Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Otsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Otsu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,436 per month in Okinawa vs $1,353 in Otsu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,236 per month in Okinawa vs $1,946 in Otsu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,037 per month in Okinawa vs $2,539 in Otsu, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 6% more than Otsu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Okinawa sits 4% above the global median, while Otsu is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,562

$8.97 ¥1,378

13.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.22 ¥6,483

$32.16 ¥4,939

31.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 ¥1,113

$5.06 ¥777

43.28%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ¥644

$3.18 ¥489

32.08%

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

$1.52 ¥233

$1.27 ¥194

19.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ¥149

$0.85 ¥131

14.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ¥324

$3.18 ¥488

-33.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 ¥709

$4.61 ¥707

0.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ¥256

$1.55 ¥237

7.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 ¥322

$1.58 ¥242

32.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.00 ¥615

$4.55 ¥699

-12.09%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥288

$2.29 ¥351

-18.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 ¥2,815

$16.29 ¥2,501

12.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 ¥781

$6.63 ¥1,018

-23.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.99 ¥3,531

$17.39 ¥2,670

32.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 ¥577

$5.07 ¥778

-25.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 ¥412

$2.64 ¥405

1.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ¥349

$5.07 ¥779

-55.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 ¥827

$4.42 ¥678

21.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 ¥391

$2.23 ¥342

14.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥388

$1.91 ¥293

32.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥205

$1.17 ¥180

14.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥125

$0.90 ¥139

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥612

$4.00 ¥613

-0.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.33 ¥972

$9.71 ¥1,491

-34.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ¥309

$2.13 ¥327

-5.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 ¥527

$2.22 ¥341

54.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 ¥232

$1.52 ¥233

-0.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.4K

$60.8 ¥9,332

11.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 ¥582

$3.26 ¥501

16.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.47 ¥532

$2.97 ¥456

16.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.86 ¥1,821

$28.77 ¥4,418

-58.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥175

$1.13 ¥174

0.88%

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

$21.7K ¥3.3M

$22.5K ¥3.5M

-3.62%

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

$15.5K ¥2.4M

$15.4K ¥2.4M

0.75%

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

$166 ¥25.5K

$120 ¥18.4K

38.54%

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

$25.25 ¥3,877

$24.17 ¥3,712

4.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 ¥8,344

$32.09 ¥4,927

69.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 ¥11.3K

$53.1 ¥8,159

38.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.5 ¥8,832

$9.90 ¥1,519

481.01%

Cinema Ticket

$12.27 ¥1,885

$12.86 ¥1,974

-4.59%

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

$346 ¥53.1K

$585 ¥89.9K

-40.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,652 ¥867.9K

$13.0K ¥2.0M

-56.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 ¥7,795

$56.8 ¥8,724

-10.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.35 ¥3,739

$36.65 ¥5,628

-33.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ¥12.9K

$69.7 ¥10.7K

20.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 ¥15.0K

$102 ¥15.7K

-4.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 ¥62.9K

$454 ¥69.8K

-9.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 ¥50.9K

$375 ¥57.6K

-11.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 ¥132.4K

$658 ¥101.0K

31.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 ¥107.2K

$480 ¥73.7K

45.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,819 ¥1.4M

$4,448 ¥683.0K

98.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,241 ¥190.5K

$2,019 ¥310.0K

-38.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,890 ¥290.2K

$1,871 ¥287.3K

0.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

2.1

6.19%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 5, 2026

Last update for Otsu: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $409 in Okinawa versus $454 in Otsu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Okinawa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Okinawa versus $32.00 in Otsu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $337 – making Otsu 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 Otsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,153 per month in Okinawa and $2,029 in Otsu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Otsu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Okinawa and $32.00 in Otsu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,436 in Okinawa and $1,353 in Otsu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Otsu, where all-in costs run around $1,353, than in Okinawa at $1,436. In Otsu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Otsu – 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 Otsu. 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.