Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kumamoto and Yokohama

For one person, living costs are similar in Kumamoto and in Yokohama: $1,283 and $1,330 a month, rent and utilities included.

Kumamoto
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,283
/mo nomad
Yokohama
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,330
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kumamoto and in Yokohama

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kumamoto and in Yokohama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,283 in Kumamoto versus $1,330 in Yokohama.

  • Kumamoto $1,283
  • Yokohama $1,330

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,977 in Kumamoto versus $2,071 in Yokohama.

  • Kumamoto $1,977
  • Yokohama $2,071

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,670 in Kumamoto versus $2,812 in Yokohama.

  • Kumamoto $2,670
  • Yokohama $2,812

Living in Kumamoto costs roughly 4% less than in Yokohama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kumamoto 5% lower, Yokohama 2% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kumamoto
Yokohama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.13 ¥1,126
$6.36 ¥1,006
12.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.86 ¥5,034
$41.63 ¥6,578
-23.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.96 ¥942
$5.10 ¥807
16.86%
Cappuccino
$3.22 ¥508
$3.37 ¥533
-4.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 ¥166
$1.08 ¥171
-2.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 ¥111
$0.73 ¥116
-4.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.74 ¥591
$2.55 ¥404
46.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 ¥357
$3.11 ¥491
-27.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kumamoto
Yokohama
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 ¥215
$1.38 ¥218
-1.45%
White Bread (500g)
$1.90 ¥299
$1.73 ¥273
9.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.64 ¥1,050
$3.68 ¥581
80.43%
Eggs
$1.86 ¥294
$2.08 ¥329
-10.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.81 ¥2,814
$10.15 ¥1,604
75.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.47 ¥865
$5.91 ¥934
-7.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.87 ¥2,981
$14.31 ¥2,260
31.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.72 ¥587
$5.67 ¥896
-34.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.86 ¥294
$2.74 ¥432
-32.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.78 ¥439
$2.95 ¥466
-5.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.36 ¥530
$4.20 ¥664
-20.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.16 ¥342
$2.62 ¥414
-17.56%
Onion (1kg)
$2.61 ¥413
$2.64 ¥417
-1.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.04 ¥164
$1.30 ¥205
-20.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 ¥143
$0.81 ¥128
12.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.94 ¥623
$3.70 ¥584
6.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 ¥887
$6.38 ¥1,008
-12.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ¥268
$1.75 ¥277
-2.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 ¥290
$2.07 ¥326
-11.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Kumamoto
Yokohama
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.50 ¥236
$1.43 ¥226
4.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.5 ¥8,291
$56.8 ¥8,974
-7.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ¥606
$3.11 ¥491
23.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.00 ¥317
$2.61 ¥413
-23.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.05 ¥2,852
$20.20 ¥3,192
-10.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 ¥167
$1.10 ¥174
-3.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.0K ¥3.5M
$21.4K ¥3.4M
2.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.6K ¥2.8M
$16.0K ¥2.5M
9.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kumamoto
Yokohama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 ¥33.2K
$130 ¥20.6K
61.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.28 ¥3,835
$24.60 ¥3,887
-1.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.30 ¥5,261
$32.16 ¥5,082
3.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kumamoto
Yokohama
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.9 ¥8,359
$50.5 ¥7,970
4.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.66 ¥1,841
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.95 ¥1,729
$12.69 ¥2,005
-13.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kumamoto
Yokohama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$126 ¥20.0K
$642 ¥101.5K
-80.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.4K ¥2.0M
$14.4K ¥2.3M
-14.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kumamoto
Yokohama
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.56 ¥7,672
$61.1 ¥9,651
-20.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.99 ¥4,106
$36.79 ¥5,812
-29.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.3 ¥10.3K
$62.2 ¥9,830
4.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.20 ¥7,457
$103 ¥16.3K
-54.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kumamoto
Yokohama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$541 ¥85.4K
$1,157 ¥182.7K
-53.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$328 ¥51.9K
$449 ¥70.9K
-26.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,119 ¥176.8K
$2,265 ¥357.8K
-50.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$723 ¥114.2K
$862 ¥136.2K
-16.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,158 ¥656.8K
$6,363 ¥1.0M
-34.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,735 ¥274.1K
$4,327 ¥683.6K
-59.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kumamoto
Yokohama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$2,656 ¥419.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
1.97
2.64
-25.38%

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

Last update for Kumamoto: October 19, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kumamoto
$328
Yokohama
$449 36.7% $121
Groceries & Markets
Kumamoto
$312
Yokohama
$288 7.5% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kumamoto
$268
Yokohama
$187 30.2% $81
Eating Out
Kumamoto
$144
Yokohama
$133 7.5% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Kumamoto
$84
Yokohama
$118 40.6% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Kumamoto
$75
Yokohama
$76 1.4% $1
Getting Around
Kumamoto
$72
Yokohama
$79 8.8% $6.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $541 in Kumamoto and $1,157 in Yokohama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Kumamoto vs $42.00 in Yokohama. Groceries flip the comparison at $312 vs $288, with Yokohama cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Kumamoto
🇯🇵 Yokohama
🕒 Local time
06:03 6:03 AM
06:03 6:03 AM
Same time as Kumamoto
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
738,865
3,777,491
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kumamoto Yokohama 870 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Kumamoto
  • Yokohama

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
Kumamoto vs Yokohama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Kumamoto and in Yokohama?
Kumamoto and Yokohama differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,283 vs $1,330 including rent). Kumamoto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Kumamoto compared to Yokohama?
You'd need roughly $1,924 in Kumamoto and $1,995 in Yokohama 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Kumamoto and in Yokohama?
Rent for a central apartment: $541 in Kumamoto versus $1,157 in Yokohama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Kumamoto and in Yokohama?
A monthly transit pass in Kumamoto runs roughly 8% less than in Yokohama. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Kumamoto and Yokohama?
Childcare runs $126 in Kumamoto versus $642 in Yokohama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,283 in Kumamoto versus $1,330 in Yokohama, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kumamoto but tight or insufficient in Yokohama. The gap between the two cities makes Kumamoto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Kumamoto and Yokohama?
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.
Is Kumamoto or Yokohama safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Kumamoto and Yokohama are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Kumamoto or Yokohama?
Expats usually find Kumamoto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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