Cost of Living Comparison Between Yamaguchi and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Yamaguchi and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,254 per month in Yamaguchi vs $1,430 in Okinawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,945 per month in Yamaguchi vs $2,196 in Okinawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,636 per month in Yamaguchi vs $2,961 in Okinawa, rent included.

Yamaguchi is about 12% cheaper than Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Yamaguchi sits 6% below the global median, while Okinawa is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 ¥662

$8.57 ¥1,370

-51.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.31 ¥5,487

$41.32 ¥6,609

-16.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 ¥899

$6.12 ¥978

-8.17%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ¥483

$3.31 ¥529

-8.76%

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

$1.09 ¥174

$1.32 ¥211

-17.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥124

$0.86 ¥137

-10.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥420

$3.48 ¥557

-24.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 ¥792

$4.81 ¥769

2.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥266

$1.87 ¥299

-10.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥265

$2.30 ¥367

-27.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 ¥654

$4.83 ¥772

-15.32%

Eggs

$2.50 ¥399

$2.01 ¥321

24.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 ¥1,610

$16.33 ¥2,613

-38.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 ¥1,004

$11.13 ¥1,780

-43.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.02 ¥3,362

$26.95 ¥4,310

-22.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 ¥494

$5.27 ¥842

-41.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 ¥229

$2.61 ¥418

-45.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ¥218

$3.03 ¥485

-55.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.94 ¥950

$5.65 ¥904

5.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 ¥433

$3.69 ¥590

-26.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 ¥512

$2.90 ¥464

10.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ¥158

$1.60 ¥256

-38.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.94 ¥151

-19.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 ¥617

$4.82 ¥771

-19.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.40 ¥1,024

$6.11 ¥978

4.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ¥322

$1.72 ¥275

16.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥330

$2.89 ¥461

-28.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.67 ¥268

-3.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ¥8,786

$35.27 ¥5,642

55.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 ¥726

$4.19 ¥671

8.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 ¥473

$3.77 ¥603

-21.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.25 ¥3,079

$12.74 ¥2,037

51.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥190

$1.20 ¥192

-1.67%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$22.8K ¥3.6M

3.59%

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

$19.8K ¥3.2M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

16.84%

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

$221 ¥35.4K

$173 ¥27.7K

27.84%

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

$27.72 ¥4,433

$27.72 ¥4,434

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.15 ¥5,622

$32.51 ¥5,200

8.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 ¥9,062

$53.4 ¥8,547

6.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.66 ¥2,185

$6.76 ¥1,081

102.07%

Cinema Ticket

$14.08 ¥2,252

$12.60 ¥2,016

11.75%

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

$418 ¥66.8K

$347 ¥55.5K

20.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

0.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.43 ¥6,947

$48.84 ¥7,813

-11.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.04 ¥4,645

$29.28 ¥4,683

-0.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 ¥10.6K

$72.9 ¥11.7K

-9.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 ¥9,545

$93.1 ¥14.9K

-35.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥74.2K

$437 ¥69.9K

6.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 ¥53.3K

$394 ¥63.1K

-15.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 ¥138.7K

$944 ¥150.9K

-8.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ¥105.4K

$750 ¥119.9K

-12.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,679 ¥748.4K

$8,543 ¥1.4M

-45.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,266 ¥362.4K

$1,187 ¥189.8K

90.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

-16.50%

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

Last update for Yamaguchi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Yamaguchi 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Yamaguchi versus $41.00 in Okinawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $398 – making Yamaguchi 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

Yamaguchi vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okinawa is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,880 per month in Yamaguchi 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 Yamaguchi, 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 Yamaguchi 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 $1,254 in Yamaguchi 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 Yamaguchi, where all-in costs run around $1,254, than in Okinawa at $1,430. In Yamaguchi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okinawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yamaguchi – 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 Yamaguchi. 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.