Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Saitama Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Saitama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,428 per month in Okinawa vs $1,149 in Saitama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,217 per month in Okinawa vs $1,859 in Saitama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,007 per month in Okinawa vs $2,569 in Saitama, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 24% more than Saitama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 7% above the global median, while Saitama is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 ¥1,335

$5.99 ¥944

41.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.01 ¥6,620

$34.48 ¥5,433

21.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 ¥921

$4.90 ¥772

19.18%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥525

$3.21 ¥506

3.74%

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

$1.35 ¥213

$0.71 ¥111

90.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥136

$0.74 ¥117

16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 ¥560

$2.14 ¥337

66.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 ¥754

$3.06 ¥483

56.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥298

$1.56 ¥246

21.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ¥355

$1.73 ¥273

30.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.60 ¥725

$2.94 ¥464

56.46%

Eggs

$2.04 ¥322

$2.20 ¥346

-7.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ¥2,592

$10.14 ¥1,597

62.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.24 ¥1,771

$5.87 ¥925

91.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.66 ¥4,200

$15.51 ¥2,444

71.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 ¥791

$6.12 ¥964

-17.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 ¥423

$1.34 ¥212

100.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 ¥482

$3.90 ¥615

-21.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.76 ¥907

$5.93 ¥935

-2.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.53 ¥556

$3.27 ¥515

7.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 ¥437

$1.71 ¥269

61.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 ¥240

$1.38 ¥217

10.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥138

$0.89 ¥140

-1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.76 ¥749

$4.05 ¥638

17.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.27 ¥989

$7.96 ¥1,254

-21.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥286

$1.84 ¥289

-1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ¥467

$2.02 ¥318

46.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.68 ¥265

$1.64 ¥258

2.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.11 ¥5,533

$54.4 ¥8,565

-35.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 ¥640

$3.52 ¥555

15.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥594

$3.00 ¥472

25.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.85 ¥2,025

$21.78 ¥3,431

-41.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥197

$1.19 ¥187

5.04%

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

$23.2K ¥3.7M

$22.9K ¥3.6M

1.35%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$18.6K ¥2.9M

-8.68%

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

$176 ¥27.7K

$143 ¥22.5K

23.23%

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

$27.21 ¥4,287

$19.39 ¥3,056

40.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.15 ¥5,066

$34.60 ¥5,451

-7.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ¥8,252

$69.2 ¥10.9K

-24.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.11 ¥1,120

$14.08 ¥2,219

-49.50%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 ¥1,990

$12.16 ¥1,916

3.87%

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

$346 ¥54.6K

$279 ¥44.0K

24.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.1M

$14.1K ¥2.2M

-4.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.92 ¥7,709

$37.51 ¥5,910

30.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.26 ¥4,610

$27.51 ¥4,335

6.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.5K

$59.0 ¥9,303

23.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 ¥14.3K

$69.2 ¥10.9K

30.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 ¥71.4K

$440 ¥69.3K

2.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥63.0K

$251 ¥39.5K

59.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 ¥151.3K

$850 ¥133.9K

13.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥116.1K

$667 ¥105.1K

10.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,685 ¥1.4M

$3,808 ¥600.0K

128.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,206 ¥190.1K

$2,174 ¥342.6K

-44.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,744 ¥274.8K

$1,475 ¥232.4K

18.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.86

7.53%

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

Last update for Okinawa: July 28, 2026

Last update for Saitama: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $453 in Okinawa versus $440 in Saitama. 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 18% 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 $34.00 in Saitama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $302 – making Saitama 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 Saitama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 24%, 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 $2,141 per month in Okinawa and $1,724 in Saitama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saitama, 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 $34.00 in Saitama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,428 in Okinawa and $1,149 in Saitama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saitama, where all-in costs run around $1,149, than in Okinawa at $1,428. In Saitama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saitama – 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 Saitama. 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.