Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Kumamoto

For one person, living is cheaper in Kumamoto: $1,275 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index
63

Cost of Living Index in Kumamoto
Learn more

Kumamoto Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Kumamoto

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,275

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest 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 Budapest and in Kumamoto actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $1,275 in Kumamoto, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Kumamoto $1,275

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,968 in Kumamoto, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Kumamoto $1,968

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $2,661 in Kumamoto, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Kumamoto $2,661

Budapest costs about 27% more than Kumamoto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Kumamoto is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$7.11 ¥1,123

96.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$31.31 ¥4,947

95.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$6.04 ¥955

68.71%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$3.21 ¥507

1.56%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$0.99 ¥157

116.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$0.76 ¥121

134.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$3.75 ¥593

-1.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$2.24 ¥353

68.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$1.35 ¥213

-14.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$1.85 ¥292

-3.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$6.70 ¥1,058

-62.84%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$1.86 ¥293

109.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$18.45 ¥2,915

-39.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$5.47 ¥865

21.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$18.63 ¥2,944

-21.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$3.57 ¥565

-48.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.85 ¥292

10.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$2.89 ¥457

-17.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$3.39 ¥535

15.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$2.19 ¥347

-54.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$2.62 ¥414

-61.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$1.06 ¥168

49.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.98 ¥154

-31.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$3.87 ¥611

105.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$5.63 ¥890

10.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$1.66 ¥262

-23.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$1.90 ¥300

6.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$1.37 ¥217

10.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$57.2 ¥9,037

-51.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$3.85 ¥608

-14.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$2.08 ¥329

-34.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$18.13 ¥2,865

9.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$1.10 ¥175

65.45%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$22.0K ¥3.5M

35.41%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$17.7K ¥2.8M

90.95%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$207 ¥32.7K

-17.40%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$24.29 ¥3,838

-3.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$33.05 ¥5,222

-29.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$45.67 ¥7,215

47.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$10.98 ¥1,735

-15.30%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$126 ¥20.0K

322.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$12.1K ¥1.9M

38.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$48.65 ¥7,685

104.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$26.06 ¥4,118

66.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$65.7 ¥10.4K

67.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$46.35 ¥7,323

156.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$524 ¥82.8K

58.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$325 ¥51.3K

91.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$1,110 ¥175.3K

43.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$722 ¥114.1K

62.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$4,521 ¥714.2K

29.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$1,747 ¥276.0K

122.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

1.97

227.41%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kumamoto: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Kumamoto

$325 25.5% 47.8% $297

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Kumamoto

$313 24.6% 21.5% $56

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Kumamoto

$144 11.3% 35.5% $79

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Kumamoto

$265 20.8% 21.4% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Kumamoto

$84 6.6% 49.9% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Kumamoto

$68 5.3% 21.5% $18

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Kumamoto

$77 6% 73.9% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $524 in Kumamoto. 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 $61.0 in Budapest versus $31.00 in Kumamoto. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Budapest vs $313 in Kumamoto – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇯🇵 Kumamoto

🕒 Local time

09:20 9:20 AM

16:20 4:20 PM

7 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

738,865

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 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).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Budapest Kumamoto 8,790 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
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

Budapest vs Kumamoto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 27%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $1,912 in Kumamoto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kumamoto, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 104% less in Kumamoto. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $126 in Kumamoto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kumamoto, where all-in costs run around $1,275, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Kumamoto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kumamoto – 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 Kumamoto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.