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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,437 per month in Okinawa vs $1,231 in Tsu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,214 per month in Okinawa vs $1,857 in Tsu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,992 per month in Okinawa vs $2,483 in Tsu, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$6.96 ¥1,131

17.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$19.23 ¥3,125

118.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$4.24 ¥689

41.04%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$3.24 ¥526

3.09%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$1.14 ¥185

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.71 ¥115

30.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$2.84 ¥462

23.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$4.40 ¥715

11.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.60 ¥259

21.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.43 ¥233

65.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$4.81 ¥781

1.25%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$2.46 ¥399

-18.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$10.75 ¥1,746

52.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$6.58 ¥1,068

64.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$19.22 ¥3,123

37.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$3.55 ¥577

42.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$2.13 ¥347

21.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$2.49 ¥405

25.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$4.31 ¥700

30.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$1.73 ¥280

102.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$1.25 ¥203

131.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.37 ¥222

16.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.90 ¥146

-2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$3.95 ¥641

24.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$9.40 ¥1,528

-35.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$2.11 ¥342

-18.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.91 ¥472

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.61 ¥262

1.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$56.5 ¥9,184

-38.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$4.43 ¥720

-7.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$3.39 ¥551

6.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$23.34 ¥3,791

-46.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.23 ¥200

0.81%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$22.7K ¥3.7M

2.78%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$17.2K ¥2.8M

-2.79%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$133 ¥21.7K

29.94%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$26.56 ¥4,315

2.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$30.61 ¥4,974

3.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$56.6 ¥9,196

-5.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$13.81 ¥2,244

-49.02%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$12.41 ¥2,017

0.32%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$68.8 ¥11.2K

402.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$10.5K ¥1.7M

25.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$44.16 ¥7,175

8.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$29.57 ¥4,804

-1.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$67.7 ¥11.0K

8.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$94.8 ¥15.4K

-4.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$463 ¥75.2K

-3.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$325 ¥52.8K

22.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$859 ¥139.6K

10.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$664 ¥107.8K

12.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$4,866 ¥790.6K

76.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$2,303 ¥374.2K

-46.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

10.50%

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

Last update for Okinawa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tsu: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Okinawa versus $463 in Tsu. 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 $19.00 in Tsu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $303 – making Tsu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 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 $1,847 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 $42.00 in Okinawa and $19.00 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 $1,437 in Okinawa and $1,231 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 $1,231, than in Okinawa at $1,437. 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.