Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Shiga Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Shiga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,428 per month in Okinawa vs $1,202 in Shiga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,217 per month in Okinawa vs $1,890 in Shiga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,007 per month in Okinawa vs $2,578 in Shiga, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 19% more than Shiga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 7% above the global median, while Shiga is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 ¥1,335

$7.01 ¥1,104

20.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.01 ¥6,620

$35.17 ¥5,541

19.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 ¥921

$4.76 ¥750

22.69%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥525

$2.76 ¥435

20.65%

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

$1.35 ¥213

$1.09 ¥171

23.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥136

$0.76 ¥119

13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 ¥560

$2.82 ¥444

26.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 ¥754

$4.38 ¥690

9.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥298

$1.32 ¥207

43.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ¥355

$1.42 ¥224

58.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.60 ¥725

$4.07 ¥642

13.02%

Eggs

$2.04 ¥322

$2.41 ¥379

-15.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ¥2,592

$10.55 ¥1,663

55.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.24 ¥1,771

$6.45 ¥1,017

74.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.66 ¥4,200

$18.59 ¥2,930

43.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 ¥791

$3.48 ¥549

44.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 ¥423

$2.09 ¥329

28.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 ¥482

$2.55 ¥402

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.76 ¥907

$4.37 ¥689

31.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.53 ¥556

$1.66 ¥261

112.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 ¥437

$1.24 ¥195

123.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 ¥240

$1.33 ¥210

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥138

$0.82 ¥129

7.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.76 ¥749

$3.87 ¥609

23.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.27 ¥989

$9.20 ¥1,450

-31.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥286

$2.14 ¥338

-15.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ¥467

$3.04 ¥479

-2.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.68 ¥265

$1.62 ¥255

3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.11 ¥5,533

$55.2 ¥8,703

-36.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 ¥640

$4.58 ¥722

-11.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥594

$3.36 ¥530

12.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.85 ¥2,025

$23.51 ¥3,705

-45.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥197

$1.21 ¥191

3.31%

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

$23.2K ¥3.7M

$22.9K ¥3.6M

1.51%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$17.2K ¥2.7M

-1.67%

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

$176 ¥27.7K

$130 ¥20.5K

34.88%

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

$27.21 ¥4,287

$27.43 ¥4,322

-0.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.15 ¥5,066

$30.97 ¥4,880

3.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ¥8,252

$56.5 ¥8,897

-7.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.11 ¥1,120

$13.66 ¥2,153

-47.95%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 ¥1,990

$12.70 ¥2,001

-0.55%

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

$346 ¥54.6K

$69.3 ¥10.9K

400.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.1M

$10.3K ¥1.6M

29.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.92 ¥7,709

$43.83 ¥6,906

11.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.26 ¥4,610

$29.54 ¥4,655

-0.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.5K

$67.3 ¥10.6K

8.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 ¥14.3K

$94.2 ¥14.8K

-3.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 ¥71.4K

$476 ¥75.0K

-4.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥63.0K

$330 ¥51.9K

21.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 ¥151.3K

$850 ¥133.9K

13.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥116.1K

$657 ¥103.5K

12.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,685 ¥1.4M

$4,731 ¥745.4K

83.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,206 ¥190.1K

$1,754 ¥276.4K

-31.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,744 ¥274.8K

$1,155 ¥182.0K

50.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

10.50%

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

Last update for Okinawa: July 28, 2026

Last update for Shiga: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $453 in Okinawa versus $476 in Shiga. 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 51% 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 $35.00 in Shiga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $293 – making Shiga 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 Shiga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 19%, 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 $1,803 in Shiga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shiga, 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 $35.00 in Shiga. 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 $1,202 in Shiga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shiga, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Okinawa at $1,428. In Shiga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shiga – 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 Shiga. 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.