Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Toyama Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Toyama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,385 per month in Okinawa vs $1,147 in Toyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,168 per month in Okinawa vs $1,850 in Toyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,950 per month in Okinawa vs $2,553 in Toyama, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 21% more than Toyama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Okinawa sits 1% above the global median, while Toyama is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,589

$3.85 ¥602

164.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.19 ¥6,278

$43.75 ¥6,835

-8.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 ¥1,090

$5.06 ¥790

37.94%

Cappuccino

$4.17 ¥651

$3.44 ¥537

21.22%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.08 ¥169

36.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥146

$0.80 ¥124

16.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ¥319

$2.44 ¥381

-16.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ¥675

$3.18 ¥497

35.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥242

$1.09 ¥170

42.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 ¥332

$0.78 ¥122

171.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 ¥588

$3.59 ¥561

4.74%

Eggs

$1.76 ¥275

$1.98 ¥309

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.00 ¥2,812

$11.72 ¥1,831

53.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 ¥747

$6.14 ¥959

-22.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.13 ¥3,457

$14.20 ¥2,219

55.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥572

$5.69 ¥889

-35.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 ¥415

$2.80 ¥437

-5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ¥334

$2.89 ¥452

-25.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 ¥811

$4.05 ¥632

28.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 ¥371

$2.61 ¥408

-8.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 ¥398

$2.60 ¥406

-1.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$1.23 ¥193

4.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥122

$0.69 ¥107

13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥601

$3.78 ¥591

1.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 ¥973

$6.22 ¥972

0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ¥305

$1.71 ¥267

14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ¥494

$1.97 ¥308

60.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.50 ¥234

-4.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 ¥10.1K

$51.7 ¥8,081

24.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 ¥583

$3.05 ¥476

22.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.48 ¥544

$2.56 ¥401

35.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.36 ¥1,774

$20.19 ¥3,154

-43.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ¥164

$1.09 ¥171

-3.67%

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

$20.7K ¥3.2M

$21.0K ¥3.3M

-1.62%

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

$14.8K ¥2.3M

$18.1K ¥2.8M

-18.08%

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

$158 ¥24.8K

$132 ¥20.6K

20.41%

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

$25.07 ¥3,916

$24.27 ¥3,791

3.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 ¥8,309

$31.86 ¥4,976

66.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.8 ¥11.2K

$50.7 ¥7,924

41.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.2 ¥8,461

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 ¥1,889

$11.38 ¥1,777

6.24%

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

$324 ¥50.6K

$615 ¥96.1K

-47.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 ¥861.6K

$14.5K ¥2.3M

-61.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.91 ¥7,797

$60.7 ¥9,489

-17.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.70 ¥3,546

$32.63 ¥5,097

-30.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 ¥12.3K

$60.7 ¥9,484

30.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ¥14.8K

$101 ¥15.8K

-6.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ¥62.2K

$237 ¥37.1K

67.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 ¥49.6K

$349 ¥54.5K

-9.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 ¥129.3K

$1,083 ¥169.1K

-23.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 ¥102.0K

$683 ¥106.6K

-4.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,509 ¥1.3M

$4,012 ¥626.8K

112.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,199 ¥187.2K

$1,868 ¥291.8K

-35.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,819 ¥284.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

2.12

5.19%

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

Last update for Okinawa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Toyama: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $398 in Okinawa versus $237 in Toyama. 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 $44.00 in Toyama. Groceries tell a different story – $327 in Okinawa vs $278 in Toyama – so Toyama 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 Toyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,720 in Toyama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Toyama, 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 $44.00 in Toyama. 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 $1,147 in Toyama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Toyama, where all-in costs run around $1,147, than in Okinawa at $1,385. In Toyama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Toyama – 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 Toyama. 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.