Cost of Living Comparison Between Shiga and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Shiga and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,205 per month in Shiga vs $1,459 in Okinawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Shiga vs $2,255 in Okinawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,530 per month in Shiga vs $3,052 in Okinawa, rent included.

Shiga is about 17% cheaper than Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Shiga sits 10% below the global median, while Okinawa is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ¥1,087

$8.24 ¥1,317

-17.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.05 ¥5,446

$40.98 ¥6,554

-16.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 ¥793

$5.89 ¥942

-15.79%

Cappuccino

$2.70 ¥431

$3.45 ¥552

-21.74%

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

$1.09 ¥175

$1.38 ¥220

-21.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.85 ¥136

-10.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 ¥445

$3.49 ¥559

-20.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 ¥677

$4.89 ¥782

-13.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥209

$1.92 ¥308

-31.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ¥226

$2.25 ¥359

-37.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 ¥646

$4.68 ¥748

-13.68%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥390

$2.02 ¥324

20.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 ¥1,697

$16.21 ¥2,593

-34.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 ¥1,034

$11.12 ¥1,779

-41.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 ¥3,040

$26.13 ¥4,180

-27.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥585

$5.19 ¥831

-29.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ¥334

$2.66 ¥426

-21.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 ¥417

$3.11 ¥497

-16.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 ¥694

$5.98 ¥956

-27.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥265

$3.56 ¥569

-53.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 ¥207

$2.79 ¥446

-53.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ¥212

$1.57 ¥252

-15.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥142

$0.94 ¥150

-5.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥635

$4.74 ¥758

-16.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.23 ¥1,477

$6.10 ¥975

51.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥338

$1.82 ¥291

15.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ¥475

$3.00 ¥480

-1.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥266

$1.67 ¥267

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.4 ¥8,858

$34.72 ¥5,553

59.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥730

$4.12 ¥658

10.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 ¥531

$3.63 ¥581

-8.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.32 ¥3,730

$12.69 ¥2,030

83.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥185

$1.19 ¥190

-2.52%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-3.11%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

-1.28%

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

$134 ¥21.5K

$174 ¥27.9K

-22.93%

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

$27.40 ¥4,382

$27.88 ¥4,459

-1.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.82 ¥4,929

$31.40 ¥5,023

-1.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 ¥8,987

$52.3 ¥8,365

7.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.92 ¥2,227

$6.99 ¥1,117

99.14%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 ¥2,020

$12.45 ¥1,991

1.45%

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

$69.5 ¥11.1K

$344 ¥55.0K

-79.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K ¥1.6M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-25.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.76 ¥7,159

$48.53 ¥7,762

-7.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 ¥4,674

$29.20 ¥4,671

0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ¥10.7K

$71.3 ¥11.4K

-6.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 ¥15.4K

$90.4 ¥14.5K

6.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥74.5K

$439 ¥70.2K

6.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ¥51.9K

$401 ¥64.2K

-19.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$854 ¥136.5K

$951 ¥152.1K

-10.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ¥104.2K

$731 ¥117.0K

-10.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,201 ¥671.9K

$8,781 ¥1.4M

-52.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,670 ¥427.0K

$1,197 ¥191.4K

123.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,176 ¥188.1K

$1,817 ¥290.7K

-35.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

-9.50%

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

Last update for Shiga: June 7, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $466 in Shiga versus $439 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 55% higher in Okinawa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Shiga versus $41.00 in Okinawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $296 vs $396 – making Shiga 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

Shiga vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 21%, 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 $1,808 per month in Shiga and $2,188 in Okinawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shiga, 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 $34.00 in Shiga and $41.00 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 $1,205 in Shiga and $1,459 in Okinawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shiga, where all-in costs run around $1,205, than in Okinawa at $1,459. In Shiga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shiga – 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 Shiga. 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.