Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Setagaya-ku Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Setagaya-ku

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,188 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $1,849 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $2,510 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 20% more than Setagaya-ku, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 7% above the global median, while Setagaya-ku is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$6.83 ¥1,092

25.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$35.18 ¥5,628

17.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$5.26 ¥841

16.35%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.26 ¥522

1.53%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.10 ¥176

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.76 ¥121

13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.13 ¥341

63.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$2.07 ¥331

132.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.56 ¥250

19.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.76 ¥281

30.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$4.89 ¥783

-1.23%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$1.52 ¥243

32.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$9.89 ¥1,582

65.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$6.22 ¥995

78.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$15.46 ¥2,473

74.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$5.90 ¥944

-10.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$3.04 ¥486

-14.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$3.92 ¥627

-22.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$4.66 ¥745

21.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$3.37 ¥539

9.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$3.73 ¥596

-22.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.38 ¥221

15.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.82 ¥131

14.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$3.99 ¥638

20.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$9.27 ¥1,483

-34.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.74 ¥279

-1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.07 ¥331

39.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.49 ¥238

12.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$55.6 ¥8,892

-36.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.54 ¥567

18.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$2.99 ¥478

26.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$22.35 ¥3,575

-43.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.19 ¥190

0.84%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.3K ¥3.7M

-2.33%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$18.6K ¥3.0M

-8.74%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$83.7 ¥13.4K

106.69%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$27.09 ¥4,332

2.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$34.07 ¥5,449

-4.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$49.31 ¥7,888

8.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$13.92 ¥2,227

-51.44%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$13.05 ¥2,088

-3.45%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$284 ¥45.5K

22.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

-3.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$41.49 ¥6,637

17.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$24.15 ¥3,862

21.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$45.87 ¥7,337

58.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$98.7 ¥15.8K

-5.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$461 ¥73.7K

-5.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$334 ¥53.4K

18.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$859 ¥137.4K

9.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$668 ¥106.9K

12.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$4,689 ¥750.1K

82.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$2,426 ¥388.0K

-51.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

$1,419 ¥226.9K

-8.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Setagaya-ku: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $461 in Setagaya-ku. 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 10% higher in Setagaya-ku, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Okinawa versus $35.00 in Setagaya-ku. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $317 – making Setagaya-ku 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 Setagaya-ku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 20%, 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 $1,782 in Setagaya-ku. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Setagaya-ku, 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 Setagaya-ku. 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 $1,188 in Setagaya-ku. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Setagaya-ku, where all-in costs run around $1,188, than in Okinawa at $1,430. In Setagaya-ku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Setagaya-ku – 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 Setagaya-ku. 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.