Cost of Living Comparison Between Kumamoto and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Kumamoto and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,241 in Kumamoto versus $1,385 in Okinawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,936 in Kumamoto versus $2,168 in Okinawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,630 in Kumamoto versus $2,950 in Okinawa.

Living in Kumamoto costs roughly 10% less than in Okinawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kumamoto is 10% below, Okinawa is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.00 ¥1,094

$10.17 ¥1,589

-31.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.81 ¥4,814

$40.19 ¥6,278

-23.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 ¥862

$6.98 ¥1,090

-20.92%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥501

$4.17 ¥651

-23.02%

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

$1.03 ¥161

$1.47 ¥230

-29.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ¥105

$0.93 ¥146

-27.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.84 ¥600

$2.04 ¥319

88.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥336

$4.32 ¥675

-50.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.55 ¥242

-17.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ¥287

$2.12 ¥332

-13.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.33 ¥989

$3.76 ¥588

68.35%

Eggs

$1.91 ¥298

$1.76 ¥275

8.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.11 ¥2,829

$18.00 ¥2,812

0.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 ¥824

$4.78 ¥747

10.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 ¥2,603

$22.13 ¥3,457

-24.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 ¥560

$3.66 ¥572

-1.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 ¥291

$2.66 ¥415

-30.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 ¥439

$2.14 ¥334

31.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 ¥521

$5.19 ¥811

-35.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 ¥328

$2.38 ¥371

-11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 ¥409

$2.55 ¥398

2.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ¥160

$1.29 ¥201

-20.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ¥151

$0.78 ¥122

24.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥599

$3.84 ¥601

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 ¥871

$6.23 ¥973

-10.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥263

$1.95 ¥305

-13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥291

$3.16 ¥494

-41.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ¥215

$1.43 ¥223

-4.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 ¥9,554

$64.6 ¥10.1K

-5.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 ¥595

$3.73 ¥583

2.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 ¥310

$3.48 ¥544

-43.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.83 ¥2,786

$11.36 ¥1,774

56.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥172

$1.05 ¥164

4.76%

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

$21.3K ¥3.3M

$20.7K ¥3.2M

2.83%

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

$17.4K ¥2.7M

$14.8K ¥2.3M

17.44%

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

$211 ¥32.9K

$158 ¥24.8K

33.08%

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

$24.54 ¥3,834

$25.07 ¥3,916

-2.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.87 ¥5,136

$53.2 ¥8,309

-38.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.03 ¥6,879

$71.8 ¥11.2K

-38.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.2 ¥8,461

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 ¥1,699

$12.09 ¥1,889

-10.01%

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

$126 ¥19.6K

$324 ¥50.6K

-61.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ¥1.9M

$5,516 ¥861.6K

118.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.30 ¥5,828

$49.91 ¥7,797

-25.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.77 ¥3,714

$22.70 ¥3,546

4.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.0 ¥9,367

$79.0 ¥12.3K

-24.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.57 ¥7,275

$95.0 ¥14.8K

-50.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 ¥73.9K

$398 ¥62.2K

18.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 ¥51.5K

$317 ¥49.6K

3.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 ¥164.8K

$828 ¥129.3K

27.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 ¥114.9K

$653 ¥102.0K

12.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,127 ¥644.7K

$8,509 ¥1.3M

-51.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,772 ¥276.8K

$1,199 ¥187.2K

47.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,819 ¥284.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.97

2.23

-11.66%

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

Last update for Kumamoto: September 1, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $473 in Kumamoto and $398 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Kumamoto vs $40.00 in Okinawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $327 per month, with Kumamoto cheaper across the board.

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

Kumamoto vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kumamoto and Okinawa differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,241 vs $1,385 including rent). Kumamoto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,862 in Kumamoto and $2,077 in Okinawa 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: $473 in Kumamoto versus $398 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kumamoto runs roughly 6% less than in Okinawa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $126 in Kumamoto versus $324 in Okinawa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,241 in Kumamoto versus $1,385 in Okinawa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kumamoto but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. 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, Kumamoto and Okinawa 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 12% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.