Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Thessaloniki

For one person, living is cheaper in Okinawa: $1,388 a month against $1,660 in Thessaloniki, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Okinawa, Japan
Thessaloniki, Greece
Okinawa
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,388
/mo nomad
Thessaloniki
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,660
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Okinawa and in Thessaloniki

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 Thessaloniki actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,388 per month in Okinawa vs $1,660 in Thessaloniki, rent included.

  • Okinawa $1,388
  • Thessaloniki $1,660

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Okinawa vs $2,529 in Thessaloniki, rent included.

  • Okinawa $2,184
  • Thessaloniki $2,529

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Okinawa vs $3,398 in Thessaloniki, rent included.

  • Okinawa $2,980
  • Thessaloniki $3,398

Okinawa is about 16% cheaper than Thessaloniki, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Okinawa and Thessaloniki sit above the global median – Okinawa by 2%, Thessaloniki by 22%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Okinawa
Thessaloniki
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.12 ¥1,598
$16.83 €15.12
-39.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.24 ¥6,353
$66.9 €60.1
-39.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.04 ¥1,112
$11.04 €9.92
-36.23%
Cappuccino
$4.11 ¥649
$4.29 €3.85
-4.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 ¥221
$2.85 €2.56
-50.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 ¥145
$0.75 €0.68
22.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.51 ¥396
$5.49 €4.93
-54.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.27 ¥832
$6.53 €5.87
-19.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Okinawa
Thessaloniki
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 ¥249
$1.72 €1.54
-8.14%
White Bread (500g)
$2.05 ¥324
$1.71 €1.54
19.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.76 ¥594
$3.69 €3.32
1.90%
Eggs
$1.84 ¥290
$5.52 €4.96
-66.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.99 ¥2,841
$13.99 €12.57
28.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.79 ¥757
$11.20 €10.06
-57.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.45 ¥3,545
$18.82 €16.90
19.29%
Apples (1kg)
$3.81 ¥602
$2.49 €2.24
53.01%
Banana (1kg)
$2.62 ¥413
$2.14 €1.93
22.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.20 ¥347
$2.16 €1.94
1.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.26 ¥831
$2.75 €2.47
91.27%
Potato (1kg)
$2.39 ¥377
$1.28 €1.15
86.72%
Onion (1kg)
$2.56 ¥404
$1.23 €1.11
108.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 ¥201
$1.53 €1.37
-16.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ¥122
$0.89 €0.80
-13.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90 ¥617
$5.48 €4.93
-28.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.40 ¥1,011
$10.00 €8.99
-36.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.95 ¥308
$2.08 €1.87
-6.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34 ¥528
$3.25 €2.92
2.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Okinawa
Thessaloniki
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.44 ¥227
$0.66 €0.59
118.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.1 ¥10.3K
$18.02 €16.19
261.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.82 ¥603
$4.14 €3.72
-7.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.54 ¥559
$1.10 €0.99
221.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.23 ¥1,772
$16.48 €14.80
-31.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ¥175
$2.38 €2.13
-53.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K ¥3.3M
$27.9K €25.0K
-24.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.5K ¥2.5M
$27.4K €24.6K
-43.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Okinawa
Thessaloniki
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$163 ¥25.7K
$210 €189
-22.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.35 ¥4,003
$23.21 €20.85
9.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.1 ¥8,379
$30.46 €27.37
74.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Okinawa
Thessaloniki
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.0 ¥11.5K
$52.1 €46.82
40.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$54.9 ¥8,670
$16.26 €14.61
237.76%
Cinema Ticket
$11.98 ¥1,892
$10.45 €9.38
14.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Okinawa
Thessaloniki
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$327 ¥51.7K
$481 €432
-31.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,668 ¥894.9K
$8,979 €8,066
-36.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Okinawa
Thessaloniki
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.88 ¥7,718
$97.4 €87.5
-49.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.35 ¥3,687
$45.50 €40.87
-48.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.2 ¥12.8K
$124 €111
-34.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.7 ¥15.1K
$130 €117
-26.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Okinawa
Thessaloniki
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$411 ¥64.9K
$623 €560
-34.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$332 ¥52.4K
$507 €455
-34.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$852 ¥134.6K
$1,096 €985
-22.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$678 ¥107.0K
$823 €739
-17.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,422 ¥1.3M
$3,708 €3,331
127.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,185 ¥187.1K
$2,866 €2,575
-58.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Okinawa
Thessaloniki
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,798 ¥283.8K
$1,176 €1,056
52.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.23
5.34
-58.24%

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

Last update for Okinawa: October 26, 2026

Last update for Thessaloniki: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Okinawa
$332
Thessaloniki
$507 52.7% $175
Groceries & Markets
Okinawa
$330
Thessaloniki
$333 1.1% $3.5
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Okinawa
$241
Thessaloniki
$264 9.3% $22
Eating Out
Okinawa
$184
Thessaloniki
$274 49.2% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Okinawa
$112
Thessaloniki
$178 59.2% $66
Sport & Entertainment
Okinawa
$97
Thessaloniki
$73 24.7% $24
Getting Around
Okinawa
$92
Thessaloniki
$30 67.2% $62

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Okinawa versus $623 in Thessaloniki. 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 53% higher in Okinawa, 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 in Okinawa versus $67 in Thessaloniki. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $330 vs $333 – making Okinawa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Okinawa
🇬🇷 Thessaloniki
🕒 Local time
02:56 2:56 AM
19:56 7:56 PM
7 h behind Okinawa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
142,752
790,824
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.69 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Okinawa Thessaloniki 9,270 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Okinawa
  • Thessaloniki

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 Thessaloniki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Okinawa cheaper than Thessaloniki?
Yes – Thessaloniki is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,082 per month in Okinawa and $2,490 in Thessaloniki. 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 Okinawa, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $411 there versus $623 in Thessaloniki.
Is eating out cheaper in Okinawa or in Thessaloniki?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in Okinawa and $67 in Thessaloniki. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 72% less in Thessaloniki. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is Okinawa or Thessaloniki more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Okinawa – 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 Thessaloniki?
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.

Okinawa vs other spots: cost of living compared

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