Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Shizuoka

For one person, living is cheaper in Shizuoka: $1,138 a month against $1,381 in Okinawa, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Okinawa
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,381
/mo nomad
Shizuoka
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,138
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Okinawa and in Shizuoka

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Okinawa and in Shizuoka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,381 per month in Okinawa vs $1,138 in Shizuoka, rent included.

  • Okinawa $1,381
  • Shizuoka $1,138

A couple spends around $2,166 per month in Okinawa vs $1,789 in Shizuoka, rent included.

  • Okinawa $2,166
  • Shizuoka $1,789

A family of three spends $2,951 per month in Okinawa vs $2,441 in Shizuoka, rent included.

  • Okinawa $2,951
  • Shizuoka $2,441

Okinawa costs about 21% more than Shizuoka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Okinawa sits 2% above the global median, while Shizuoka is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Okinawa
Shizuoka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.80 ¥1,549
$6.42 ¥1,015
52.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.42 ¥6,386
$31.81 ¥5,026
27.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.06 ¥1,115
$5.08 ¥802
38.98%
Cappuccino
$4.06 ¥641
$2.96 ¥468
37.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 ¥224
$0.97 ¥152
46.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 ¥143
$0.76 ¥119
19.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ¥402
$2.75 ¥435
-7.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 ¥708
$3.83 ¥605
16.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Okinawa
Shizuoka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ¥259
$1.51 ¥239
8.61%
White Bread (500g)
$2.06 ¥326
$1.25 ¥198
64.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.87 ¥612
$4.49 ¥709
-13.81%
Eggs
$1.82 ¥288
$1.83 ¥289
-0.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.61 ¥2,783
$7.11 ¥1,123
147.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.78 ¥754
$5.40 ¥853
-11.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.73 ¥3,591
$14.11 ¥2,229
61.09%
Apples (1kg)
$3.62 ¥572
$3.29 ¥519
10.03%
Banana (1kg)
$2.67 ¥422
$1.93 ¥305
38.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.14 ¥338
$3.42 ¥541
-37.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.20 ¥822
$3.13 ¥495
66.13%
Potato (1kg)
$2.38 ¥376
$1.51 ¥239
57.62%
Onion (1kg)
$2.58 ¥408
$1.13 ¥179
128.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ¥197
$1.11 ¥176
12.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 ¥117
$0.86 ¥135
-13.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.86 ¥610
$3.86 ¥610
-
Wine (Bottle)
$6.44 ¥1,017
$8.70 ¥1,375
-25.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.89 ¥298
$1.48 ¥233
27.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 ¥510
$3.24 ¥512
-0.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Okinawa
Shizuoka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.46 ¥231
$1.79 ¥283
-18.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.7 ¥10.5K
$53.9 ¥8,514
23.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.74 ¥590
$3.46 ¥546
8.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.54 ¥560
$1.86 ¥293
90.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.25 ¥1,777
$19.01 ¥3,003
-40.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.09 ¥173
$1.04 ¥165
4.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K ¥3.4M
$21.7K ¥3.4M
-1.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.0K ¥2.4M
$15.3K ¥2.4M
-1.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Okinawa
Shizuoka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$160 ¥25.3K
$138 ¥21.8K
16.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.14 ¥3,972
$15.18 ¥2,398
65.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.3 ¥8,422
$30.16 ¥4,764
76.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Okinawa
Shizuoka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$72.8 ¥11.5K
$52.6 ¥8,316
38.35%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$55.8 ¥8,809
$10.82 ¥1,709
415.34%
Cinema Ticket
$12.02 ¥1,899
$12.21 ¥1,928
-1.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Okinawa
Shizuoka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$331 ¥52.3K
$320 ¥50.5K
3.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,489 ¥867.2K
$13.3K ¥2.1M
-58.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Okinawa
Shizuoka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.81 ¥7,712
$18.49 ¥2,921
163.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.08 ¥3,646
$21.38 ¥3,378
7.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.6 ¥12.9K
$61.6 ¥9,725
32.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.7 ¥15.0K
$90.5 ¥14.3K
4.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Okinawa
Shizuoka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$411 ¥64.9K
$331 ¥52.3K
24.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$332 ¥52.4K
$333 ¥52.6K
-0.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$819 ¥129.4K
$1,084 ¥171.2K
-24.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$660 ¥104.3K
$731 ¥115.5K
-9.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,731 ¥1.4M
$4,146 ¥655.0K
110.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,185 ¥187.2K
$1,741 ¥275.0K
-31.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Okinawa
Shizuoka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,842 ¥291.0K
$2,232 ¥352.7K
-17.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.23
1
123.00%

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

Last update for Okinawa: October 12, 2026

Last update for Shizuoka: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Okinawa
$332
Shizuoka
$333 0.3% $0.9
Groceries & Markets
Okinawa
$328
Shizuoka
$254 22.7% $75
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Okinawa
$239
Shizuoka
$183 23.2% $55
Eating Out
Okinawa
$179
Shizuoka
$131 27.2% $49
Clothing & Footwear
Okinawa
$112
Shizuoka
$86 22.7% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Okinawa
$97
Shizuoka
$77 20.5% $20
Getting Around
Okinawa
$94
Shizuoka
$74 21.5% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Okinawa versus $331 in Shizuoka. 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 21% higher in Shizuoka, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Okinawa versus $32.00 in Shizuoka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $254 – making Shizuoka the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Okinawa
🇯🇵 Shizuoka
🕒 Local time
17:03 5:03 PM
17:03 5:03 PM
Same time as Okinawa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
142,752
701,803
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Okinawa Shizuoka 1,380 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Okinawa
  • Shizuoka

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Shizuoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shizuoka cheaper than Okinawa?
Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,071 per month in Okinawa and $1,706 in Shizuoka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Shizuoka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Okinawa or in Shizuoka?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Okinawa and $32.00 in Shizuoka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Okinawa and in Shizuoka?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,381 in Okinawa and $1,138 in Shizuoka. That's a gap of about 21%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Okinawa or in Shizuoka?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Shizuoka, where all-in costs run around $1,138, than in Okinawa at $1,381. In Shizuoka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Okinawa or Shizuoka more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Shizuoka – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Okinawa or Shizuoka?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Shizuoka. 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.

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