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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,427 per month in Okinawa vs $1,241 in Shiga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,228 per month in Okinawa vs $1,929 in Shiga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,030 per month in Okinawa vs $2,618 in Shiga, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 15% more than Shiga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Okinawa sits 4% above the global median, while Shiga is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,512

$6.46 ¥1,010

49.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,297

$31.75 ¥4,959

26.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,083

$5.04 ¥788

37.70%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥653

$3.02 ¥472

38.41%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.31 ¥205

12.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$0.71 ¥110

42.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥313

$2.83 ¥442

-29.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥697

$3.63 ¥566

22.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥249

$1.32 ¥205

20.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥344

$1.29 ¥201

70.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥621

$3.97 ¥619

0.25%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥282

$2.10 ¥329

-13.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,809

$9.56 ¥1,493

88.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥789

$9.37 ¥1,463

-46.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,577

$18.74 ¥2,926

22.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥583

$3.55 ¥555

5.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥434

$1.95 ¥305

42.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥359

$2.05 ¥320

12.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥823

$4.12 ¥643

27.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥382

$1.55 ¥243

58.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥394

$1.16 ¥181

118.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥211

$1.35 ¥210

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥120

$0.80 ¥125

-3.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥614

$3.91 ¥611

0.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,016

$9.49 ¥1,482

-31.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥306

$1.93 ¥302

1.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥539

$3.20 ¥500

7.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥229

$1.18 ¥185

23.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.6K

$58.5 ¥9,138

16.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥615

$3.84 ¥599

2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥560

$3.17 ¥495

13.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,854

$22.08 ¥3,448

-46.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥177

$1.11 ¥174

1.80%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$21.8K ¥3.4M

0.34%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

1.68%

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

$165 ¥25.8K

$143 ¥22.3K

15.58%

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

$25.69 ¥4,012

$25.02 ¥3,908

2.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,558

$19.05 ¥2,975

187.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$51.8 ¥8,091

42.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,822

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,952

$12.30 ¥1,921

1.63%

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

$345 ¥53.9K

$535 ¥83.5K

-35.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥909.9K

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-55.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,070

$50.1 ¥7,826

3.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,766

$30.73 ¥4,799

-21.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$74.1 ¥11.6K

9.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.0K

$94.2 ¥14.7K

1.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.2K

$506 ¥79.0K

-18.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥51.8K

$338 ¥52.8K

-1.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥134.8K

$1,045 ¥163.2K

-17.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.3K

$744 ¥116.3K

-6.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$3,944 ¥615.9K

120.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥187.4K

$1,670 ¥260.8K

-28.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥290.6K

$1,227 ¥191.6K

51.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

2.21

0.90%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Shiga: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Okinawa versus $506 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 52% 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 $32.00 in Shiga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $297 – 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 15%, 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 $2,140 per month in Okinawa and $1,862 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 $40.00 in Okinawa and $32.00 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 $1,427 in Okinawa and $1,241 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 $1,241, than in Okinawa at $1,427. 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.