Okinawa vs Phuket
🌡️
Subtropical vs Tropical Wet climate
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Okinawa
Phuket
Total Budget
$1,900/mo
$1,800/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$450/mo ✓
$550/mo
Coworking
$120/mo
$100/mo ✓
Meal Out
$7
$2 ✓
Coffee
$4
$3 ✓
Phuket is $100/mo cheaper (6% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇯🇵 Okinawa
📶 Internet100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+9
🗣️ Englishlow
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London2h
🇩🇪 Berlin3h
🇹🇭 Phuket
📶 Internet100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+7
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London4h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Okinawa
ClimateSubtropical
Avg Temp24°C
Rainy Days187/year
Best months: January, November
Phuket
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp28°C
Rainy Days225/year
Best months: February, January, March
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
17°27°
Apr
22°29°
Jul
29°28°
Oct
27°27°
OkinawaPhuket
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇯🇵Okinawa
🇹🇭Phuket
💰
Monthly Budget
$1,900
$1,800
📶
Internet Speed
100 Mbps
100 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
4.8/5
Winner3.8/5
⭐
Nomad Score
4/10
4/10
🍽️
Food Scene
9/10
9/10
🎉
Nightlife
6/10
8/10
Winner🚶
Walkability
6/10
Winner4/10
👥
Community
small
large
Winner2
Okinawa wins
vs
2
Phuket wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Either works
Similar costs - choose based on other factors
💻Developer
Either works
Both have adequate internet for development work
🦋Social Butterfly
Phuket
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Okinawa
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Phuket
World-famous nightlife scene
🇯🇵Okinawa
Pros
- +Stunning tropical beaches with crystal-clear waters
- +Unique Ryukyuan culture distinct from mainland Japan
- +Extremely safe with very low crime rates
- +Subtropical climate - warm year-round
Cons
- −Car essential for exploring beyond Naha city center
- −Limited public transportation (only monorail in Naha)
- −Typhoon season from June to October
- −Language barrier - limited English outside tourist areas
🇹🇭Phuket
Pros
- +Beautiful beaches with crystal-clear waters
- +Excellent Thai food at affordable prices
- +Fast fiber internet and 5G coverage
- +Destination Thailand Visa for long-term stays
Cons
- −Scams common in tourist areas
- −Transportation difficult without scooter
- −Taxi mafia with inflated prices
- −Tourist areas very crowded