Cost of Living Comparison Between Kumamoto and Yokohama Cost of Living Comparison Between Kumamoto and Yokohama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,241 in Kumamoto versus $1,340 in Yokohama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,936 in Kumamoto versus $2,073 in Yokohama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,630 in Kumamoto versus $2,806 in Yokohama.

Living in Kumamoto costs roughly 7% less than in Yokohama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.00 ¥1,094

$6.20 ¥969

12.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.81 ¥4,814

$43.57 ¥6,807

-29.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 ¥862

$4.88 ¥762

13.11%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥501

$3.37 ¥527

-4.75%

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

$1.03 ¥161

$1.04 ¥163

-0.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ¥105

$0.79 ¥124

-15.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.84 ¥600

$2.43 ¥379

58.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥336

$3.11 ¥485

-30.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.38 ¥215

-7.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ¥287

$1.64 ¥256

12.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.33 ¥989

$3.66 ¥571

72.95%

Eggs

$1.91 ¥298

$2.05 ¥321

-6.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.11 ¥2,829

$11.53 ¥1,801

57.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 ¥824

$6.08 ¥949

-13.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 ¥2,603

$14.31 ¥2,236

16.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 ¥560

$5.75 ¥898

-37.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 ¥291

$2.81 ¥440

-33.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 ¥439

$2.93 ¥458

-4.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 ¥521

$4.11 ¥642

-18.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 ¥328

$2.52 ¥394

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 ¥409

$2.59 ¥405

1.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ¥160

$1.28 ¥200

-19.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ¥151

$0.79 ¥124

22.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥599

$3.64 ¥569

5.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 ¥871

$6.35 ¥993

-12.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥263

$1.78 ¥278

-5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥291

$1.98 ¥309

-6.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ¥215

$1.41 ¥220

-2.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 ¥9,554

$56.6 ¥8,836

8.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 ¥595

$3.22 ¥503

18.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 ¥310

$2.48 ¥388

-20.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.83 ¥2,786

$20.42 ¥3,191

-12.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥172

$1.11 ¥173

-0.90%

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

$21.3K ¥3.3M

$20.8K ¥3.2M

2.26%

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

$17.4K ¥2.7M

$18.2K ¥2.8M

-4.69%

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

$211 ¥32.9K

$130 ¥20.3K

62.55%

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

$24.54 ¥3,834

$23.66 ¥3,697

3.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.87 ¥5,136

$31.55 ¥4,929

4.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.03 ¥6,879

$50.8 ¥7,928

-13.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.57 ¥1,807

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 ¥1,699

$12.73 ¥1,989

-14.53%

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

$126 ¥19.6K

$621 ¥96.9K

-79.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ¥1.9M

$14.4K ¥2.2M

-16.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.30 ¥5,828

$61.0 ¥9,530

-38.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.77 ¥3,714

$32.14 ¥5,021

-26.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.0 ¥9,367

$60.3 ¥9,413

-0.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.57 ¥7,275

$101 ¥15.8K

-53.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 ¥73.9K

$1,137 ¥177.7K

-58.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 ¥51.5K

$449 ¥70.1K

-26.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 ¥164.8K

$2,273 ¥355.1K

-53.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 ¥114.9K

$836 ¥130.6K

-12.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,127 ¥644.7K

$6,574 ¥1.0M

-37.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,772 ¥276.8K

$4,057 ¥633.7K

-56.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,611 ¥407.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.97

2.12

-7.08%

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

Last update for Kumamoto: September 1, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $473 in Kumamoto and $1,137 in Yokohama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Kumamoto vs $44.00 in Yokohama. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $292, with Yokohama 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 Yokohama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kumamoto and Yokohama differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,241 vs $1,340 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 $2,009 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $473 in Kumamoto versus $1,137 in Yokohama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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.

Childcare runs $126 in Kumamoto versus $621 in Yokohama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,241 in Kumamoto versus $1,340 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.

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 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.

Expats usually find Kumamoto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.