Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Nago, Okinawa

For one person, living is cheaper in Nago, Okinawa: $1,239 a month against $1,686 in Tokyo, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tokyo, Japan
Nago, Okinawa, Japan
Tokyo
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,686
/mo nomad
Nago, Okinawa
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,239
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,686 per month in Tokyo vs $1,239 in Nago, Okinawa, rent included.

  • Tokyo $1,686
  • Nago, Okinawa $1,239

A couple spends around $2,604 per month in Tokyo vs $1,920 in Nago, Okinawa, rent included.

  • Tokyo $2,604
  • Nago, Okinawa $1,920

A family of three spends $3,522 per month in Tokyo vs $2,601 in Nago, Okinawa, rent included.

  • Tokyo $3,522
  • Nago, Okinawa $2,601

Tokyo costs about 36% more than Nago, Okinawa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Tokyo sits 25% above the global median, while Nago, Okinawa is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tokyo
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.67 ¥1,215
$7.10 ¥1,125
8.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.82 ¥5,991
$34.07 ¥5,397
11.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.20 ¥824
$5.48 ¥869
-5.11%
Cappuccino
$3.69 ¥584
$3.08 ¥488
19.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 ¥268
$1.09 ¥173
55.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 ¥135
$0.76 ¥121
13.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.77 ¥598
$2.07 ¥327
82.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.67 ¥899
$3.09 ¥490
83.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tokyo
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.54 ¥244
$1.59 ¥252
-3.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.69 ¥267
$1.57 ¥249
7.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.52 ¥874
$4.65 ¥736
18.71%
Eggs
$2.29 ¥363
$2.23 ¥353
2.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.19 ¥1,773
$10.07 ¥1,595
11.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.82 ¥1,080
$6.32 ¥1,001
7.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.14 ¥2,715
$15.20 ¥2,407
12.76%
Apples (1kg)
$4.56 ¥722
$5.37 ¥851
-15.08%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 ¥348
$2.56 ¥406
-14.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.28 ¥678
$3.90 ¥618
9.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.05 ¥800
$4.69 ¥743
7.68%
Potato (1kg)
$3.12 ¥494
$3.35 ¥530
-6.87%
Onion (1kg)
$2.91 ¥460
$2.54 ¥403
14.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 ¥191
$1.40 ¥222
-14.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ¥121
$0.89 ¥140
-13.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.03 ¥638
$4.21 ¥667
-4.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.65 ¥1,529
$6.74 ¥1,068
43.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 ¥265
$1.98 ¥313
-15.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 ¥446
$2.28 ¥360
23.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Tokyo
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 ¥196
$1.59 ¥251
-22.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.4 ¥10.0K
$55.4 ¥8,773
14.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 ¥514
$3.39 ¥537
-4.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.11 ¥492
$2.91 ¥461
6.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.81 ¥2,980
$20.70 ¥3,279
-9.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 ¥174
$1.24 ¥197
-11.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.7K ¥3.6M
$23.1K ¥3.7M
-1.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.3K ¥2.4M
$17.0K ¥2.7M
-9.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tokyo
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$159 ¥25.2K
$139 ¥22.0K
14.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.73 ¥3,758
$27.03 ¥4,281
-12.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.06 ¥4,762
$33.62 ¥5,325
-10.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tokyo
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.5 ¥9,271
$56.8 ¥8,994
3.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.75 ¥4,079
$13.96 ¥2,212
84.46%
Cinema Ticket
$13.27 ¥2,102
$13.32 ¥2,111
-0.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tokyo
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,423 ¥225.4K
$277 ¥43.8K
414.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.5K ¥3.7M
$13.5K ¥2.1M
74.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tokyo
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.7 ¥8,666
$42.56 ¥6,742
28.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.56 ¥5,157
$28.99 ¥4,592
12.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$64.7 ¥10.2K
$59.2 ¥9,370
9.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.0 ¥11.6K
$92.2 ¥14.6K
-20.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tokyo
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,308 ¥207.1K
$468 ¥74.2K
179.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$714 ¥113.2K
$335 ¥53.0K
113.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,676 ¥423.8K
$877 ¥139.0K
204.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,423 ¥225.4K
$650 ¥102.9K
119.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$11.1K ¥1.8M
$2,795 ¥442.8K
295.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,530 ¥875.9K
$1,789 ¥283.4K
209.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tokyo
Nago, Okinawa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,845 ¥450.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.25
1.81
24.31%

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

Last update for Tokyo: November 2, 2026

Last update for Nago, Okinawa: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tokyo
$714
Nago, Okinawa
$335 53.1% $380
Groceries & Markets
Tokyo
$323
Nago, Okinawa
$307 5% $16
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tokyo
$213
Nago, Okinawa
$199 6.4% $14
Eating Out
Tokyo
$162
Nago, Okinawa
$134 17% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Tokyo
$101
Nago, Okinawa
$100 0.9% $0.9
Getting Around
Tokyo
$87
Nago, Okinawa
$80 8.6% $7.5
Sport & Entertainment
Tokyo
$85
Nago, Okinawa
$83 1.9% $1.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,308 in Tokyo versus $468 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 $38 in Tokyo versus $34 in Nago, Okinawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $307 – making Nago, Okinawa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Tokyo
🇯🇵 Nago, Okinawa
🕒 Local time
04:59 4:59 AM
04:59 4:59 AM
Same time as Tokyo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
13,613,660 Capital
63,554
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.31 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.61 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tokyo Nago, Okinawa 1,510 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tokyo
  • 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
Tokyo vs Nago, Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nago, Okinawa cheaper than Tokyo?
Yes – Tokyo is pricier by about 36%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,529 per month in Tokyo and $1,858 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $468 there versus $1,308 in Tokyo.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 13% less in Nago, Okinawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,423 per month in Tokyo and $277 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 Tokyo or in Nago, Okinawa?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nago, Okinawa, where all-in costs run around $1,239, than in Tokyo at $1,686. In Nago, Okinawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Tokyo 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, Tokyo or Nago, 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Nago, Okinawa is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 27% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Tokyo vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?