Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Utsunomiya Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Utsunomiya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,300 in Utsunomiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $1,894 in Utsunomiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $2,487 in Utsunomiya, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 10% more than Utsunomiya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Okinawa sits 7% above the global median, while Utsunomiya is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$8.18 ¥1,308

4.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$18.71 ¥2,993

120.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$5.29 ¥846

15.69%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$2.36 ¥378

40.25%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.24 ¥199

6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.92 ¥146

-6.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.99 ¥479

16.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$2.70 ¥432

78.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.61 ¥258

16.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.52 ¥243

51.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$5.36 ¥857

-9.89%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.39 ¥382

-15.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$15.81 ¥2,529

3.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$8.04 ¥1,287

38.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$22.48 ¥3,596

19.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$5.32 ¥850

-0.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$2.56 ¥410

1.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$5.96 ¥954

-49.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$5.77 ¥924

-2.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$3.19 ¥510

15.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$3.32 ¥531

-12.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.43 ¥229

11.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.88 ¥142

6.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$4.10 ¥656

17.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$9.30 ¥1,487

-34.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$2.10 ¥336

-18.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.91 ¥465

-0.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.99 ¥318

-16.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$41.28 ¥6,602

-14.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$3.57 ¥570

17.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$2.89 ¥463

30.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$26.54 ¥4,246

-52.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.18 ¥188

1.69%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

-1.04%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$17.2K ¥2.7M

-1.13%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$162 ¥25.8K

7.04%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$26.13 ¥4,180

6.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$33.52 ¥5,362

-3.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$54.9 ¥8,778

-2.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$13.69 ¥2,190

-50.62%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$13.21 ¥2,112

-4.62%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$507 ¥81.0K

-31.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

-11.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$60.0 ¥9,596

-18.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$40.20 ¥6,430

-27.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$66.4 ¥10.6K

9.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$91.9 ¥14.7K

1.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$415 ¥66.5K

5.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$281 ¥44.9K

40.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$694 ¥111.1K

35.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$423 ¥67.7K

77.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

16.28%

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

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Utsunomiya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $415 in Utsunomiya. 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 $19.00 in Utsunomiya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $380 – making Utsunomiya 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 Utsunomiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 10%, 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 $2,145 per month in Okinawa and $1,950 in Utsunomiya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Utsunomiya, 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 $19.00 in Utsunomiya. 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 $1,300 in Utsunomiya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Utsunomiya, where all-in costs run around $1,300, than in Okinawa at $1,430. In Utsunomiya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Utsunomiya – 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 Utsunomiya. 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.