Cost of Living Comparison Between Tsu and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Tsu and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,231 per month in Tsu vs $1,437 in Okinawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,857 per month in Tsu vs $2,214 in Okinawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,483 per month in Tsu vs $2,992 in Okinawa, rent included.

Tsu is about 14% cheaper than Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.96 ¥1,131

$8.18 ¥1,329

-14.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.23 ¥3,125

$41.94 ¥6,815

-54.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.24 ¥689

$5.98 ¥971

-29.10%

Cappuccino

$3.24 ¥526

$3.34 ¥543

-2.99%

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

$1.14 ¥185

$1.32 ¥215

-13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥115

$0.93 ¥152

-23.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ¥462

$3.50 ¥569

-18.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 ¥715

$4.91 ¥797

-10.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ¥259

$1.95 ¥317

-17.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥233

$2.37 ¥385

-39.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.81 ¥781

$4.87 ¥791

-1.23%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥399

$2.00 ¥325

23.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ¥1,746

$16.39 ¥2,663

-34.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 ¥1,068

$10.84 ¥1,761

-39.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.22 ¥3,123

$26.48 ¥4,303

-27.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ¥577

$5.06 ¥822

-29.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ¥347

$2.59 ¥420

-17.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 ¥405

$3.13 ¥509

-20.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥700

$5.64 ¥916

-23.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ¥280

$3.50 ¥568

-50.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ¥203

$2.89 ¥469

-56.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥222

$1.59 ¥258

-13.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥146

$0.88 ¥143

2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 ¥641

$4.92 ¥799

-19.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.40 ¥1,528

$6.09 ¥989

54.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥342

$1.73 ¥281

21.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥472

$2.91 ¥473

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥262

$1.63 ¥265

-1.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.5 ¥9,184

$34.91 ¥5,673

61.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 ¥720

$4.11 ¥668

7.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.39 ¥551

$3.62 ¥587

-6.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.34 ¥3,791

$12.58 ¥2,044

85.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥200

$1.24 ¥202

-0.81%

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

$22.7K ¥3.7M

$23.3K ¥3.8M

-2.70%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$16.7K ¥2.7M

2.87%

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

$133 ¥21.7K

$173 ¥28.2K

-23.04%

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

$26.56 ¥4,315

$27.25 ¥4,428

-2.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.61 ¥4,974

$31.66 ¥5,145

-3.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 ¥9,196

$53.7 ¥8,723

5.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.81 ¥2,244

$7.04 ¥1,144

96.16%

Cinema Ticket

$12.41 ¥2,017

$12.45 ¥2,022

-0.32%

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

$68.8 ¥11.2K

$346 ¥56.2K

-80.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-20.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.16 ¥7,175

$47.75 ¥7,758

-7.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.57 ¥4,804

$29.25 ¥4,753

1.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 ¥11.0K

$73.5 ¥11.9K

-7.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.4K

$90.9 ¥14.8K

4.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 ¥75.2K

$445 ¥72.2K

4.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 ¥52.8K

$400 ¥64.9K

-18.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 ¥139.6K

$946 ¥153.7K

-9.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 ¥107.8K

$748 ¥121.5K

-11.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,866 ¥790.6K

$8,584 ¥1.4M

-43.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,303 ¥374.2K

$1,221 ¥198.4K

88.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

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 Tsu: July 11, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $463 in Tsu versus $445 in 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 $19.00 in Tsu versus $42.00 in Okinawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $395 – making Tsu 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

Tsu vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 17%, 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 $1,847 per month in Tsu and $2,155 in Okinawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tsu, 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 $19.00 in Tsu and $42.00 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 $1,231 in Tsu and $1,437 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 Tsu, where all-in costs run around $1,231, than in Okinawa at $1,437. In Tsu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tsu – 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 Tsu. 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.