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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,459 per month in Okinawa vs $1,205 in Shiga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Okinawa vs $1,868 in Shiga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,052 per month in Okinawa vs $2,530 in Shiga, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 21% more than Shiga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 9% above the global median, while Shiga is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.24 ¥1,317

$6.80 ¥1,087

21.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.98 ¥6,554

$34.05 ¥5,446

20.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 ¥942

$4.96 ¥793

18.75%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ¥552

$2.70 ¥431

27.78%

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

$1.38 ¥220

$1.09 ¥175

26.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.76 ¥122

11.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 ¥559

$2.78 ¥445

25.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 ¥782

$4.23 ¥677

15.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ¥308

$1.31 ¥209

46.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ¥359

$1.41 ¥226

59.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 ¥748

$4.04 ¥646

15.84%

Eggs

$2.02 ¥324

$2.44 ¥390

-17.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ¥2,593

$10.61 ¥1,697

52.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.12 ¥1,779

$6.46 ¥1,034

72.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.13 ¥4,180

$19.01 ¥3,040

37.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 ¥831

$3.66 ¥585

41.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 ¥426

$2.09 ¥334

27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 ¥497

$2.61 ¥417

19.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.98 ¥956

$4.34 ¥694

37.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.56 ¥569

$1.66 ¥265

114.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 ¥446

$1.29 ¥207

116.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 ¥252

$1.32 ¥212

18.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥150

$0.89 ¥142

5.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 ¥758

$3.97 ¥635

19.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.10 ¥975

$9.23 ¥1,477

-33.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ¥291

$2.11 ¥338

-13.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ¥480

$2.97 ¥475

1.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥267

$1.67 ¥266

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.72 ¥5,553

$55.4 ¥8,858

-37.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 ¥658

$4.56 ¥730

-9.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.63 ¥581

$3.32 ¥531

9.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.69 ¥2,030

$23.32 ¥3,730

-45.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥190

$1.16 ¥185

2.59%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$22.8K ¥3.6M

3.21%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

1.30%

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

$174 ¥27.9K

$134 ¥21.5K

29.75%

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

$27.88 ¥4,459

$27.40 ¥4,382

1.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.40 ¥5,023

$30.82 ¥4,929

1.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ¥8,365

$56.2 ¥8,987

-6.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.99 ¥1,117

$13.92 ¥2,227

-49.78%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥1,991

$12.63 ¥2,020

-1.43%

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

$344 ¥55.0K

$69.5 ¥11.1K

395.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K ¥2.2M

$10.2K ¥1.6M

33.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥7,762

$44.76 ¥7,159

8.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.20 ¥4,671

$29.23 ¥4,674

-0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 ¥11.4K

$66.6 ¥10.7K

7.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 ¥14.5K

$96.4 ¥15.4K

-6.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 ¥70.2K

$466 ¥74.5K

-5.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 ¥64.2K

$324 ¥51.9K

23.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$951 ¥152.1K

$854 ¥136.5K

11.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 ¥117.0K

$651 ¥104.2K

12.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,781 ¥1.4M

$4,201 ¥671.9K

109.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 ¥191.4K

$2,670 ¥427.0K

-55.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,817 ¥290.7K

$1,176 ¥188.1K

54.50%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Shiga: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Okinawa versus $466 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 55% 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 $41.00 in Okinawa versus $34.00 in Shiga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $296 – 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 21%, 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 $2,188 per month in Okinawa and $1,808 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 $41.00 in Okinawa and $34.00 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 $1,459 in Okinawa and $1,205 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 $1,205, than in Okinawa at $1,459. 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.