Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Okinawa

For one person, living costs are similar in Osaka and in Okinawa: $1,396 and $1,388 a month, rent and utilities included.

Osaka, Japan
Okinawa, Japan
Osaka
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,396
/mo nomad
Okinawa
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,388
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Osaka and in Okinawa

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

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Osaka vs $1,388 in Okinawa, rent included.

  • Osaka $1,396
  • Okinawa $1,388

A couple spends around $2,027 per month in Osaka vs $2,184 in Okinawa, rent included.

  • Osaka $2,027
  • Okinawa $2,184

A family of three spends $2,658 per month in Osaka vs $2,980 in Okinawa, rent included.

  • Osaka $2,658
  • Okinawa $2,980

Osaka and Okinawa have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Osaka and Okinawa sit above the global median – Osaka by 3%, Okinawa by 2%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Osaka
Okinawa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.50 ¥1,027
$10.12 ¥1,598
-35.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.93 ¥5,041
$40.24 ¥6,353
-20.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.15 ¥813
$7.04 ¥1,112
-26.85%
Cappuccino
$3.03 ¥478
$4.11 ¥649
-26.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 ¥220
$1.40 ¥221
-0.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 ¥113
$0.92 ¥145
-22.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.75 ¥434
$2.51 ¥396
9.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.89 ¥614
$5.27 ¥832
-26.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Osaka
Okinawa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 ¥230
$1.58 ¥249
-7.59%
White Bread (500g)
$1.30 ¥205
$2.05 ¥324
-36.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.46 ¥863
$3.76 ¥594
45.21%
Eggs
$2.03 ¥321
$1.84 ¥290
10.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.63 ¥1,520
$17.99 ¥2,841
-46.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.45 ¥1,492
$4.79 ¥757
97.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.58 ¥2,933
$22.45 ¥3,545
-17.24%
Apples (1kg)
$3.39 ¥535
$3.81 ¥602
-11.02%
Banana (1kg)
$2.00 ¥316
$2.62 ¥413
-23.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.09 ¥329
$2.20 ¥347
-5.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.14 ¥654
$5.26 ¥831
-21.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.57 ¥247
$2.39 ¥377
-34.31%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 ¥185
$2.56 ¥404
-54.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 ¥217
$1.28 ¥201
7.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 ¥128
$0.77 ¥122
5.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.02 ¥635
$3.90 ¥617
3.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.72 ¥1,535
$6.40 ¥1,011
51.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 ¥306
$1.95 ¥308
-0.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19 ¥503
$3.34 ¥528
-4.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Osaka
Okinawa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 ¥213
$1.44 ¥227
-6.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.79 ¥5,178
$65.1 ¥10.3K
-49.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.90 ¥616
$3.82 ¥603
2.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.26 ¥515
$3.54 ¥559
-7.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.50 ¥3,395
$11.23 ¥1,772
91.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ¥176
$1.11 ¥175
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K ¥3.5M
$20.9K ¥3.3M
6.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$14.9K ¥2.3M
$15.5K ¥2.5M
-4.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Osaka
Okinawa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$141 ¥22.3K
$163 ¥25.7K
-13.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.00 ¥3,790
$25.35 ¥4,003
-5.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.50 ¥4,815
$53.1 ¥8,379
-42.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Osaka
Okinawa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.7 ¥8,168
$73.0 ¥11.5K
-29.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.86 ¥2,978
$54.9 ¥8,670
-65.66%
Cinema Ticket
$12.85 ¥2,028
$11.98 ¥1,892
7.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Osaka
Okinawa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$709 ¥111.9K
$327 ¥51.7K
116.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.2K ¥2.1M
$5,668 ¥894.9K
133.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Osaka
Okinawa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.77 ¥7,700
$48.88 ¥7,718
-0.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.94 ¥4,885
$23.35 ¥3,687
32.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.9 ¥11.5K
$81.2 ¥12.8K
-10.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.8 ¥14.3K
$95.7 ¥15.1K
-5.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Osaka
Okinawa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$732 ¥115.6K
$411 ¥64.9K
77.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$516 ¥81.5K
$332 ¥52.4K
55.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,693 ¥267.3K
$852 ¥134.6K
98.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$773 ¥122.1K
$678 ¥107.0K
14.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,542 ¥1.0M
$8,422 ¥1.3M
-22.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,063 ¥483.6K
$1,185 ¥187.1K
158.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Osaka
Okinawa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,363 ¥373.1K
$1,798 ¥283.8K
31.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.21
2.23
-0.90%

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

Last update for Osaka: October 25, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Osaka
$516
Okinawa
$332 35.7% $184
Groceries & Markets
Osaka
$305
Okinawa
$330 8.1% $25
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Osaka
$195
Okinawa
$241 23.4% $46
Eating Out
Osaka
$134
Okinawa
$184 37.4% $50
Clothing & Footwear
Osaka
$110
Okinawa
$112 2.3% $2.6
Sport & Entertainment
Osaka
$77
Okinawa
$97 25.3% $20
Getting Around
Osaka
$58
Okinawa
$92 58.2% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $732 in Osaka versus $411 in Okinawa. 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 31% higher in Osaka. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Osaka versus $40 in Okinawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $330 – making Osaka the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Osaka
🇯🇵 Okinawa
🕒 Local time
06:59 6:59 AM
06:59 6:59 AM
Same time as Osaka
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,691,185
142,752
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Osaka Okinawa 1,170 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Osaka
  • Okinawa

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
Osaka vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,094 per month in Osaka and $2,082 in Okinawa. 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 $732 in Osaka.
Is eating out cheaper in Osaka or in Okinawa?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Osaka and $40 in Okinawa. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 50% less in Osaka. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is Osaka or Okinawa more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Okinawa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Osaka or Okinawa?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Okinawa. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Osaka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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