Which place is cheaper, Okinawa or Taipei?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Taipei or Okinawa?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Taipei and Okinawa. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Taipei or Okinawa?
Taipei
Few cities in the world are full of more diverse opportunities than the cultural crosshairs city of Taipei. As the capital of Taiwan, this 300-year-old city is the financial, cultural and governmental center of Taiwan. Located in the northern part of the island between the Yangming Mountains and Central Mountains, this city of 2.6 million people is always ready to welcome more visitors.
Okinawa
Okinawa is the southernmost prefecture of Japan and includes hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands. The chain of islands is off the southern mainland portion of the country and is made up of 49 inhabited islands and over one hundred uninhabited islands. Naha is Okinawa's capital, which is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Taiwan, The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan, The Best G Adventures Tours to Japan, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Tokyo.
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Taipei Prices
Taiwan PricesOkinawa Prices
Japan Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTaipei $199Okinawa $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Taipei is $199, while the average daily cost in Okinawa is $116. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Taipei and Okinawa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTaipei $150Okinawa $69
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTaipei $300Okinawa $138
Compare Hotels in Taipei and Okinawa
Looking for a hotel in Taipei or Okinawa? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Taipei Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Taipei $10Okinawa $8.97
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Taipei
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Taipei:
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Easycard$2.07
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Easycard$9.55
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Train$1.11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taipei
Also for Taipei, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Taoyuan Airport (TPE) Return Bus Transfer: $9.19
- Songshan Airport (TSA) Private Transfer to Multiple Destinations: $23
- Private Airport Transfer: Taipei Airport (TSA) → Taipei Hotel: $32
- TPE Airport: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City: $40
- Keelung: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City: $42
- Jiufen: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City: $42
- Taipei Songshan Airport(TSA)Airport Transfer: $45
- Private Airport Transfer: Taipei Airport (TPE) → Taipei Hotel: $46
- Private Airport Transfer: Taipei Hotel → Taipei Aiport (TPE): $46
- One-way Private Transfer between Jiufen and Taipei: $47
- Taipei Taoyuan Airport Private Transfer (TPE): Taoyuan to Hotel: $58
- Taipei Arrival Private Transfer: Taiwan Taoyuan (TPE) to Hotel: $65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Okinawa
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Okinawa:
- Private Transfer: Naha Cruise Terminal 1 (WAKASA) ↔ Okinawa: $58
- Private Transfer from Okinawa Airport (OKA) to Nakagusuku Port: $199
- Private Airport Transfer: Naha City, Okinawa → Naha Airport (OKA): $125
- Private Airport Transfer: Naha Airport (OKA) → Naha City, Okinawa: $160
- Okinawa Naha Airport (OKA) to Naha Hotels - Round-Trip Transfer: $196
- Naha Airport（OKA）to/from Okinawa Cities Private Transfer: $141
Is it cheaper to fly into Taipei or Okinawa?
Prices for flights to both Okinawa and Taipei change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayTaipei $28Okinawa $38
Typical Food Prices in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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EasyCard$16
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Lunch at The Can$7.00
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EasyCard$32
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Lunch$3.02
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Lunch$1.91
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Dinner$6.36
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Lunch$3.66
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Lunch$4.77
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Louisa coffee$3.02
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Lunch$6.05
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Lunch$3.66
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Food Tours w/ Top 10 Taiwan Food (Breakfast/Dinner): $45
- Taipei Food Tour: Night Market & Convenience Store(Food Included): $45
- After Dusk Food Tours with Drinks & Night Market Flavors: $50
- Street Food & Hidden Eats Night Market Food Tour: $55
- Taipei Hidden Eats, Market & Street Food Tour with 8+ Tastings: $55
- Taipei Food Tours Local Market with 12+ tasters & Drinks Included: $57
- Turnip cake, Pork thick soup, Tofu pudding. Taiwan Traditional Light Meals Experience-C (Taipei Cooking Class): $65
- Backstreet Food Tour: Food, Culture, and Fun: $75
- Xiao Long Bao, Chicken vermicelli with mushroom and sesame oil, Tofu strips salad, Bubble milk tea. Taiwan Traditional Delicacies Experience-A (Taipei Cooking Class): $77
- Xiao Long Bao, Chicken vermicelli with mushroom and sesame oil, Tofu strips salad, Bubble milk tea. Taiwan Traditional Delicacies Experience-A (Taipei Cooking Class): $77
- Street Food Cooking Class in Taipei : Gua Bao/Lu Rou Fan/Boba Tea: $79
- Taiwanese Breakfast Cooking Class in Taipei: $79
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Okinawa
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Okinawa.
- Naha: Airport Food Tour for a Delicious Start or Farewell: $155
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Taipei $18Okinawa $13
Tours and Activities in Taipei
For Taipei, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Tour: $0.50
- Old Town Walking Tour: $0.55
- Vintage Taipei - Best of Taiwan and Sunset Walking Tour: $1.20
- Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence Ticket: $3.28
- Zoo Entrance Ticket: $4.33
- Night Market Walking Tours in Shilin, Ningxia, Longshan, Ximen: $5.00
- Vintage Taipei - Best of Taiwan & Sunset Walking Tour (Tip-based): $5.00
- Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Walking Tour: $5.00
- Taipei Historic Shared Walking Tour (Tip-based): $5.00
- Self Guided Walking Tour of Tamsui with Audio Guide: $5.92
- Taipei Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
- Miramar Ferris Wheel Ticket: $6.57
Tours and Activities in Okinawa
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Okinawa are as follows:
- 1Day BusTour Yanbaru National Park & Cape Hedo,Kouri Island: $91
- Beautiful sunset kayak tour in Okinawa: $35
- Cozy Kintsugi Experience, Naha, Okinawa – Art from Broken Pieces!: $54
- Cultural side of E-bike Tour to Okinawan local life: $96
- Day Tour to Okinawa Top Sightseeing Spots: $80
- E-Bike Tour with Sushi Making Experience: $160
- Enjoy Okinawa–Naha Your Way: Private Sightseeing & Photos Tour: $288
- Half Day Naha City Historical Bike Tour: $144
- Hidden Beaches of SUP, Snorkel & BBQ Adventure: $166
- Hidden gems in E-Bike Nature Tour to Shuri: $96
- Izena Winter Fishing and Sugarcane Harvest 3 Day Tour: $287
- Karate History Tour in Okinawa: $121
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTaipei $18Okinawa $14
Sample the Local Flavors in Taipei
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Taipei:
- Taipei Authentic Night Sober-Friendly Pub Crawl: $20
- Taipei Nightlife: Taipei Pub Crawls (2 Different Routes): $27
- Taiwan Brewery Tour Taiwan’s First National Beer with Tastings: $50
- Yilan Kavalan Whisky Distillery,Jim&Dad's Brewing, Shenkeng Tour: $95
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taipei and Okinawa, we can see that Taipei is more expensive. And not only is Okinawa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Okinawa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Okinawa and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Taipei would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Taipei than you might in Okinawa.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Taipei Expensive? and Is Okinawa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Taipei or Okinawa?
Taipei has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Okinawa. When comparing the sizes of Taipei and Okinawa, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.