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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,188 in Toyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $1,866 in Toyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $2,543 in Toyama, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 20% more than Toyama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 7% above the global median, while Toyama is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$5.71 ¥913

50.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$41.63 ¥6,659

-0.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$4.24 ¥678

44.34%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.07 ¥491

7.82%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$0.67 ¥108

97.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.64 ¥102

34.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.13 ¥341

63.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$2.04 ¥327

135.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.24 ¥198

50.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$0.80 ¥127

187.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$4.99 ¥798

-3.21%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.31 ¥370

-12.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$6.41 ¥1,025

154.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$3.51 ¥561

217.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$15.29 ¥2,446

76.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$5.88 ¥940

-10.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$3.14 ¥502

-16.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$3.97 ¥636

-23.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$6.01 ¥962

-5.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$3.26 ¥521

13.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$4.35 ¥695

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.35 ¥216

18.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.63 ¥100

49.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$4.24 ¥679

13.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$9.29 ¥1,486

-34.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.75 ¥281

-1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.04 ¥327

41.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.39 ¥222

20.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$56.4 ¥9,013

-37.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.37 ¥540

24.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$3.30 ¥527

14.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$21.77 ¥3,482

-41.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.20 ¥193

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

-0.73%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$18.3K ¥2.9M

-7.09%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$145 ¥23.1K

19.57%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$27.48 ¥4,396

0.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$33.49 ¥5,356

-2.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$42.17 ¥6,746

26.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$13.60 ¥2,175

-50.29%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$12.55 ¥2,008

0.40%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$137 ¥22.0K

152.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-1.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$42.39 ¥6,781

15.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$29.83 ¥4,771

-1.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$60.1 ¥9,610

21.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$110 ¥17.5K

-15.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$262 ¥41.9K

66.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$343 ¥54.9K

14.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$704 ¥112.6K

34.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$655 ¥104.7K

14.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$4,182 ¥669.0K

104.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$2,569 ¥410.9K

-53.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.05

-2.44%

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

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Toyama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $262 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 $41.00 in Okinawa versus $42.00 in Toyama. Groceries tell a different story – $398 in Okinawa vs $289 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 20%, 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 $1,783 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 $41.00 in Okinawa and $42.00 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 $1,430 in Okinawa and $1,188 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 $1,188, than in Okinawa at $1,430. 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.