Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shiga and Okinawa

For one person, living is cheaper in Shiga: $1,207 a month against $1,388 in Okinawa, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Shiga
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Shiga Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Okinawa
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Okinawa Living Index

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Shiga

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,207

/mo nomad

Okinawa

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,388

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shiga 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 Shiga and in Okinawa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,207 per month in Shiga vs $1,388 in Okinawa, rent included.

Shiga $1,207
Okinawa $1,388

A couple spends around $1,897 per month in Shiga vs $2,184 in Okinawa, rent included.

Shiga $1,897
Okinawa $2,184

A family of three spends $2,588 per month in Shiga vs $2,980 in Okinawa, rent included.

Shiga $2,588
Okinawa $2,980

Shiga is about 13% cheaper than Okinawa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Shiga sits 11% below the global median, while Okinawa is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.19 ¥977

$10.12 ¥1,598

-38.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.73 ¥5,011

$40.24 ¥6,355

-21.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 ¥783

$7.04 ¥1,112

-29.55%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ¥466

$4.11 ¥649

-28.22%

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

$1.31 ¥206

$1.40 ¥221

-6.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥110

$0.92 ¥145

-23.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 ¥436

$2.51 ¥396

9.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ¥558

$5.27 ¥832

-33.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥203

$1.58 ¥249

-18.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ¥196

$2.05 ¥324

-39.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 ¥614

$3.76 ¥594

3.46%

Eggs

$2.04 ¥322

$1.84 ¥290

10.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 ¥1,492

$17.99 ¥2,842

-47.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 ¥1,452

$4.79 ¥757

91.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.48 ¥2,918

$22.45 ¥3,546

-17.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 ¥543

$3.81 ¥602

-9.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ¥320

$2.62 ¥413

-22.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ¥323

$2.20 ¥347

-7.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 ¥626

$5.26 ¥831

-24.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ¥240

$2.39 ¥377

-36.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 ¥180

$2.56 ¥404

-55.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥215

$1.28 ¥201

6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥137

$0.77 ¥122

12.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥627

$3.90 ¥617

1.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.77 ¥1,543

$6.40 ¥1,011

52.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥301

$1.95 ¥308

-2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ¥494

$3.34 ¥528

-6.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 ¥183

$1.44 ¥227

-19.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.2 ¥8,877

$65.1 ¥10.3K

-13.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ¥610

$3.82 ¥603

1.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ¥505

$3.54 ¥559

-9.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.98 ¥3,472

$11.23 ¥1,773

95.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥173

$1.11 ¥175

-1.80%

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

$22.7K ¥3.6M

$20.9K ¥3.3M

8.42%

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

$15.3K ¥2.4M

$15.5K ¥2.5M

-1.83%

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

$137 ¥21.7K

$163 ¥25.7K

-15.77%

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

$24.58 ¥3,882

$25.35 ¥4,004

-3.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.76 ¥2,962

$53.1 ¥8,382

-64.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 ¥8,215

$73.0 ¥11.5K

-28.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.9 ¥8,673

Cinema Ticket

$12.55 ¥1,982

$11.98 ¥1,893

4.76%

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

$697 ¥110.1K

$327 ¥51.7K

113.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.1M

$5,668 ¥895.1K

135.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.59 ¥7,674

$48.88 ¥7,720

-0.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.84 ¥4,870

$23.35 ¥3,688

32.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 ¥11.6K

$81.2 ¥12.8K

-9.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.1 ¥14.2K

$95.7 ¥15.1K

-5.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 ¥87.0K

$411 ¥65.0K

33.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 ¥53.2K

$332 ¥52.4K

1.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$998 ¥157.6K

$852 ¥134.6K

17.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 ¥114.8K

$678 ¥107.1K

7.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,617 ¥729.1K

$8,422 ¥1.3M

-45.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,022 ¥319.3K

$1,185 ¥187.1K

70.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,210 ¥191.2K

$1,798 ¥283.9K

-32.67%

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 Shiga: October 27, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Shiga

$337 27.9%

Okinawa

$332 23.9% 1.5% $4.9

Groceries & Markets

Shiga

$294 24.4%

Okinawa

$330 23.8% 12.1% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shiga

$180 15%

Okinawa

$241 17.4% 33.7% $61

Eating Out

Shiga

$129 10.7%

Okinawa

$184 13.2% 42.8% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Shiga

$109 9.1%

Okinawa

$112 8.1% 2.6% $2.8

Getting Around

Shiga

$81 6.7%

Okinawa

$92 6.7% 14.4% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Shiga

$77 6.4%

Okinawa

$97 7% 25.8% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $551 in Shiga 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 49% higher in Okinawa. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Shiga versus $40 in Okinawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $330 – making Shiga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇯🇵 Shiga

🇯🇵 Okinawa

🕒 Local time

21:12 9:12 PM

Same time as Shiga

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

23,836

142,752

💱 Currency

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.67 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.67 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Shiga Okinawa 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Shiga
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

Shiga vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 15%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,811 per month in Shiga and $2,082 in Okinawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Okinawa, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $411 there versus $551 in Shiga.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Shiga and $40 in Okinawa. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,207 in Shiga and $1,388 in Okinawa. That makes Shiga about 13% cheaper.

$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,207 in Shiga and $1,388 in Okinawa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Okinawa has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,207 in Shiga to $1,388 in Okinawa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Shiga. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Okinawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.