Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Tsushima Island Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Tsushima Island

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,243 in Tsushima Island, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $1,932 in Tsushima Island, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $2,621 in Tsushima Island, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 15% more than Tsushima Island, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$6.83 ¥1,092

25.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$34.63 ¥5,539

19.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$5.61 ¥897

9.09%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.09 ¥494

7.12%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.13 ¥181

16.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.79 ¥127

8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.09 ¥335

66.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$3.16 ¥505

52.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.58 ¥253

18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.60 ¥257

43.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$4.89 ¥781

-1.23%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.23 ¥357

-9.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$10.24 ¥1,638

59.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$6.14 ¥981

81.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$15.42 ¥2,466

74.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$5.43 ¥868

-2.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$2.68 ¥429

-2.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$4.00 ¥640

-24.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$4.56 ¥729

23.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$3.25 ¥519

13.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$2.66 ¥425

9.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.40 ¥223

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.87 ¥139

8.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$4.11 ¥658

17.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$6.52 ¥1,042

-6.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.97 ¥315

-12.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.27 ¥364

27.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.60 ¥255

4.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$54.5 ¥8,723

-35.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.39 ¥542

23.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$2.96 ¥474

27.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$20.49 ¥3,277

-37.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.23 ¥197

-2.44%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$22.9K ¥3.7M

-0.57%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

-0.01%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$141 ¥22.6K

22.46%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$27.21 ¥4,352

1.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$33.73 ¥5,394

-3.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$57.3 ¥9,164

-6.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$13.76 ¥2,201

-50.87%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$13.09 ¥2,094

-3.74%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$283 ¥45.3K

22.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

1.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$44.05 ¥7,046

10.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$29.77 ¥4,762

-1.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$59.3 ¥9,478

23.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$91.6 ¥14.7K

1.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$467 ¥74.7K

-6.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$332 ¥53.2K

18.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$873 ¥139.6K

8.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$663 ¥106.1K

13.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$2,828 ¥452.3K

202.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$1,857 ¥297.1K

-36.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tsushima Island: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $467 in Tsushima Island. 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 $35.00 in Tsushima Island. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $309 – making Tsushima Island 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 Tsushima Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 15%, 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 $1,865 in Tsushima Island. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tsushima Island, 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 $35.00 in Tsushima Island. 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 $1,243 in Tsushima Island. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tsushima Island, where all-in costs run around $1,243, than in Okinawa at $1,430. In Tsushima Island it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tsushima Island – 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 Tsushima Island. 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.