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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,437 per month in Okinawa vs $1,230 in Toyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,214 per month in Okinawa vs $1,902 in Toyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,992 per month in Okinawa vs $2,573 in Toyama, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 17% more than Toyama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 8% above the global median, while Toyama is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$5.66 ¥919

44.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$42.26 ¥6,867

-0.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$4.18 ¥679

43.06%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$3.16 ¥513

5.70%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$0.72 ¥117

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.61 ¥98.8

52.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$2.09 ¥340

67.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$2.13 ¥346

130.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.19 ¥194

63.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$0.86 ¥139

175.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$4.82 ¥783

1.04%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$2.28 ¥371

-12.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$6.28 ¥1,020

160.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$3.46 ¥562

213.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$15.18 ¥2,466

74.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$6.02 ¥979

-15.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$3.15 ¥512

-17.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$3.99 ¥647

-21.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$6.19 ¥1,006

-8.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$3.33 ¥541

5.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$4.35 ¥706

-33.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.32 ¥215

20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.61 ¥99.2

44.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$4.22 ¥686

16.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$9.02 ¥1,465

-32.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$1.74 ¥283

-0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.06 ¥335

41.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.32 ¥214

23.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$55.3 ¥8,981

-36.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$3.45 ¥560

19.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$3.29 ¥535

10.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$22.35 ¥3,632

-43.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.21 ¥196

2.48%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$22.8K ¥3.7M

2.48%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$18.4K ¥3.0M

-9.47%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$143 ¥23.2K

21.47%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$27.46 ¥4,461

-0.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$34.57 ¥5,617

-8.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$41.14 ¥6,684

30.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$13.85 ¥2,251

-49.17%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$12.44 ¥2,022

0.08%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$140 ¥22.8K

146.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-4.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$42.11 ¥6,843

13.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$29.01 ¥4,713

0.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$59.1 ¥9,604

24.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$109 ¥17.7K

-16.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$257 ¥41.8K

72.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$343 ¥55.7K

16.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$692 ¥112.4K

36.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$656 ¥106.6K

14.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$4,887 ¥793.9K

75.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$2,188 ¥355.5K

-44.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Toyama: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Okinawa versus $257 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 $42.00 in Okinawa versus $42.00 in Toyama. Groceries tell a different story – $395 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 17%, 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 $2,155 per month in Okinawa and $1,845 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 $42.00 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 $1,437 in Okinawa and $1,230 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 $1,230, than in Okinawa at $1,437. 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.