Cost of Living Comparison Between Kumamoto and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Kumamoto and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,241 in Kumamoto versus $1,346 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,936 in Kumamoto versus $1,976 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,630 in Kumamoto versus $2,606 in Osaka.

Living in Kumamoto costs roughly 8% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kumamoto 10% lower, Osaka 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.00 ¥1,094

$6.13 ¥957

14.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.81 ¥4,814

$30.75 ¥4,804

0.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 ¥862

$4.81 ¥751

14.76%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥501

$2.93 ¥458

9.56%

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

$1.03 ¥161

$1.43 ¥224

-27.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ¥105

$0.69 ¥108

-2.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.84 ¥600

$2.63 ¥411

46.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥336

$3.64 ¥569

-40.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.43 ¥223

-10.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ¥287

$1.28 ¥200

43.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.33 ¥989

$5.25 ¥820

20.57%

Eggs

$1.91 ¥298

$2.10 ¥329

-9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.11 ¥2,829

$9.80 ¥1,531

84.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 ¥824

$9.18 ¥1,435

-42.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 ¥2,603

$18.09 ¥2,827

-7.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 ¥560

$3.38 ¥528

6.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 ¥291

$1.91 ¥299

-2.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 ¥439

$1.98 ¥309

41.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 ¥521

$3.89 ¥608

-14.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 ¥328

$1.54 ¥240

36.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 ¥409

$1.17 ¥183

123.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ¥160

$1.29 ¥201

-20.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ¥151

$0.81 ¥127

19.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥599

$3.84 ¥600

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 ¥871

$9.50 ¥1,484

-41.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥263

$1.87 ¥292

-9.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥291

$3.22 ¥504

-42.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ¥215

$1.36 ¥213

0.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 ¥9,554

$31.99 ¥4,998

91.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 ¥595

$3.77 ¥589

1.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 ¥310

$3.04 ¥475

-34.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.83 ¥2,786

$21.01 ¥3,282

-15.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥172

$1.09 ¥171

0.92%

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

$21.3K ¥3.3M

$21.4K ¥3.3M

-0.55%

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

$17.4K ¥2.7M

$15.1K ¥2.4M

14.69%

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

$211 ¥32.9K

$136 ¥21.3K

54.86%

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

$24.54 ¥3,834

$23.92 ¥3,736

2.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.87 ¥5,136

$30.63 ¥4,785

7.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.03 ¥6,879

$48.60 ¥7,592

-9.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,797

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 ¥1,699

$12.04 ¥1,881

-9.63%

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

$126 ¥19.6K

$520 ¥81.2K

-75.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ¥1.9M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-8.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.30 ¥5,828

$44.15 ¥6,898

-15.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.77 ¥3,714

$29.71 ¥4,641

-19.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.0 ¥9,367

$72.6 ¥11.3K

-17.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.57 ¥7,275

$88.8 ¥13.9K

-47.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 ¥73.9K

$699 ¥109.2K

-32.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 ¥51.5K

$507 ¥79.2K

-34.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 ¥164.8K

$1,682 ¥262.7K

-37.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 ¥114.9K

$761 ¥118.9K

-3.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,127 ¥644.7K

$5,636 ¥880.4K

-26.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,772 ¥276.8K

$1,822 ¥284.6K

-2.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥350.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.97

2.21

-10.86%

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

Last update for Kumamoto: September 1, 2026

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $473 in Kumamoto and $699 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Kumamoto vs $31.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $298, with Osaka cheaper for home cooking.

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 Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kumamoto and Osaka differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,241 vs $1,346 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 $2,019 in Osaka 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 $699 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kumamoto runs roughly 91% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $126 in Kumamoto versus $520 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,241 in Kumamoto versus $1,346 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kumamoto but tight or insufficient in Osaka. 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 Osaka 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 8% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.