Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Wakayama Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Wakayama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,427 per month in Okinawa vs $1,301 in Wakayama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,228 per month in Okinawa vs $2,049 in Wakayama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,030 per month in Okinawa vs $2,797 in Wakayama, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 10% more than Wakayama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Okinawa sits 4% above the global median, while Wakayama is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ¥1,511

$6.57 ¥1,026

47.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.32 ¥6,292

$32.06 ¥5,003

25.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ¥1,082

$5.25 ¥819

32.19%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ¥653

$2.54 ¥396

64.57%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.33 ¥207

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$0.91 ¥142

10.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ¥313

$3.27 ¥510

-38.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ¥696

$1.91 ¥297

133.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥249

$1.61 ¥252

-1.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ¥344

$1.57 ¥245

40.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 ¥620

$4.24 ¥661

-6.13%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥282

$2.21 ¥344

-18.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ¥2,807

$16.08 ¥2,509

11.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ¥788

$7.15 ¥1,115

-29.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 ¥3,574

$17.47 ¥2,725

31.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ¥582

$8.43 ¥1,315

-55.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ¥434

$3.02 ¥471

-7.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ¥358

$5.23 ¥816

-56.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 ¥822

$7.96 ¥1,242

-33.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 ¥382

$4.03 ¥629

-39.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥394

$4.72 ¥736

-46.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥211

$1.15 ¥179

17.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥120

$0.96 ¥150

-19.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥614

$4.04 ¥630

-2.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ¥1,015

$9.45 ¥1,475

-31.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥306

$2.68 ¥418

-26.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ¥538

$2.23 ¥348

54.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥229

$1.66 ¥260

-12.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ¥10.6K

$53.4 ¥8,324

27.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ¥614

$3.31 ¥516

19.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 ¥560

$2.95 ¥461

21.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 ¥1,853

$16.12 ¥2,515

-26.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥177

$1.12 ¥175

0.89%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$22.4K ¥3.5M

-2.06%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$15.3K ¥2.4M

0.77%

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

$165 ¥25.7K

$117 ¥18.3K

41.05%

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

$25.69 ¥4,009

$23.75 ¥3,706

8.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 ¥8,550

$32.35 ¥5,048

69.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 ¥11.6K

$49.48 ¥7,720

49.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,814

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥1,951

$11.54 ¥1,800

8.32%

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

$345 ¥53.8K

$597 ¥93.1K

-42.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,827 ¥909.1K

$14.9K ¥2.3M

-60.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ¥8,063

$52.3 ¥8,153

-1.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 ¥3,763

$36.53 ¥5,699

-33.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ¥12.7K

$63.4 ¥9,888

28.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥15.0K

$101 ¥15.8K

-5.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥64.2K

$534 ¥83.3K

-22.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥51.8K

$312 ¥48.7K

6.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥134.7K

$894 ¥139.4K

-3.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 ¥108.2K

$726 ¥113.2K

-4.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,703 ¥1.4M

$3,717 ¥579.9K

134.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 ¥187.3K

$1,847 ¥288.2K

-35.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 ¥290.4K

$3,816 ¥595.5K

-51.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

1.66

34.34%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Wakayama: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Okinawa versus $534 in Wakayama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 105% higher in Wakayama, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Okinawa versus $32.00 in Wakayama. Groceries tell a different story – $337 in Okinawa vs $389 in Wakayama – so Okinawa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Wakayama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 10%, 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 $2,140 per month in Okinawa and $1,952 in Wakayama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wakayama, 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 $32.00 in Wakayama. 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 $1,301 in Wakayama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Wakayama, where all-in costs run around $1,301, than in Okinawa at $1,427. In Wakayama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wakayama – 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 Wakayama. 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.