Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Saitama

For one person, living is cheaper in Saitama: $1,017 a month against $1,388 in Okinawa, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

66

Cost of Living Index in Okinawa
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Okinawa Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Saitama
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Saitama Living Index

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Okinawa

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,388

/mo nomad

Saitama

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,017

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Okinawa and in Saitama

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 Saitama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,388 per month in Okinawa vs $1,017 in Saitama, rent included.

Okinawa $1,388
Saitama $1,017

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Okinawa vs $1,345 in Saitama, rent included.

Okinawa $2,184
Saitama $1,345

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Okinawa vs $1,673 in Saitama, rent included.

Okinawa $2,980
Saitama $1,673

Okinawa costs about 36% more than Saitama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Okinawa sits 2% above the global median, while Saitama is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.12 ¥1,596

$5.60 ¥883

80.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.24 ¥6,345

$31.15 ¥4,912

29.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 ¥1,110

$4.89 ¥770

43.97%

Cappuccino

$4.11 ¥648

$3.09 ¥487

33.01%

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

$1.40 ¥221

$0.69 ¥109

102.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥145

$0.63 ¥100.0

46.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ¥396

$2.56 ¥403

-1.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 ¥831

$3.24 ¥511

62.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥248

$1.44 ¥227

9.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 ¥324

$1.74 ¥274

17.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 ¥593

$2.83 ¥446

32.86%

Eggs

$1.84 ¥289

$2.06 ¥324

-10.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,837

$10.46 ¥1,650

71.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.79 ¥756

$5.67 ¥893

-15.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.45 ¥3,541

$14.75 ¥2,326

52.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 ¥601

$5.85 ¥923

-34.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 ¥412

$2.27 ¥357

15.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ¥347

$2.90 ¥458

-24.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.26 ¥830

$4.12 ¥650

27.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 ¥376

$2.61 ¥412

-8.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 ¥404

$1.57 ¥248

63.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 ¥201

$1.23 ¥194

4.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥122

$0.73 ¥116

5.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 ¥616

$3.85 ¥607

1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.40 ¥1,009

$6.48 ¥1,022

-1.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ¥308

$1.74 ¥275

12.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ¥527

$2.02 ¥318

65.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.44 ¥227

$3.45 ¥544

-58.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 ¥10.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ¥602

$3.08 ¥486

24.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.54 ¥558

$2.65 ¥418

33.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.23 ¥1,770

$20.57 ¥3,243

-45.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ¥174

$1.10 ¥174

0.91%

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

$20.9K ¥3.3M

$22.2K ¥3.5M

-5.93%

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

$15.5K ¥2.5M

$14.6K ¥2.3M

6.53%

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

$163 ¥25.7K

$130 ¥20.5K

25.07%

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

$25.35 ¥3,998

$17.85 ¥2,814

42.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ¥8,369

$31.90 ¥5,030

66.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 ¥11.5K

$64.1 ¥10.1K

14.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.9 ¥8,659

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 ¥1,890

$10.90 ¥1,719

9.91%

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

$327 ¥51.6K

$830 ¥130.9K

-60.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,668 ¥893.7K

$14.8K ¥2.3M

-61.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.88 ¥7,708

$35.19 ¥5,548

38.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.35 ¥3,682

$25.80 ¥4,069

-9.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 ¥12.8K

$54.8 ¥8,640

48.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.7 ¥15.1K

$63.7 ¥10.0K

50.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.8K

$409 ¥64.4K

0.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥52.3K

$239 ¥37.6K

39.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 ¥134.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 ¥106.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,422 ¥1.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,185 ¥186.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,798 ¥283.4K

$1,559 ¥245.9K

15.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

2.06

8.25%

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

Last update for Okinawa: October 26, 2026

Last update for Saitama: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Okinawa

$332 23.9%

Saitama

$239 23.5% 28.1% $93

Groceries & Markets

Okinawa

$330 23.8%

Saitama

$281 27.6% 14.8% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Okinawa

$241 17.4%

Saitama

$180 17.7% 25.4% $61

Eating Out

Okinawa

$184 13.2%

Saitama

$121 11.9% 34.1% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Okinawa

$112 8.1%

Saitama

$81 7.9% 27.9% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Okinawa

$97 7%

Saitama

$86 8.4% 11.5% $11

Getting Around

Okinawa

$92 6.7%

Saitama

$30 * 3% 67.3% $62

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Okinawa versus $409 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 15% 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 $40 in Okinawa versus $31 in Saitama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $330 vs $281 – making Saitama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇯🇵 Okinawa

🇯🇵 Saitama

🕒 Local time

11:31 11:31 AM

Same time as Okinawa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

142,752

1,182,115

💱 Currency

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JPY = 6.34 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.68 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.34 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Okinawa Saitama 1,530 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

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Okinawa
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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 Saitama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 36%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,082 per month in Okinawa and $1,526 in Saitama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $411 in Okinawa and $409 in Saitama. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in Okinawa and $31 in Saitama. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Okinawa, though the gap depends on what you buy.

It depends on your priorities. Okinawa has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,017 in Saitama to $1,388 in Okinawa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Saitama. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Okinawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.