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 $1,385 per month in Okinawa vs $1,175 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,168 per month in Okinawa vs $1,805 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,950 per month in Okinawa vs $2,434 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 18% more than Setagaya-ku, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Okinawa sits 1% above the global median, while Setagaya-ku is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,583

$6.27 ¥976

62.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.19 ¥6,254

$25.53 ¥3,973

57.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 ¥1,086

$4.47 ¥696

56.15%

Cappuccino

$4.17 ¥648

$2.89 ¥450

44.29%

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

$1.47 ¥229

$1.07 ¥167

37.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥145

$0.60 ¥93.8

55.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ¥318

$2.24 ¥349

-8.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ¥672

$3.07 ¥477

40.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥241

$1.24 ¥192

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 ¥331

$1.71 ¥265

23.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 ¥585

$3.57 ¥556

5.32%

Eggs

$1.76 ¥274

$1.22 ¥190

44.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.00 ¥2,802

$11.57 ¥1,800

55.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 ¥744

$5.85 ¥911

-18.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.13 ¥3,444

$14.22 ¥2,213

55.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥570

$5.69 ¥885

-35.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 ¥413

$2.79 ¥435

-4.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ¥333

$2.77 ¥431

-22.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 ¥808

$4.07 ¥634

27.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 ¥370

$2.62 ¥407

-9.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 ¥397

$2.65 ¥412

-3.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$1.26 ¥197

2.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥122

$0.54 ¥83.5

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥598

$3.70 ¥576

3.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 ¥970

$6.28 ¥978

-0.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ¥304

$1.71 ¥267

14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ¥492

$2.01 ¥312

57.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ¥222

$1.46 ¥227

-2.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 ¥10.1K

$58.8 ¥9,152

9.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 ¥581

$2.61 ¥405

42.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.48 ¥542

$2.55 ¥397

36.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.36 ¥1,768

$20.04 ¥3,119

-43.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ¥163

$1.06 ¥164

-0.94%

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

$20.7K ¥3.2M

$21.6K ¥3.4M

-4.34%

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

$14.8K ¥2.3M

$17.8K ¥2.8M

-16.86%

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

$158 ¥24.7K

$130 ¥20.3K

21.70%

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

$25.07 ¥3,902

$24.06 ¥3,745

4.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 ¥8,278

$31.88 ¥4,962

66.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.8 ¥11.2K

$50.4 ¥7,851

42.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.2 ¥8,429

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 ¥1,881

$11.79 ¥1,835

2.54%

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

$324 ¥50.4K

$635 ¥98.8K

-48.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 ¥858.4K

$14.5K ¥2.3M

-61.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.91 ¥7,768

$36.87 ¥5,739

35.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.70 ¥3,532

$32.69 ¥5,087

-30.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 ¥12.3K

$60.4 ¥9,402

30.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ¥14.8K

$62.1 ¥9,660

53.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ¥61.9K

$459 ¥71.4K

-13.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 ¥49.4K

$320 ¥49.9K

-0.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 ¥128.8K

$1,206 ¥187.8K

-31.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 ¥101.6K

$693 ¥107.8K

-5.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,509 ¥1.3M

$4,726 ¥735.6K

80.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,199 ¥186.5K

$2,124 ¥330.6K

-43.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,819 ¥283.1K

$1,446 ¥225.1K

25.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

11.50%

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

Last update for Okinawa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Setagaya-ku: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $398 in Okinawa versus $459 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 26% 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 $40.00 in Okinawa versus $26.00 in Setagaya-ku. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $282 – 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 18%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,077 per month in Okinawa and $1,763 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 $40.00 in Okinawa and $26.00 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 $1,385 in Okinawa and $1,175 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 $1,175, than in Okinawa at $1,385. 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.