Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Shiso Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Shiso

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,106 in Shiso, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $1,996 in Shiso, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $2,887 in Shiso, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 29% more than Shiso, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Okinawa sits 7% above the global median, while Shiso is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$8.17 ¥1,306

4.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$67.6 ¥10.8K

-38.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$6.40 ¥1,024

-4.38%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.62 ¥579

-8.56%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$0.86 ¥137

53.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.70 ¥112

22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.56 ¥409

35.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$3.14 ¥503

53.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.60 ¥256

16.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$2.97 ¥475

-22.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$4.84 ¥774

-0.21%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.23 ¥356

-9.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$10.22 ¥1,635

59.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$6.23 ¥997

78.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$27.03 ¥4,324

-0.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$5.36 ¥857

-1.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$2.63 ¥420

-0.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$3.95 ¥632

-23.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$6.05 ¥968

-6.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$4.48 ¥717

-17.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$2.59 ¥415

11.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.33 ¥212

20.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.84 ¥134

11.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$4.28 ¥684

12.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$7.40 ¥1,184

-17.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.86 ¥298

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.26 ¥361

27.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.34 ¥215

24.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$33.38 ¥5,340

5.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.50 ¥560

19.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$2.89 ¥463

30.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$21.17 ¥3,385

-39.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.22 ¥196

-1.64%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-3.40%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$17.1K ¥2.7M

-0.66%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$145 ¥23.2K

19.44%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$67.3 ¥10.8K

-58.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$13.41 ¥2,145

142.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$37.17 ¥5,945

43.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$13.73 ¥2,196

-50.76%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$4.57 ¥732

175.71%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$279 ¥44.5K

24.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

1.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$9.82 ¥1,571

397.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$28.89 ¥4,621

1.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$33.14 ¥5,300

120.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$101 ¥16.1K

-7.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$459 ¥73.4K

-4.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$167 ¥26.8K

135.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$881 ¥141.0K

7.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$668 ¥106.9K

12.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$4,211 ¥673.6K

102.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$1,988 ¥318.0K

-40.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

12.36%

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

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Shiso: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $459 in Shiso. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Okinawa versus $68.0 in Shiso. Groceries tell a different story – $398 in Okinawa vs $368 in Shiso – so Shiso wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Shiso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,658 in Shiso. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shiso, 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 $68.0 in Shiso. 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 $1,106 in Shiso. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Shiso, where all-in costs run around $1,106, than in Okinawa at $1,430. In Shiso it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shiso – 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 Shiso. 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.