

$468 ¥73.0K

-14.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 ¥49.6K

$320 ¥50.0K

-0.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 ¥129.3K

$1,076 ¥168.1K

-23.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 ¥102.0K

$717 ¥112.0K

-8.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,509 ¥1.3M

$4,407 ¥688.4K

93.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,199 ¥187.2K

$1,908 ¥298.1K

-37.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,819 ¥284.2K

$992 ¥154.9K

83.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

1.97

13.20%

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

Last update for Okinawa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Oita: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $398 in Okinawa and $468 in Oita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 83% 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: $40.00 in Okinawa vs $42.00 in Oita. Groceries flip the comparison at $327 vs $214, 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 43% 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 83% 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: $398 in Okinawa versus $468 in Oita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $324 in Okinawa versus $123 in Oita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $968 in Oita versus $1,385 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 43% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.