Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Kumamoto

For one person, living is cheaper in Kumamoto: $1,275 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $16,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
63

Cost of Living Index in Kumamoto
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Kumamoto Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Kumamoto

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,275

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Kumamoto

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Kumamoto actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,275 in Kumamoto.

Austin, TX $2,663
Kumamoto $1,275

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,968 in Kumamoto.

Austin, TX $4,133
Kumamoto $1,968

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,661 in Kumamoto.

Austin, TX $5,603
Kumamoto $2,661

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 109% more expensive than in Kumamoto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Kumamoto is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$7.11 ¥1,123

192.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$31.31 ¥4,947

170.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$6.04 ¥955

103.97%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$3.21 ¥507

75.39%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$0.99 ¥157

275.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.76 ¥121

228.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.75 ¥593

114.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$2.24 ¥353

302.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.35 ¥213

-17.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.85 ¥292

102.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$6.70 ¥1,058

-51.34%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.86 ¥293

124.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$18.45 ¥2,915

-30.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$5.47 ¥865

158.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$18.63 ¥2,944

-12.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.57 ¥565

21.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.85 ¥292

-21.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.89 ¥457

56.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.39 ¥535

28.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.19 ¥347

17.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.62 ¥414

-10.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.06 ¥168

67.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.98 ¥154

126.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$3.87 ¥611

155.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$5.63 ¥890

167.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.66 ¥262

75.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.90 ¥300

82.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.37 ¥217

8.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$57.2 ¥9,037

-27.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.85 ¥608

-29.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.08 ¥329

-20.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$18.13 ¥2,865

94.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.10 ¥175

-13.64%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$22.0K ¥3.5M

63.81%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$17.7K ¥2.8M

52.90%

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

$229 $229

$207 ¥32.7K

10.54%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$24.29 ¥3,838

144.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$33.05 ¥5,222

111.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$45.67 ¥7,215

25.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$10.98 ¥1,735

30.05%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$126 ¥20.0K

1091.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$12.1K ¥1.9M

76.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$48.65 ¥7,685

8.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$26.06 ¥4,118

68.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$65.7 ¥10.4K

29.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$46.35 ¥7,323

122.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$524 ¥82.8K

264.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$325 ¥51.3K

292.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,110 ¥175.3K

230.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$722 ¥114.1K

251.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$4,521 ¥714.2K

68.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$1,747 ¥276.0K

80.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

1.97

244.67%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kumamoto: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Kumamoto

$325 25.5% 74.5% $950

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Kumamoto

$313 24.6% 22.5% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Kumamoto

$265 20.8% 26.2% $94

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Kumamoto

$144 11.3% 59.4% $210

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Kumamoto

$84 6.6% 34.3% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Kumamoto

$68 5.3% 21.2% $18

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Kumamoto

$77 6% 31.1% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $524 in Kumamoto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $31.00 in Kumamoto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $313 per month, with Kumamoto cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇯🇵 Kumamoto

🕒 Local time

07:28 7:28 AM

21:28 9:28 PM

14 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

738,865

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇯🇵 Japanese Yen (¥)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

JPY to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Kumamoto 11,340 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Kumamoto

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

Austin, TX vs Kumamoto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kumamoto wins on cost – living expenses run 109% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kumamoto the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,995 in Austin, TX and $1,912 in Kumamoto to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $524 in Kumamoto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,275 in Kumamoto – a 109% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kumamoto runs roughly 37% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,275 in Kumamoto versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kumamoto but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Kumamoto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Kumamoto are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kumamoto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.