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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,216 in Otsu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $1,935 in Otsu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $2,655 in Otsu, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 18% more than Otsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 7% above the global median, while Otsu is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$8.09 ¥1,293

5.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$34.07 ¥5,450

21.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$5.64 ¥903

8.51%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.09 ¥495

7.12%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$0.92 ¥147

43.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.72 ¥115

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$3.52 ¥563

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$3.19 ¥510

50.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.69 ¥270

10.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.72 ¥274

33.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$3.09 ¥495

56.31%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.35 ¥376

-14.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$9.61 ¥1,537

69.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$7.75 ¥1,239

43.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$15.18 ¥2,428

77.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$5.40 ¥865

-2.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$2.60 ¥416

0.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$4.96 ¥793

-38.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$3.95 ¥632

43.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$1.66 ¥265

122.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$2.36 ¥378

22.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.23 ¥197

30.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$1.01 ¥161

-6.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$4.04 ¥646

19.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$7.31 ¥1,169

-16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.80 ¥288

-4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.39 ¥382

20.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.61 ¥258

3.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$55.1 ¥8,818

-36.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.49 ¥557

20.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$2.89 ¥462

30.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$17.62 ¥2,819

-27.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.22 ¥196

-1.64%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

0.07%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$17.1K ¥2.7M

-0.46%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$113 ¥18.1K

53.10%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$26.63 ¥4,260

4.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$33.27 ¥5,322

-2.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$56.5 ¥9,036

-5.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$14.04 ¥2,246

-51.85%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$12.45 ¥1,992

1.20%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$374 ¥59.9K

-7.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$7,274 ¥1.2M

85.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$46.68 ¥7,466

4.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$31.44 ¥5,028

-6.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$55.4 ¥8,859

31.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$92.4 ¥14.8K

0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$467 ¥74.7K

-6.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$325 ¥52.1K

21.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$877 ¥140.3K

7.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$651 ¥104.2K

15.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$4,879 ¥780.4K

75.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$2,196 ¥351.2K

-45.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Otsu: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $467 in Otsu. 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 $41.00 in Okinawa versus $34.00 in Otsu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $306 – 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 18%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,145 per month in Okinawa and $1,823 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 $41.00 in Okinawa and $34.00 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 $1,430 in Okinawa and $1,216 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 $1,216, than in Okinawa at $1,430. 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.