Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Yamaguchi Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Yamaguchi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,436 per month in Okinawa vs $1,181 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,236 per month in Okinawa vs $1,829 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,037 per month in Okinawa vs $2,478 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 22% more than Yamaguchi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Okinawa sits 4% above the global median, while Yamaguchi is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,562

$3.87 ¥594

162.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.22 ¥6,483

$32.66 ¥5,015

29.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 ¥1,113

$5.17 ¥794

40.23%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ¥644

$3.34 ¥513

25.75%

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

$1.52 ¥233

$1.06 ¥164

43.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ¥149

$0.67 ¥103

44.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ¥324

$3.95 ¥606

-46.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 ¥709

$2.21 ¥339

109.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ¥256

$1.65 ¥253

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 ¥322

$1.96 ¥301

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.00 ¥615

$6.91 ¥1,060

-42.11%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥288

$2.22 ¥342

-15.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 ¥2,815

$18.30 ¥2,810

0.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 ¥781

$5.64 ¥866

-9.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.99 ¥3,531

$19.30 ¥2,963

19.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 ¥577

$3.63 ¥557

3.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 ¥412

$1.86 ¥286

44.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ¥349

$2.99 ¥459

-24.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 ¥827

$3.38 ¥519

59.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 ¥391

$2.21 ¥340

15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥388

$2.58 ¥396

-1.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥205

$1.07 ¥164

25.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥125

$0.93 ¥143

-12.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥612

$4.14 ¥635

-3.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.33 ¥972

$6.44 ¥989

-1.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ¥309

$1.71 ¥263

17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 ¥527

$1.90 ¥291

80.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 ¥232

$1.47 ¥226

2.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.4K

$61.9 ¥9,500

9.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 ¥582

$4.12 ¥633

-8.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.47 ¥532

$2.09 ¥321

66.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.86 ¥1,821

$18.38 ¥2,823

-35.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥175

$1.13 ¥174

0.88%

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

$21.7K ¥3.3M

$22.0K ¥3.4M

-1.27%

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

$15.5K ¥2.4M

$18.0K ¥2.8M

-13.62%

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

$166 ¥25.5K

$190 ¥29.1K

-12.47%

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

$25.25 ¥3,877

$25.04 ¥3,845

0.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 ¥8,344

$33.96 ¥5,215

60.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 ¥11.3K

$48.10 ¥7,385

52.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.5 ¥8,832

Cinema Ticket

$12.27 ¥1,885

$11.28 ¥1,732

8.78%

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

$346 ¥53.1K

$130 ¥20.0K

165.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,652 ¥867.9K

$12.5K ¥1.9M

-54.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 ¥7,795

$38.96 ¥5,983

30.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.35 ¥3,739

$24.04 ¥3,692

1.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ¥12.9K

$60.9 ¥9,353

38.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 ¥15.0K

$49.32 ¥7,573

97.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 ¥62.9K

$429 ¥65.8K

-4.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 ¥50.9K

$262 ¥40.2K

26.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 ¥132.4K

$802 ¥123.2K

7.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 ¥107.2K

$574 ¥88.1K

21.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,819 ¥1.4M

$4,646 ¥713.4K

89.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,241 ¥190.5K

$1,992 ¥305.9K

-37.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,890 ¥290.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

1.85

20.54%

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

Last update for Okinawa: September 5, 2026

Last update for Yamaguchi: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $409 in Okinawa versus $429 in Yamaguchi. 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 $42.00 in Okinawa versus $33.00 in Yamaguchi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $324 – making Yamaguchi 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 Yamaguchi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 22%, 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 $2,153 per month in Okinawa and $1,771 in Yamaguchi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yamaguchi, 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 $42.00 in Okinawa and $33.00 in Yamaguchi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,436 in Okinawa and $1,181 in Yamaguchi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Yamaguchi, where all-in costs run around $1,181, than in Okinawa at $1,436. In Yamaguchi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yamaguchi – 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 Yamaguchi. 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.