Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Nago, Okinawa

For one person, living is cheaper in Nago, Okinawa: $1,231 a month against $3,493 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $27,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Singapore
🇸🇬 Singapore
$3,493
/mo nomad
Nago, Okinawa
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,231
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Nago, Okinawa

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

A single person spends $3,493 per month in Singapore vs $1,231 in Nago, Okinawa, rent included.

  • Singapore $3,493
  • Nago, Okinawa $1,231

A couple spends around $5,174 per month in Singapore vs $1,923 in Nago, Okinawa, rent included.

  • Singapore $5,174
  • Nago, Okinawa $1,923

A family of three spends $6,855 per month in Singapore vs $2,614 in Nago, Okinawa, rent included.

  • Singapore $6,855
  • Nago, Okinawa $2,614

Singapore costs about 184% more than Nago, Okinawa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Singapore sits 158% above the global median, while Nago, Okinawa is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Singapore
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.74 SGD 15.02
$6.82 ¥1,077
72.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.3 SGD 95.1
$35.35 ¥5,586
110.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 SGD 11.21
$5.68 ¥898
54.23%
Cappuccino
$5.32 SGD 6.80
$3.03 ¥479
75.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 SGD 2.42
$1.10 ¥173
71.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21 SGD 1.55
$0.76 ¥121
59.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.46 SGD 10.82
$2.10 ¥332
302.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.83 SGD 12.57
$3.05 ¥482
222.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Singapore
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.91 SGD 3.72
$1.52 ¥239
91.45%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 SGD 3.22
$1.64 ¥259
53.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.86 SGD 3.66
$4.67 ¥738
-38.76%
Eggs
$3.64 SGD 4.66
$2.28 ¥361
59.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.88 SGD 26.71
$10.13 ¥1,601
106.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.92 SGD 12.69
$6.15 ¥971
61.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.77 SGD 32.98
$15.49 ¥2,448
66.37%
Apples (1kg)
$4.70 SGD 6.02
$5.36 ¥847
-12.31%
Banana (1kg)
$3.08 SGD 3.94
$2.55 ¥402
20.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.74 SGD 6.06
$4.13 ¥652
14.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 SGD 2.80
$4.53 ¥716
-51.66%
Potato (1kg)
$2.57 SGD 3.29
$3.24 ¥511
-20.68%
Onion (1kg)
$2.32 SGD 2.97
$2.56 ¥404
-9.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.86 SGD 2.39
$1.38 ¥217
34.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 SGD 1.78
$0.88 ¥140
57.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.80 SGD 17.66
$4.26 ¥674
223.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.29 SGD 29.81
$6.50 ¥1,027
258.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.77 SGD 6.10
$1.91 ¥302
149.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.69 SGD 6.00
$2.37 ¥375
97.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Singapore
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.60 SGD 2.04
$1.58 ¥250
1.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.0 SGD 123
$56.0 ¥8,840
71.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.61 SGD 4.61
$3.43 ¥542
5.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.79 SGD 1.02
$2.87 ¥454
-72.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.63 SGD 21.28
$21.07 ¥3,329
-21.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.56 SGD 3.28
$1.23 ¥194
108.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$157.0K SGD 200.8K
$23.5K ¥3.7M
568.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$149.8K SGD 191.7K
$16.9K ¥2.7M
788.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 SGD 220
$139 ¥21.9K
23.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.13 SGD 15.53
$27.18 ¥4,294
-55.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.02 SGD 35.86
$34.51 ¥5,452
-18.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$108 SGD 138
$57.1 ¥9,012
89.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.24 SGD 15.67
$13.97 ¥2,207
-12.38%
Cinema Ticket
$12.03 SGD 15.39
$13.04 ¥2,061
-7.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Singapore
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,473 SGD 1,885
$285 ¥45.0K
417.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$28.7K SGD 36.8K
$13.5K ¥2.1M
112.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.0 SGD 99.9
$43.95 ¥6,944
77.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.9 SGD 65.1
$28.96 ¥4,575
75.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 SGD 139
$59.0 ¥9,328
84.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 SGD 158
$92.2 ¥14.6K
33.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Singapore
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,917 SGD 3,733
$461 ¥72.8K
532.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,161 SGD 2,765
$328 ¥51.9K
558.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,769 SGD 7,383
$878 ¥138.6K
557.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,849 SGD 4,925
$659 ¥104.1K
484.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$23.2K SGD 29.7K
$2,826 ¥446.5K
720.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$16.9K SGD 21.7K
$1,726 ¥272.6K
881.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Singapore
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,547 SGD 5,818
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.44
1.81
34.81%

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

Last update for Singapore: October 20, 2026

Last update for Nago, Okinawa: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Singapore
$2.2K
Nago, Okinawa
$328 84.8% $1.8K
Groceries & Markets
Singapore
$458
Nago, Okinawa
$306 33.1% $151
Eating Out
Singapore
$258
Nago, Okinawa
$132 48.9% $126
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
$212
Nago, Okinawa
$200 5.5% $12
Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
$162
Nago, Okinawa
$101 37.8% $61
Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
$132
Nago, Okinawa
$83 37.1% $49
Getting Around
Singapore
$110
Nago, Okinawa
$80 27.1% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,917 in Singapore versus $461 in Nago, Okinawa. 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 $74.0 in Singapore versus $35.00 in Nago, Okinawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $458 vs $306 – making Nago, Okinawa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇬 Singapore
🇯🇵 Nago, Okinawa
🕒 Local time
21:09 9:09 PM
22:09 10:09 PM
1 h ahead of Singapore
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,535,002 Capital
63,554
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to SGD – Singapore Dollar Converter

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.781 USD). 1 EUR = 1.44 SGD (1 SGD = 0.695 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Singapore Nago, Okinawa 3,820 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Singapore
  • Nago, 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
Singapore vs Nago, Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nago, Okinawa cheaper than Singapore?
Yes – Singapore is pricier by about 184%, 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 $5,240 per month in Singapore and $1,847 in Nago, 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 Nago, Okinawa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 71% less in Nago, Okinawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,473 per month in Singapore and $285 in Nago, Okinawa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Singapore or in Nago, Okinawa?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nago, Okinawa, where all-in costs run around $1,231, than in Singapore at $3,493. In Nago, Okinawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Singapore or Nago, Okinawa more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Nago, 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, Singapore or Nago, Okinawa?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Nago, Okinawa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Singapore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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