Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Ube Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Ube

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,262 in Ube, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $1,933 in Ube, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $2,604 in Ube, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 13% more than Ube, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 7% above the global median, while Ube is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$7.01 ¥1,121

22.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$34.18 ¥5,468

20.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$5.38 ¥861

13.75%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.11 ¥497

6.43%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.14 ¥183

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.81 ¥130

6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.14 ¥342

62.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$3.08 ¥492

56.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.52 ¥243

23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.61 ¥257

42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$4.86 ¥777

-0.62%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.21 ¥353

-9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$10.27 ¥1,643

59.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$6.41 ¥1,026

73.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$15.66 ¥2,504

72.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$5.40 ¥864

-2.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$2.68 ¥428

-2.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$4.04 ¥646

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$4.44 ¥711

27.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$3.19 ¥510

15.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$2.64 ¥423

9.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.39 ¥222

15.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.84 ¥134

11.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$4.04 ¥646

19.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$6.45 ¥1,032

-5.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.98 ¥317

-13.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.37 ¥378

21.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.65 ¥265

1.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$56.4 ¥9,020

-37.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.45 ¥551

21.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$2.98 ¥476

26.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$21.14 ¥3,381

-39.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.19 ¥190

0.84%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.4K ¥3.7M

-2.49%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$16.8K ¥2.7M

0.79%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$138 ¥22.1K

25.27%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$27.00 ¥4,318

2.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$34.14 ¥5,460

-4.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$56.8 ¥9,077

-5.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$13.70 ¥2,191

-50.66%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$13.31 ¥2,130

-5.33%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$282 ¥45.1K

22.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

-0.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$43.38 ¥6,938

12.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$30.04 ¥4,805

-2.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$59.1 ¥9,460

23.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$90.4 ¥14.5K

3.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$465 ¥74.4K

-5.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$335 ¥53.5K

17.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$865 ¥138.3K

9.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$660 ¥105.5K

13.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$2,863 ¥457.9K

198.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$1,828 ¥292.4K

-35.07%

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 Ube: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $465 in Ube. 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 $34.00 in Ube. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $309 – making Ube 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 Ube: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,893 in Ube. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ube, 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 $34.00 in Ube. 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 $1,262 in Ube. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ube, where all-in costs run around $1,262, than in Okinawa at $1,430. In Ube it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ube – 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 Ube. 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.