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 $1,427 per month in Okinawa vs $1,216 in Tsushima Island, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,228 per month in Okinawa vs $1,898 in Tsushima Island, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,030 per month in Okinawa vs $2,580 in Tsushima Island, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 17% more than Tsushima Island, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Okinawa sits 4% above the global median, while Tsushima Island is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,519

$6.85 ¥1,075

41.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,325

$34.32 ¥5,383

17.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,088

$5.52 ¥866

25.72%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥656

$3.05 ¥479

37.05%

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

$1.47 ¥231

$1.09 ¥171

34.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥159

$0.80 ¥126

26.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥314

$2.07 ¥325

-3.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥700

$3.16 ¥496

41.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥250

$1.54 ¥241

3.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥346

$1.60 ¥251

37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥624

$4.81 ¥754

-17.26%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥284

$2.23 ¥350

-18.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,822

$10.02 ¥1,572

79.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥792

$6.46 ¥1,013

-21.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,593

$15.35 ¥2,408

49.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥585

$5.35 ¥838

-30.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥436

$2.62 ¥411

6.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥360

$4.05 ¥635

-43.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥827

$4.62 ¥725

14.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥384

$3.33 ¥522

-26.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥396

$2.69 ¥422

-5.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥212

$1.32 ¥207

2.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥121

$0.89 ¥140

-13.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥617

$4.19 ¥657

-6.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,020

$6.62 ¥1,038

-1.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥307

$2.00 ¥314

-2.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥541

$2.39 ¥374

44.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥230

$1.66 ¥260

-12.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.7K

$54.5 ¥8,554

24.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥618

$3.41 ¥535

15.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥563

$2.87 ¥449

25.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,863

$20.83 ¥3,267

-43.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥178

$1.18 ¥186

-4.24%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$22.8K ¥3.6M

-4.06%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$17.3K ¥2.7M

-11.02%

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

$165 ¥25.9K

$139 ¥21.8K

18.87%

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

$25.69 ¥4,030

$27.55 ¥4,321

-6.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,596

$33.49 ¥5,252

63.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$57.6 ¥9,030

28.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,861

$13.94 ¥2,186

305.24%

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,961

$13.12 ¥2,058

-4.73%

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

$345 ¥54.1K

$284 ¥44.5K

21.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥913.9K

$13.5K ¥2.1M

-56.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,106

$44.05 ¥6,909

17.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,783

$28.97 ¥4,543

-16.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$60.2 ¥9,438

34.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.0K

$92.1 ¥14.4K

4.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.5K

$466 ¥73.1K

-11.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥52.1K

$330 ¥51.8K

0.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥135.4K

$852 ¥133.7K

1.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.8K

$660 ¥103.5K

5.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$2,859 ¥448.4K

204.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥188.3K

$1,775 ¥278.4K

-32.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥291.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

1.81

23.20%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Tsushima Island: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Okinawa versus $466 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 $40.00 in Okinawa versus $34.00 in Tsushima Island. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 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 17%, 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 $1,824 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 $40.00 in Okinawa and $34.00 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 $1,427 in Okinawa and $1,216 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 $1,216, than in Okinawa at $1,427. 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.