Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Sagamihara Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Sagamihara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,372 in Sagamihara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $2,148 in Sagamihara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $2,924 in Sagamihara, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 4% more than Sagamihara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Okinawa and Sagamihara sit above the global median – Okinawa by 7%, Sagamihara by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$8.55 ¥1,368

0.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$35.14 ¥5,620

17.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$6.13 ¥981

-0.16%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.06 ¥489

8.17%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.15 ¥184

14.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.71 ¥113

21.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$3.47 ¥556

0.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$3.21 ¥513

49.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.63 ¥261

14.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.80 ¥288

27.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$4.88 ¥780

-1.02%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.43 ¥388

-17.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$17.19 ¥2,750

-5.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$7.69 ¥1,230

44.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$15.19 ¥2,429

77.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$9.09 ¥1,455

-42.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$2.82 ¥451

-7.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$4.92 ¥787

-38.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$9.83 ¥1,573

-42.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$3.88 ¥621

-4.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$2.60 ¥417

11.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.32 ¥211

21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$1.42 ¥227

-33.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$3.43 ¥549

40.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$9.30 ¥1,487

-34.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$2.79 ¥447

-38.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.30 ¥368

25.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.59 ¥255

5.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$56.3 ¥9,001

-37.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.37 ¥539

24.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$2.92 ¥467

29.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$17.06 ¥2,729

-25.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.18 ¥188

1.69%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

-0.93%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$17.1K ¥2.7M

-0.62%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$138 ¥22.1K

25.20%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$27.49 ¥4,398

0.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$33.85 ¥5,414

-3.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$55.1 ¥8,816

-3.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$13.93 ¥2,228

-51.47%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$12.35 ¥1,975

2.02%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$466 ¥74.5K

-25.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$11.2K ¥1.8M

21.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$46.03 ¥7,362

6.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$31.49 ¥5,037

-7.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$55.4 ¥8,861

31.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$91.9 ¥14.7K

1.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$471 ¥75.4K

-7.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$334 ¥53.5K

17.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$861 ¥137.8K

9.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$661 ¥105.8K

13.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$4,862 ¥777.7K

75.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$2,132 ¥341.0K

-44.32%

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 Sagamihara: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $471 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 $41.00 in Okinawa versus $35.00 in Sagamihara. Groceries tell a different story – $398 in Okinawa vs $407 in Sagamihara – so Okinawa 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 Sagamihara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $2,058 in Sagamihara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sagamihara, 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 $35.00 in Sagamihara. 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 $1,372 in Sagamihara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sagamihara, where all-in costs run around $1,372, than in Okinawa at $1,430. In Sagamihara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sagamihara – 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 Sagamihara. 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.