Cost of Living Comparison Between Kumamoto and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Kumamoto and Tokyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,268 in Kumamoto versus $1,701 in Tokyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,969 in Kumamoto versus $2,691 in Tokyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,670 in Kumamoto versus $3,682 in Tokyo.

Living in Kumamoto costs roughly 25% less than in Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kumamoto is 5% below, Tokyo is 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,392

$8.09 ¥1,314

5.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 ¥5,693

$48.77 ¥7,923

-28.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.03 ¥979

$5.48 ¥891

10.04%

Cappuccino

$3.07 ¥499

$3.60 ¥584

-14.72%

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

$0.70 ¥114

$1.27 ¥206

-44.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥134

$0.86 ¥140

-3.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 ¥263

$4.08 ¥662

-60.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥341

$5.44 ¥883

-61.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 ¥219

$1.62 ¥264

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 ¥269

$1.51 ¥245

9.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 ¥663

$5.34 ¥868

-23.60%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥341

$2.32 ¥377

-9.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 ¥1,650

$15.96 ¥2,593

-36.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 ¥1,023

$8.12 ¥1,319

-22.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.78 ¥3,376

$22.55 ¥3,664

-7.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ¥503

$5.52 ¥897

-43.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥228

$2.59 ¥421

-45.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ¥230

$5.92 ¥962

-76.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.96 ¥968

$6.07 ¥987

-1.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 ¥460

$3.24 ¥527

-12.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 ¥507

$3.39 ¥551

-7.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 ¥147

$1.45 ¥235

-37.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥120

$0.87 ¥142

-14.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 ¥641

$4.25 ¥691

-7.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.47 ¥889

$9.31 ¥1,513

-41.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ¥321

$2.05 ¥334

-3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥333

$2.87 ¥466

-28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥261

$1.48 ¥241

8.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.1 ¥8,948

$84.6 ¥13.7K

-34.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 ¥766

$3.38 ¥548

39.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 ¥469

$2.91 ¥473

-0.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.40 ¥3,153

$26.24 ¥4,264

-26.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥200

$1.20 ¥195

2.50%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

0.17%

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

$19.6K ¥3.2M

$17.2K ¥2.8M

14.18%

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

$214 ¥34.8K

$168 ¥27.2K

27.70%

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

$26.96 ¥4,380

$25.82 ¥4,195

4.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.22 ¥5,884

$33.50 ¥5,444

8.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 ¥9,112

$70.9 ¥11.5K

-20.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ¥2,282

$20.25 ¥3,289

-30.67%

Cinema Ticket

$13.83 ¥2,246

$13.07 ¥2,124

5.81%

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

$409 ¥66.5K

$495 ¥80.3K

-17.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$15.7K ¥2.6M

-15.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.67 ¥6,933

$61.5 ¥10,000

-30.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.61 ¥4,810

$41.66 ¥6,769

-28.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 ¥10.6K

$65.9 ¥10.7K

-0.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.4 ¥9,978

$91.1 ¥14.8K

-32.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 ¥75.1K

$1,120 ¥182.0K

-58.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 ¥53.5K

$606 ¥98.5K

-45.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$868 ¥141.0K

$2,680 ¥435.5K

-67.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 ¥108.2K

$1,342 ¥218.0K

-50.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,816 ¥620.1K

$10.4K ¥1.7M

-63.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,816 ¥295.1K

$4,986 ¥810.1K

-63.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

1.72

-2.91%

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

Last update for Kumamoto: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $462 in Kumamoto and $1,120 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Kumamoto vs $49.00 in Tokyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $383 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 Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kumamoto and Tokyo differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,268 vs $1,701 including rent). Kumamoto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,902 in Kumamoto and $2,552 in Tokyo 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: $462 in Kumamoto versus $1,120 in Tokyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kumamoto runs roughly 54% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $409 in Kumamoto versus $495 in Tokyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,268 in Kumamoto versus $1,701 in Tokyo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kumamoto but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. 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 Tokyo 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 34% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.