Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Tsu

For one person, living is cheaper in Tsu: $1,287 a month against $1,388 in Okinawa, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

66

Cost of Living Index in Okinawa
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Okinawa Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Tsu
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Tsu Living Index

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Okinawa

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,388

/mo nomad

Tsu

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,287

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Okinawa and in Tsu

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

A single person spends $1,388 per month in Okinawa vs $1,287 in Tsu, rent included.

Okinawa $1,388
Tsu $1,287

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Okinawa vs $1,999 in Tsu, rent included.

Okinawa $2,184
Tsu $1,999

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Okinawa vs $2,710 in Tsu, rent included.

Okinawa $2,980
Tsu $2,710

Okinawa costs about 8% more than Tsu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Okinawa sits 2% above the global median, while Tsu is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.12 ¥1,598

$6.22 ¥982

62.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.24 ¥6,355

$17.49 ¥2,763

130.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 ¥1,112

$3.91 ¥617

80.05%

Cappuccino

$4.11 ¥649

$2.34 ¥369

75.64%

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

$1.40 ¥221

$1.14 ¥181

22.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥145

$0.58 ¥90.9

58.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ¥396

$2.10 ¥331

19.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 ¥832

$2.35 ¥372

124.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥249

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 ¥324

$1.28 ¥203

60.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 ¥594

$5.63 ¥889

-33.21%

Eggs

$1.84 ¥290

$2.02 ¥319

-8.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,842

$12.56 ¥1,984

43.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.79 ¥757

$9.77 ¥1,543

-50.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.45 ¥3,546

$32.52 ¥5,135

-30.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 ¥602

$3.68 ¥581

3.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 ¥413

$2.29 ¥362

14.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ¥347

$6.41 ¥1,012

-65.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.26 ¥831

$4.17 ¥659

26.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 ¥377

$3.84 ¥607

-37.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 ¥404

$3.47 ¥548

-26.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 ¥201

$1.30 ¥205

-1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥122

$1.03 ¥163

-25.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 ¥617

$3.53 ¥558

10.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.40 ¥1,011

$8.37 ¥1,322

-23.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ¥308

$2.04 ¥323

-4.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ¥528

$1.47 ¥233

127.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.44 ¥227

$1.48 ¥234

-2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 ¥10.3K

$56.5 ¥8,926

15.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ¥603

$3.23 ¥509

18.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.54 ¥559

$3.22 ¥509

9.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.23 ¥1,773

$26.97 ¥4,259

-58.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ¥175

$1.04 ¥164

6.73%

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

$20.9K ¥3.3M

$19.0K ¥3.0M

10.14%

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

$15.5K ¥2.5M

$16.7K ¥2.6M

-7.11%

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

$163 ¥25.7K

$145 ¥22.8K

12.54%

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

$25.35 ¥4,004

$24.21 ¥3,824

4.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ¥8,382

$43.47 ¥6,866

22.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 ¥11.5K

$51.3 ¥8,107

42.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.9 ¥8,673

$12.93 ¥2,042

324.75%

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 ¥1,893

$8.34 ¥1,317

43.65%

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

$327 ¥51.7K

$322 ¥50.8K

1.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,668 ¥895.1K

$6,217 ¥981.8K

-8.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.88 ¥7,720

$49.15 ¥7,762

-0.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.35 ¥3,688

$25.83 ¥4,079

-9.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 ¥12.8K

$46.87 ¥7,403

73.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.7 ¥15.1K

$65.4 ¥10.3K

46.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥65.0K

$544 ¥85.9K

-24.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥52.4K

$342 ¥53.9K

-2.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 ¥134.6K

$1,021 ¥161.2K

-16.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 ¥107.1K

$738 ¥116.6K

-8.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,422 ¥1.3M

$4,287 ¥677.0K

96.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,185 ¥187.1K

$2,268 ¥358.3K

-47.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,798 ¥283.9K

$1,511 ¥238.6K

18.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

1.9

17.37%

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

Last update for Okinawa: October 26, 2026

Last update for Tsu: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Okinawa

$332 23.9%

Tsu

$342 26.5% 2.9% $9.6

Groceries & Markets

Okinawa

$330 23.8%

Tsu

$388 30.1% 17.6% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Okinawa

$241 17.4%

Tsu

$212 16.5% 12% $29

Eating Out

Okinawa

$184 13.2%

Tsu

$112 8.7% 39.3% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Okinawa

$112 8.1%

Tsu

$84 6.5% 24.8% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Okinawa

$97 7%

Tsu

$68 5.3% 29.9% $29

Getting Around

Okinawa

$92 6.7%

Tsu

$82 6.4% 11.5% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Okinawa versus $544 in Tsu. 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 19% higher in Okinawa. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in Okinawa versus $17 in Tsu. Groceries tell a different story – $330 in Okinawa vs $388 in Tsu – so Okinawa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇯🇵 Okinawa

🇯🇵 Tsu

🕒 Local time

01:45 1:45 AM

Same time as Okinawa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

142,752

279,241

💱 Currency

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.67 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.67 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Okinawa Tsu 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Okinawa
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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 Tsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 8%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,082 per month in Okinawa and $1,931 in Tsu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Okinawa, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $411 there versus $544 in Tsu.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in Okinawa and $17 in Tsu. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,388 in Okinawa and $1,287 in Tsu. That makes Tsu about 7% cheaper.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,388 in Okinawa and $1,287 in Tsu. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Okinawa has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,287 in Tsu to $1,388 in Okinawa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Tsu. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Okinawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.