Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,437 per month in Okinawa vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,214 per month in Okinawa vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,992 per month in Okinawa vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 15% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 8% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$4.55 ฿153

79.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$46.18 ฿1,553

-9.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$8.84 ฿297

-32.35%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$3.06 ฿103

9.15%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$0.73 ฿24.40

80.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.40 ฿13.39

132.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$2.43 ฿81.8

44.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$3.78 ฿127

29.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$2.26 ฿76.0

-13.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.81 ฿60.9

30.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$2.25 ฿75.8

116.44%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$2.25 ฿75.5

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$19.51 ฿656

-15.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$3.65 ฿123

196.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$13.05 ฿439

102.91%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$3.23 ฿109

56.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$1.62 ฿54.4

59.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$2.38 ฿80.1

31.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$2.03 ฿68.1

177.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$1.53 ฿51.6

128.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$1.50 ฿50.5

92.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$0.98 ฿32.91

62.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.52 ฿17.39

69.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$4.44 ฿149

10.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$18.32 ฿616

-66.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$1.86 ฿62.7

-6.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.68 ฿90.1

8.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.41 ฿47.46

15.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$11.70 ฿393

198.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.11 ฿105

32.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$1.04 ฿35.06

248.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$14.11 ฿474

-10.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.31 ฿44.10

-5.34%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-16.06%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-49.74%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$122 ฿4,118

41.58%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$13.59 ฿457

100.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$18.70 ฿629

69.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$60.5 ฿2,034

-11.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$16.98 ฿571

-58.54%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$9.07 ฿305

37.27%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$706 ฿23.8K

-51.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-16.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$58.6 ฿1,969

-18.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$35.36 ฿1,189

-17.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$115 ฿3,883

-36.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$83.7 ฿2,816

8.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$626 ฿21.0K

-28.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$445 ฿15.0K

-10.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-53.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-49.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$3,483 ฿117.1K

146.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-52.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

$500 ฿16.8K

253.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-62.48%

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

Last update for Okinawa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Okinawa versus $626 in Phuket. 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 254% 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 $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $395 in Okinawa vs $289 in Phuket – so Phuket wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 15%, 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 $2,155 per month in Okinawa and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, 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 $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,437 in Okinawa and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Okinawa at $1,437. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – 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 Phuket. 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.