Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Sagamihara

For one person, living is cheaper in Sagamihara: $1,228 a month against $1,388 in Okinawa, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Okinawa, Japan
Sagamihara, Japan
Okinawa
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,388
/mo nomad
Sagamihara
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,228
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Okinawa and in Sagamihara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Okinawa and in Sagamihara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,388 per month in Okinawa vs $1,228 in Sagamihara, rent included.

  • Okinawa $1,388
  • Sagamihara $1,228

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Okinawa vs $2,005 in Sagamihara, rent included.

  • Okinawa $2,184
  • Sagamihara $2,005

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Okinawa vs $2,783 in Sagamihara, rent included.

  • Okinawa $2,980
  • Sagamihara $2,783

Okinawa costs about 13% more than Sagamihara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Okinawa sits 2% above the global median, while Sagamihara is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Okinawa
Sagamihara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.12 ¥1,598
$8.50 ¥1,342
19.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.24 ¥6,355
$31.84 ¥5,029
26.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.04 ¥1,112
$5.16 ¥815
36.43%
Cappuccino
$4.11 ¥649
$2.59 ¥410
58.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 ¥221
$1.26 ¥199
11.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 ¥145
$0.90 ¥143
2.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.51 ¥396
$3.13 ¥495
-19.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.27 ¥832
$3.21 ¥507
64.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Okinawa
Sagamihara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 ¥249
$0.94 ¥148
68.09%
White Bread (500g)
$2.05 ¥324
$0.64 ¥101
220.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.76 ¥594
$4.12 ¥651
-8.74%
Eggs
$1.84 ¥290
$1.87 ¥295
-1.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.99 ¥2,842
$15.93 ¥2,516
12.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.79 ¥757
$6.79 ¥1,072
-29.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.45 ¥3,546
$17.23 ¥2,721
30.30%
Apples (1kg)
$3.81 ¥602
$2.27 ¥359
67.84%
Banana (1kg)
$2.62 ¥413
$1.56 ¥246
67.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.20 ¥347
$5.09 ¥803
-56.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.26 ¥831
$7.87 ¥1,242
-33.16%
Potato (1kg)
$2.39 ¥377
$3.91 ¥618
-38.87%
Onion (1kg)
$2.56 ¥404
$4.76 ¥751
-46.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 ¥201
$1.13 ¥178
13.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ¥122
$0.46 ¥72.5
67.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90 ¥617
$3.98 ¥628
-2.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.40 ¥1,011
$9.74 ¥1,539
-34.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.95 ¥308
$2.62 ¥413
-25.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34 ¥528
$2.15 ¥340
55.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Okinawa
Sagamihara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.44 ¥227
$1.41 ¥222
2.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.1 ¥10.3K
$61.3 ¥9,687
6.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.82 ¥603
$3.26 ¥515
17.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.54 ¥559
$2.83 ¥448
25.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.23 ¥1,773
$16.00 ¥2,526
-29.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ¥175
$1.12 ¥176
-0.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K ¥3.3M
$22.0K ¥3.5M
-5.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.5K ¥2.5M
$15.1K ¥2.4M
3.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Okinawa
Sagamihara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$163 ¥25.7K
$116 ¥18.3K
40.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.35 ¥4,004
$23.59 ¥3,726
7.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.1 ¥8,382
$30.85 ¥4,872
72.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Okinawa
Sagamihara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.0 ¥11.5K
$47.70 ¥7,534
53.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$54.9 ¥8,673
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.98 ¥1,893
$12.65 ¥1,998
-5.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Okinawa
Sagamihara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$327 ¥51.7K
$681 ¥107.6K
-51.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,668 ¥895.1K
$14.8K ¥2.3M
-61.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Okinawa
Sagamihara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.88 ¥7,720
$49.89 ¥7,879
-2.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.35 ¥3,688
$36.43 ¥5,753
-35.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.2 ¥12.8K
$61.4 ¥9,703
32.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.7 ¥15.1K
$97.4 ¥15.4K
-1.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Okinawa
Sagamihara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$411 ¥65.0K
$614 ¥97.0K
-33.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$332 ¥52.4K
$322 ¥50.9K
3.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$852 ¥134.6K
$1,137 ¥179.5K
-25.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$678 ¥107.1K
$824 ¥130.1K
-17.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,422 ¥1.3M
$4,239 ¥669.5K
98.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,185 ¥187.1K
$2,512 ¥396.7K
-52.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Okinawa
Sagamihara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,798 ¥283.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.23
2.02
10.40%

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

Last update for Okinawa: October 26, 2026

Last update for Sagamihara: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Okinawa
$332
Sagamihara
$322 2.9% $9.7
Groceries & Markets
Okinawa
$330
Sagamihara
$322 2.4% $8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Okinawa
$241
Sagamihara
$171 29.3% $71
Eating Out
Okinawa
$184
Sagamihara
$145 20.9% $38
Clothing & Footwear
Okinawa
$112
Sagamihara
$110 1.6% $1.8
Sport & Entertainment
Okinawa
$97
Sagamihara
$73 24.7% $24
Getting Around
Okinawa
$92
Sagamihara
$84 8.6% $8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Okinawa versus $614 in Sagamihara. 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 $40 in Okinawa versus $32 in Sagamihara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $330 vs $322 – making Sagamihara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Okinawa
🇯🇵 Sagamihara
🕒 Local time
02:33 2:33 AM
02:33 2:33 AM
Same time as Okinawa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
142,752
725,493
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Okinawa Sagamihara 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Okinawa
  • Sagamihara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sagamihara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sagamihara cheaper than Okinawa?
Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 13%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,082 per month in Okinawa and $1,841 in Sagamihara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Okinawa, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $411 there versus $614 in Sagamihara.
Is eating out cheaper in Okinawa or in Sagamihara?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in Okinawa and $32 in Sagamihara. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 6% less in Sagamihara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Okinawa or in Sagamihara?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,388 in Okinawa and $1,228 in Sagamihara. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Okinawa or in Sagamihara?
It depends on your priorities. Okinawa has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,228 in Sagamihara to $1,388 in Okinawa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Okinawa or Sagamihara?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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