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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,437 per month in Okinawa vs $1,098 in Shiso, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,214 per month in Okinawa vs $1,967 in Shiso, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,992 per month in Okinawa vs $2,836 in Shiso, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 31% more than Shiso, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Okinawa sits 8% above the global median, while Shiso is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$8.03 ¥1,304

1.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$67.2 ¥10.9K

-37.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$6.27 ¥1,018

-4.63%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$3.61 ¥587

-7.48%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$0.90 ¥146

46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.72 ¥117

29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$2.64 ¥429

32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$3.15 ¥512

55.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.52 ¥246

28.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$2.97 ¥482

-20.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$4.87 ¥792

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$2.30 ¥374

-13.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$9.99 ¥1,623

64.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$6.30 ¥1,023

72.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$26.58 ¥4,319

-0.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$5.33 ¥866

-5.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$2.55 ¥414

1.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$4.09 ¥665

-23.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$5.87 ¥953

-3.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$4.44 ¥721

-21.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$2.61 ¥424

10.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.32 ¥215

20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.83 ¥135

6.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$4.11 ¥667

19.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$7.24 ¥1,176

-15.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$1.91 ¥311

-9.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.16 ¥350

34.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.30 ¥211

25.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$33.01 ¥5,363

5.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.53 ¥573

16.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$2.88 ¥469

25.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$20.97 ¥3,406

-40.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.28 ¥208

-3.13%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-0.76%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$17.1K ¥2.8M

-2.20%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$146 ¥23.6K

19.14%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$65.6 ¥10.7K

-58.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$13.40 ¥2,177

136.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$37.33 ¥6,065

43.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$13.76 ¥2,235

-48.84%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$4.62 ¥751

169.48%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$279 ¥45.3K

23.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$13.4K ¥2.2M

-1.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$10.05 ¥1,633

375.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$29.71 ¥4,827

-1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$33.25 ¥5,403

120.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$102 ¥16.6K

-10.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$473 ¥76.8K

-6.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$165 ¥26.9K

141.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$883 ¥143.5K

7.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$670 ¥108.8K

11.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$4,185 ¥680.0K

105.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$2,075 ¥337.1K

-41.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Shiso: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Okinawa versus $473 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 $42.00 in Okinawa versus $67.0 in Shiso. Groceries tell a different story – $395 in Okinawa vs $365 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 31%, 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 $2,155 per month in Okinawa and $1,647 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 $42.00 in Okinawa and $67.0 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 $1,437 in Okinawa and $1,098 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 $1,098, than in Okinawa at $1,437. 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.