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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Okinawa vs $1,254 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Okinawa vs $1,945 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,961 per month in Okinawa vs $2,636 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

Okinawa costs about 14% more than Yamaguchi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$4.14 ¥662

107.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$34.31 ¥5,487

20.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$5.62 ¥899

8.90%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.02 ¥483

9.60%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$1.09 ¥174

21.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.77 ¥124

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.63 ¥420

32.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$4.95 ¥792

-2.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.67 ¥266

11.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.66 ¥265

38.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$4.09 ¥654

18.09%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.50 ¥399

-19.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$10.07 ¥1,610

62.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$6.28 ¥1,004

77.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$21.02 ¥3,362

28.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$3.09 ¥494

70.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$1.43 ¥229

82.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$1.36 ¥218

122.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$5.94 ¥950

-4.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$2.71 ¥433

36.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$3.20 ¥512

-9.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$0.99 ¥158

61.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.76 ¥122

23.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$3.86 ¥617

24.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$6.40 ¥1,024

-4.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$2.01 ¥322

-14.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.06 ¥330

40.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.61 ¥257

3.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$54.9 ¥8,786

-35.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$4.54 ¥726

-7.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$2.96 ¥473

27.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$19.25 ¥3,079

-33.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.18 ¥190

1.69%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-3.47%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$19.8K ¥3.2M

-14.41%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$221 ¥35.4K

-21.78%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$27.72 ¥4,433

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$35.15 ¥5,622

-7.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$56.7 ¥9,062

-5.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$13.66 ¥2,185

-50.51%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$14.08 ¥2,252

-10.51%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$418 ¥66.8K

-16.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

-0.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$43.43 ¥6,947

12.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$29.04 ¥4,645

0.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$66.1 ¥10.6K

10.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$59.7 ¥9,545

56.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$464 ¥74.2K

-5.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$333 ¥53.3K

18.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$867 ¥138.7K

8.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$659 ¥105.4K

13.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$4,679 ¥748.4K

82.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$2,266 ¥362.4K

-47.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

19.76%

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

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Yamaguchi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Okinawa versus $464 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 $41.00 in Okinawa versus $34.00 in Yamaguchi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $298 – 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 14%, 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 $1,880 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 $41.00 in Okinawa and $34.00 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 $1,430 in Okinawa and $1,254 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 $1,254, than in Okinawa at $1,430. 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.