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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 13% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 7% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$4.70 ฿154

82.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$45.37 ฿1,483

-8.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$8.43 ฿276

-27.40%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$2.93 ฿95.7

12.97%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$0.69 ฿22.42

91.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.37 ฿12.00

132.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.41 ฿78.7

44.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$3.72 ฿122

29.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$2.23 ฿73.0

-16.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.83 ฿59.9

25.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$2.17 ฿70.9

122.58%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.21 ฿72.4

-9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$19.74 ฿645

-17.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$3.63 ฿119

206.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$13.53 ฿442

99.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$3.28 ฿107

60.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$1.61 ฿52.7

62.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$2.41 ฿78.7

25.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$2.08 ฿68.1

171.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$1.53 ฿49.97

141.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$1.48 ฿48.41

95.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$0.99 ฿32.32

61.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.51 ฿16.68

84.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$4.41 ฿144

9.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$19.38 ฿634

-68.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.78 ฿58.1

-3.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.71 ฿88.7

6.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.37 ฿44.83

21.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$11.39 ฿372

209.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.02 ฿98.7

38.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$0.99 ฿32.51

280.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$14.10 ฿461

-9.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.36 ฿44.55

-11.76%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$28.2K ฿921.9K

-19.17%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-48.40%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$122 ฿3,978

42.12%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$13.57 ฿444

104.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$18.31 ฿599

77.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$60.2 ฿1,969

-11.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$17.14 ฿560

-60.56%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$8.69 ฿284

44.99%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$693 ฿22.7K

-49.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-13.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$59.5 ฿1,946

-17.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$34.77 ฿1,137

-15.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$115 ฿3,746

-36.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$83.3 ฿2,723

11.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$613 ฿20.0K

-28.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$437 ฿14.3K

-9.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$2,094 ฿68.5K

-54.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-50.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$3,749 ฿122.6K

127.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$2,616 ฿85.5K

-54.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

$508 ฿16.6K

154.21%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $613 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 154% 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 $41.00 in Okinawa versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $398 in Okinawa vs $293 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 13%, 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 $1,898 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 $41.00 in Okinawa and $45.00 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 $1,430 in Okinawa and $1,265 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 $1,265, than in Okinawa at $1,430. 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.