Cost of Living Comparison Between Suginami-ku and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Suginami-ku and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,196 per month in Suginami-ku vs $1,430 in Okinawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,894 per month in Suginami-ku vs $2,196 in Okinawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,592 per month in Suginami-ku vs $2,961 in Okinawa, rent included.

Suginami-ku is about 16% cheaper than Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Suginami-ku sits 11% below the global median, while Okinawa is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.00 ¥1,120

$8.57 ¥1,370

-18.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.21 ¥5,473

$41.32 ¥6,609

-17.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥810

$6.12 ¥978

-17.32%

Cappuccino

$3.16 ¥506

$3.31 ¥529

-4.53%

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

$1.14 ¥182

$1.32 ¥211

-13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥119

$0.86 ¥137

-13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ¥326

$3.48 ¥557

-41.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ¥335

$4.81 ¥769

-56.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ¥242

$1.87 ¥299

-19.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 ¥281

$2.30 ¥367

-23.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.84 ¥774

$4.83 ¥772

0.21%

Eggs

$1.52 ¥243

$2.01 ¥321

-24.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 ¥1,628

$16.33 ¥2,613

-37.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 ¥1,004

$11.13 ¥1,780

-43.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 ¥2,502

$26.95 ¥4,310

-41.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 ¥952

$5.27 ¥842

12.90%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 ¥493

$2.61 ¥418

18.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 ¥655

$3.03 ¥485

35.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 ¥742

$5.65 ¥904

-17.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 ¥533

$3.69 ¥590

-9.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ¥570

$2.90 ¥464

23.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥215

$1.60 ¥256

-16.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥139

$0.94 ¥151

-7.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥680

$4.82 ¥771

-11.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.29 ¥1,486

$6.11 ¥978

52.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥294

$1.72 ¥275

6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥330

$2.89 ¥461

-28.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.67 ¥268

-4.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.1 ¥8,808

$35.27 ¥5,642

56.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ¥570

$4.19 ¥671

-14.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 ¥484

$3.77 ¥603

-19.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.93 ¥3,507

$12.74 ¥2,037

72.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥188

$1.20 ¥192

-2.50%

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

$22.9K ¥3.7M

$22.8K ¥3.6M

0.62%

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

$18.3K ¥2.9M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

7.67%

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

$82.5 ¥13.2K

$173 ¥27.7K

-52.29%

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

$27.76 ¥4,440

$27.72 ¥4,434

0.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.70 ¥5,391

$32.51 ¥5,200

3.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 ¥8,994

$53.4 ¥8,547

5.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.00 ¥2,240

$6.76 ¥1,081

107.10%

Cinema Ticket

$11.32 ¥1,811

$12.60 ¥2,016

-10.16%

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

$287 ¥45.9K

$347 ¥55.5K

-17.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ¥2.2M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

3.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.99 ¥3,357

$48.84 ¥7,813

-57.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.03 ¥4,643

$29.28 ¥4,683

-0.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.9 ¥9,737

$72.9 ¥11.7K

-16.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 ¥15.7K

$93.1 ¥14.9K

5.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 ¥74.1K

$437 ¥69.9K

5.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 ¥51.7K

$394 ¥63.1K

-18.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$879 ¥140.6K

$944 ¥150.9K

-6.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥105.5K

$750 ¥119.9K

-11.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,161 ¥665.5K

$8,543 ¥1.4M

-51.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,507 ¥401.0K

$1,187 ¥189.8K

111.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,769 ¥442.9K

$1,292 ¥206.6K

114.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Suginami-ku: May 31, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $463 in Suginami-ku versus $437 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 114% higher in Suginami-ku, 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 $34.00 in Suginami-ku versus $41.00 in Okinawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $398 – making Suginami-ku 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

Suginami-ku vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 20%, 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 $1,794 per month in Suginami-ku and $2,145 in Okinawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Suginami-ku, 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 Suginami-ku 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 $1,196 in Suginami-ku and $1,430 in Okinawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Suginami-ku, where all-in costs run around $1,196, than in Okinawa at $1,430. In Suginami-ku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Suginami-ku – 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 Suginami-ku. 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.