Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Shizuoka Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Shizuoka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,307 in Shizuoka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $1,995 in Shizuoka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $2,682 in Shizuoka, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 9% more than Shizuoka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 7% above the global median, while Shizuoka is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$6.74 ¥1,078

27.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$34.42 ¥5,506

20.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$5.14 ¥823

19.07%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.51 ¥562

-5.70%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.05 ¥168

25.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.77 ¥124

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.11 ¥337

64.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$2.05 ¥328

134.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.59 ¥255

17.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.52 ¥243

51.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$4.21 ¥673

14.73%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$1.52 ¥243

32.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$10.95 ¥1,751

49.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$6.43 ¥1,029

73.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$15.53 ¥2,485

73.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$5.40 ¥863

-2.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$2.48 ¥397

5.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$3.93 ¥628

-22.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$4.15 ¥663

36.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$2.94 ¥470

25.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$2.49 ¥399

16.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.54 ¥246

3.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$1.37 ¥219

-31.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$4.78 ¥764

0.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$8.87 ¥1,419

-31.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$2.06 ¥330

-16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$3.57 ¥571

-19.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$2.02 ¥324

-17.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$23.03 ¥3,684

53.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$4.11 ¥658

1.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$2.02 ¥323

86.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$20.50 ¥3,279

-37.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$27.6K ¥4.4M

-17.37%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$17.7K ¥2.8M

-3.97%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$235 ¥37.6K

-26.44%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$17.16 ¥2,744

61.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$40.20 ¥6,430

-19.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$97.9 ¥15.7K

-45.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$14.06 ¥2,249

-51.92%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$11.82 ¥1,890

6.60%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$246 ¥39.3K

40.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

-0.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$45.31 ¥7,248

7.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$30.03 ¥4,804

-2.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$68.6 ¥11.0K

6.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$96.1 ¥15.4K

-3.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$378 ¥60.5K

15.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$282 ¥45.1K

39.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$671 ¥107.3K

40.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$571 ¥91.4K

31.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$6,015 ¥962.0K

42.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$4,151 ¥664.0K

-71.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

$2,196 ¥351.3K

-41.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

100.00%

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

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Shizuoka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $378 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 70% 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 $41.00 in Okinawa versus $34.00 in Shizuoka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $316 – making Shizuoka 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 Shizuoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,961 in Shizuoka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Okinawa and $34.00 in Shizuoka. 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 $1,307 in Shizuoka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Shizuoka, where all-in costs run around $1,307, than in Okinawa at $1,430. In Shizuoka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 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.