Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Yamanashi

For one person, living is cheaper in Yamanashi: $1,172 a month against $1,388 in Okinawa, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Okinawa, Japan
Yamanashi, Japan
Okinawa
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,388
/mo nomad
Yamanashi
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,172
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Okinawa and in Yamanashi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Okinawa and in Yamanashi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,388 per month in Okinawa vs $1,172 in Yamanashi, rent included.

  • Okinawa $1,388
  • Yamanashi $1,172

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Okinawa vs $1,904 in Yamanashi, rent included.

  • Okinawa $2,184
  • Yamanashi $1,904

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Okinawa vs $2,636 in Yamanashi, rent included.

  • Okinawa $2,980
  • Yamanashi $2,636

Okinawa costs about 18% more than Yamanashi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Okinawa sits 2% above the global median, while Yamanashi is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Okinawa
Yamanashi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.12 ¥1,598
$8.64 ¥1,365
17.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.24 ¥6,355
$31.83 ¥5,027
26.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.04 ¥1,112
$4.94 ¥781
42.51%
Cappuccino
$4.11 ¥649
$2.49 ¥394
65.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 ¥221
$1.30 ¥206
7.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 ¥145
$0.90 ¥142
2.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.51 ¥396
$3.10 ¥490
-19.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.27 ¥832
$3.16 ¥498
66.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Okinawa
Yamanashi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 ¥249
$0.97 ¥153
62.89%
White Bread (500g)
$2.05 ¥324
$0.87 ¥137
135.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.76 ¥594
$1.30 ¥205
189.23%
Eggs
$1.84 ¥290
$1.64 ¥260
12.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.99 ¥2,842
$12.75 ¥2,014
41.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.79 ¥757
$5.50 ¥868
-12.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.45 ¥3,546
$17.02 ¥2,687
31.90%
Apples (1kg)
$3.81 ¥602
$5.09 ¥804
-25.15%
Banana (1kg)
$2.62 ¥413
$3.03 ¥479
-13.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.20 ¥347
$1.92 ¥303
14.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.26 ¥831
$3.59 ¥566
46.52%
Potato (1kg)
$2.39 ¥377
$1.70 ¥268
40.59%
Onion (1kg)
$2.56 ¥404
$2.43 ¥384
5.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 ¥201
$1.10 ¥174
16.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ¥122
$0.67 ¥106
14.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90 ¥617
$3.90 ¥616
-
Wine (Bottle)
$6.40 ¥1,011
$9.68 ¥1,529
-33.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.95 ¥308
$2.56 ¥404
-23.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34 ¥528
$2.10 ¥332
59.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Okinawa
Yamanashi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.44 ¥227
$1.62 ¥256
-11.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.1 ¥10.3K
$58.9 ¥9,302
10.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.82 ¥603
$3.12 ¥492
22.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.54 ¥559
$2.84 ¥449
24.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.23 ¥1,773
$16.17 ¥2,554
-30.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ¥175
$1.12 ¥176
-0.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K ¥3.3M
$22.2K ¥3.5M
-5.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.5K ¥2.5M
$14.9K ¥2.4M
3.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Okinawa
Yamanashi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$163 ¥25.7K
$118 ¥18.7K
37.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.35 ¥4,004
$23.18 ¥3,660
9.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.1 ¥8,382
$30.92 ¥4,883
71.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Okinawa
Yamanashi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.0 ¥11.5K
$54.4 ¥8,590
34.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$54.9 ¥8,673
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.98 ¥1,893
$12.49 ¥1,973
-4.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Okinawa
Yamanashi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$327 ¥51.7K
$702 ¥110.8K
-53.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,668 ¥895.1K
$14.9K ¥2.4M
-62.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Okinawa
Yamanashi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.88 ¥7,720
$50.9 ¥8,038
-3.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.35 ¥3,688
$36.39 ¥5,747
-35.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.2 ¥12.8K
$61.6 ¥9,721
31.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.7 ¥15.1K
$100 ¥15.8K
-4.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Okinawa
Yamanashi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$411 ¥65.0K
$554 ¥87.4K
-25.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$332 ¥52.4K
$306 ¥48.3K
8.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$852 ¥134.6K
$985 ¥155.6K
-13.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$678 ¥107.1K
$770 ¥121.5K
-11.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,422 ¥1.3M
$3,903 ¥616.4K
115.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,185 ¥187.1K
$2,242 ¥354.0K
-47.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Okinawa
Yamanashi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,798 ¥283.9K
$4,540 ¥717.0K
-60.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.23
2.02
10.40%

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

Last update for Okinawa: October 26, 2026

Last update for Yamanashi: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Okinawa
$332
Yamanashi
$306 7.9% $26
Groceries & Markets
Okinawa
$330
Yamanashi
$275 16.6% $55
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Okinawa
$241
Yamanashi
$172 28.6% $69
Eating Out
Okinawa
$184
Yamanashi
$145 21.3% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Okinawa
$112
Yamanashi
$112 0.1% $0.1
Sport & Entertainment
Okinawa
$97
Yamanashi
$79 18.2% $18
Getting Around
Okinawa
$92
Yamanashi
$83 10.5% $9.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Okinawa versus $554 in Yamanashi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Yamanashi are about 2.5 times higher, 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 in Okinawa versus $32 in Yamanashi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $330 vs $275 – making Yamanashi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Okinawa
🇯🇵 Yamanashi
🕒 Local time
03:22 3:22 AM
03:22 3:22 AM
Same time as Okinawa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
142,752
34,494
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Okinawa Yamanashi 1,450 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Okinawa
  • Yamanashi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Yamanashi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Yamanashi cheaper than Okinawa?
Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 18%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,082 per month in Okinawa and $1,758 in Yamanashi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Okinawa, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $411 there versus $554 in Yamanashi.
Is eating out cheaper in Okinawa or in Yamanashi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in Okinawa and $32 in Yamanashi. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Okinawa and in Yamanashi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,388 in Okinawa and $1,172 in Yamanashi. That makes Yamanashi about 16% cheaper.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Okinawa or in Yamanashi?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,388 in Okinawa and $1,172 in Yamanashi. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Okinawa or in Yamanashi?
It depends on your priorities. Okinawa has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,172 in Yamanashi to $1,388 in Okinawa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Okinawa or Yamanashi?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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