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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,385 per month in Okinawa vs $1,028 in Shiso, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,168 per month in Okinawa vs $1,916 in Shiso, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,950 per month in Okinawa vs $2,804 in Shiso, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 35% more than Shiso, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Okinawa sits 1% above the global median, while Shiso is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,589

$7.99 ¥1,249

27.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.19 ¥6,278

$66.2 ¥10.3K

-39.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 ¥1,090

$6.45 ¥1,007

8.22%

Cappuccino

$4.17 ¥651

$3.55 ¥554

17.46%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$0.86 ¥134

70.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥146

$0.71 ¥110

30.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ¥319

$2.61 ¥408

-21.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ¥675

$3.09 ¥482

39.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥242

$1.53 ¥239

1.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 ¥332

$2.90 ¥454

-26.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 ¥588

$4.90 ¥766

-23.27%

Eggs

$1.76 ¥275

$2.18 ¥341

-19.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.00 ¥2,812

$10.25 ¥1,601

75.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 ¥747

$6.25 ¥977

-23.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.13 ¥3,457

$26.41 ¥4,125

-16.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥572

$5.50 ¥858

-33.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 ¥415

$2.68 ¥419

-0.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ¥334

$4.08 ¥638

-47.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 ¥811

$5.73 ¥896

-9.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 ¥371

$4.29 ¥671

-44.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 ¥398

$2.58 ¥403

-1.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$1.40 ¥218

-7.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥122

$0.81 ¥127

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥601

$4.06 ¥635

-5.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 ¥973

$7.26 ¥1,135

-14.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ¥305

$1.90 ¥297

2.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ¥494

$2.27 ¥355

39.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.37 ¥213

4.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 ¥10.1K

$32.74 ¥5,115

97.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 ¥583

$3.48 ¥544

7.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.48 ¥544

$2.92 ¥456

19.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.36 ¥1,774

$20.83 ¥3,255

-45.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ¥164

$1.21 ¥190

-13.22%

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

$20.7K ¥3.2M

$23.0K ¥3.6M

-10.10%

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

$14.8K ¥2.3M

$17.3K ¥2.7M

-14.74%

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

$158 ¥24.8K

$146 ¥22.8K

8.59%

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

$25.07 ¥3,916

$23.62 ¥3,689

6.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 ¥8,309

$13.37 ¥2,089

297.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.8 ¥11.2K

$36.94 ¥5,771

94.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.2 ¥8,461

$14.09 ¥2,201

284.39%

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 ¥1,889

$4.77 ¥745

153.46%

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

$324 ¥50.6K

$285 ¥44.5K

13.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 ¥861.6K

$13.4K ¥2.1M

-58.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.91 ¥7,797

$9.87 ¥1,541

405.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.70 ¥3,546

$29.61 ¥4,626

-23.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 ¥12.3K

$33.58 ¥5,246

135.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ¥14.8K

$101 ¥15.8K

-6.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ¥62.2K

$471 ¥73.5K

-15.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 ¥49.6K

$166 ¥25.9K

91.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 ¥129.3K

$857 ¥133.9K

-3.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 ¥102.0K

$662 ¥103.4K

-1.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,509 ¥1.3M

$4,279 ¥668.4K

98.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,199 ¥187.2K

$2,109 ¥329.4K

-43.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,819 ¥284.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

1.78

25.28%

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

Last update for Okinawa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Shiso: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $398 in Okinawa versus $471 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 $40.00 in Okinawa versus $66.0 in Shiso. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $364 – making Okinawa 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 Shiso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 35%, 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 $2,077 per month in Okinawa and $1,542 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 $40.00 in Okinawa and $66.0 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 $1,385 in Okinawa and $1,028 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 $1,028, than in Okinawa at $1,385. 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.