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: $1,269 in Kumamoto versus $1,371 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,963 in Kumamoto versus $2,038 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,658 in Kumamoto versus $2,705 in Osaka.

Living in Kumamoto costs roughly 7% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kumamoto is 5% below, Osaka is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.44 ¥1,350

$6.95 ¥1,112

21.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.17 ¥5,466

$34.58 ¥5,531

-1.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.21 ¥993

$4.98 ¥797

24.70%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥493

$3.33 ¥532

-7.51%

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

$0.66 ¥105

$1.08 ¥173

-38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥132

$0.76 ¥122

7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 ¥271

$2.74 ¥438

-38.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ¥342

$4.35 ¥695

-50.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 ¥219

$1.61 ¥257

-14.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ¥253

$1.43 ¥229

10.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.11 ¥657

$4.86 ¥778

-15.43%

Eggs

$2.06 ¥329

$2.46 ¥393

-16.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 ¥1,604

$10.43 ¥1,669

-3.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 ¥964

$6.38 ¥1,021

-5.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.17 ¥3,386

$18.61 ¥2,977

13.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ¥496

$3.53 ¥564

-12.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥228

$2.19 ¥350

-35.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 ¥226

$2.48 ¥397

-43.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.85 ¥936

$4.31 ¥689

35.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 ¥435

$1.69 ¥271

60.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.22 ¥515

$1.28 ¥205

151.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ¥155

$1.39 ¥222

-30.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥121

$0.85 ¥136

-10.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

Wine (Bottle)

$5.61 ¥897

$9.27 ¥1,482

-39.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥304

$2.13 ¥340

-10.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥337

$2.99 ¥479

-29.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥267

$1.61 ¥258

3.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ¥9,001

$36.32 ¥5,810

54.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 ¥755

$4.56 ¥729

3.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.00 ¥480

$3.31 ¥530

-9.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.29 ¥3,085

$23.95 ¥3,830

-19.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥190

$1.19 ¥191

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

$23.0K ¥3.7M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-2.34%

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

$20.1K ¥3.2M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

19.16%

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

$213 ¥34.1K

$135 ¥21.6K

58.26%

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

$26.96 ¥4,312

$27.60 ¥4,415

-2.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.73 ¥5,715

$30.37 ¥4,858

17.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ¥8,949

$59.1 ¥9,460

-5.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ¥2,246

$20.39 ¥3,262

-31.14%

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 ¥2,184

$12.36 ¥1,978

10.44%

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

$408 ¥65.2K

$68.1 ¥10.9K

498.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$10.5K ¥1.7M

25.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.84 ¥7,013

$44.08 ¥7,050

-0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.57 ¥4,730

$29.47 ¥4,713

0.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 ¥10.4K

$67.2 ¥10.8K

-3.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.1 ¥9,613

$94.8 ¥15.2K

-36.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥74.5K

$717 ¥114.7K

-35.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 ¥52.0K

$483 ¥77.2K

-32.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 ¥138.7K

$1,311 ¥209.6K

-33.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 ¥106.2K

$807 ¥129.0K

-17.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,290 ¥686.2K

$5,951 ¥951.8K

-27.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,396 ¥383.2K

$2,055 ¥328.6K

16.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

1.81

-7.73%

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

Last update for Kumamoto: June 2, 2026

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $466 in Kumamoto and $717 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Kumamoto vs $35.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $299 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 Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kumamoto and Osaka differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,269 vs $1,371 including rent). Kumamoto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,903 in Kumamoto and $2,057 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: $466 in Kumamoto versus $717 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 55% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $408 in Kumamoto versus $68.1 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,269 in Kumamoto versus $1,371 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.