Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Tsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Tsu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,427 per month in Okinawa vs $1,315 in Tsu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,228 per month in Okinawa vs $2,050 in Tsu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,030 per month in Okinawa vs $2,784 in Tsu, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 8% more than Tsu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Okinawa sits 4% above the global median, while Tsu is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,512

$6.36 ¥993

52.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,297

$18.04 ¥2,817

123.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,083

$3.82 ¥596

81.68%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥653

$2.46 ¥384

69.92%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.18 ¥184

24.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$0.65 ¥101

55.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥313

$2.10 ¥328

-4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥697

$2.30 ¥358

93.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥249

$1.60 ¥250

-0.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥344

$1.34 ¥210

64.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥621

$5.71 ¥891

-30.30%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥282

$2.07 ¥323

-12.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,809

$13.10 ¥2,046

37.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥789

$9.91 ¥1,548

-49.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,577

$33.12 ¥5,173

-30.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥583

$5.13 ¥801

-27.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥434

$3.59 ¥561

-22.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥359

$3.18 ¥497

-27.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥823

$4.27 ¥667

23.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥382

$3.94 ¥615

-37.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥394

$3.54 ¥553

-28.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥211

$1.27 ¥199

6.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥120

$1.03 ¥161

-25.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥614

$3.53 ¥552

11.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,016

$8.32 ¥1,300

-21.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥306

$2.08 ¥325

-5.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥539

$1.56 ¥244

121.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥229

$1.47 ¥230

-0.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.6K

$58.4 ¥9,117

16.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥615

$3.15 ¥492

25.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥560

$3.14 ¥491

14.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,854

$27.01 ¥4,217

-56.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥177

$1.04 ¥163

8.65%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$19.4K ¥3.0M

12.84%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$16.8K ¥2.6M

-7.98%

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

$165 ¥25.8K

$151 ¥23.6K

9.29%

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

$25.69 ¥4,012

$24.90 ¥3,889

3.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,558

$43.69 ¥6,823

25.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$52.1 ¥8,129

42.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,822

$12.95 ¥2,022

336.22%

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,952

$8.45 ¥1,320

47.93%

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

$345 ¥53.9K

$329 ¥51.3K

5.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥909.9K

$6,202 ¥968.5K

-6.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,070

$50.9 ¥7,947

1.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,766

$26.14 ¥4,082

-7.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$47.63 ¥7,439

70.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.0K

$66.5 ¥10.4K

44.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.2K

$520 ¥81.1K

-20.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥51.8K

$339 ¥53.0K

-2.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥134.8K

$1,034 ¥161.4K

-16.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.3K

$746 ¥116.4K

-6.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$3,763 ¥587.7K

131.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥187.4K

$1,792 ¥279.9K

-33.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥290.6K

$1,573 ¥245.6K

18.34%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Tsu: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Okinawa versus $520 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 18% higher in Okinawa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Okinawa versus $18.00 in Tsu. Groceries tell a different story – $337 in Okinawa vs $397 in Tsu – so Okinawa 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 Tsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 8%, 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 $2,140 per month in Okinawa and $1,973 in Tsu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tsu, 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 $18.00 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 $1,427 in Okinawa and $1,315 in Tsu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tsu, where all-in costs run around $1,315, than in Okinawa at $1,427. In Tsu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tsu – 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 Tsu. 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.