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: $1,269 in Kumamoto versus $1,401 in Yokohama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,963 in Kumamoto versus $2,170 in Yokohama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,658 in Kumamoto versus $2,940 in Yokohama.

Living in Kumamoto costs roughly 9% less than in Yokohama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.44 ¥1,350

$6.88 ¥1,100

22.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.17 ¥5,466

$41.57 ¥6,648

-17.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.21 ¥993

$5.63 ¥901

10.30%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥493

$3.21 ¥514

-4.05%

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

$0.66 ¥105

$1.19 ¥191

-44.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥132

$0.74 ¥119

10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 ¥271

$2.13 ¥341

-20.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ¥342

$3.04 ¥487

-29.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 ¥219

$1.50 ¥239

-8.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ¥253

$1.76 ¥282

-10.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.11 ¥657

$4.96 ¥793

-17.14%

Eggs

$2.06 ¥329

$2.30 ¥368

-10.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 ¥1,604

$10.19 ¥1,630

-1.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 ¥964

$6.36 ¥1,018

-5.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.17 ¥3,386

$15.46 ¥2,472

36.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ¥496

$6.09 ¥974

-49.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥228

$3.13 ¥501

-54.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 ¥226

$4.12 ¥658

-65.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.85 ¥936

$5.98 ¥957

-2.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 ¥435

$3.40 ¥543

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.22 ¥515

$4.26 ¥682

-24.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ¥155

$1.33 ¥213

-27.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥121

$0.89 ¥142

-14.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$4.24 ¥678

-7.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.61 ¥897

$6.41 ¥1,026

-12.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥304

$1.77 ¥284

7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥337

$2.05 ¥328

2.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥267

$1.55 ¥248

7.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ¥9,001

$54.5 ¥8,716

3.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 ¥755

$3.48 ¥557

35.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.00 ¥480

$2.76 ¥441

8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.29 ¥3,085

$22.39 ¥3,581

-13.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥190

$1.17 ¥188

1.71%

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

$23.0K ¥3.7M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

-0.56%

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

$20.1K ¥3.2M

$18.6K ¥3.0M

8.43%

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

$213 ¥34.1K

$142 ¥22.7K

50.63%

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

$26.96 ¥4,312

$28.10 ¥4,495

-4.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.73 ¥5,715

$34.65 ¥5,542

3.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ¥8,949

$55.8 ¥8,929

0.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ¥2,246

$13.96 ¥2,232

0.57%

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 ¥2,184

$13.51 ¥2,162

1.04%

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

$408 ¥65.2K

$283 ¥45.2K

44.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$13.8K ¥2.2M

-4.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.84 ¥7,013

$42.37 ¥6,777

3.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.57 ¥4,730

$29.34 ¥4,693

0.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 ¥10.4K

$60.6 ¥9,698

7.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.1 ¥9,613

$110 ¥17.6K

-45.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥74.5K

$839 ¥134.3K

-44.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 ¥52.0K

$481 ¥76.9K

-32.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 ¥138.7K

$1,294 ¥207.0K

-32.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 ¥106.2K

$862 ¥137.9K

-22.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,290 ¥686.2K

$6,268 ¥1.0M

-31.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,396 ¥383.2K

$4,500 ¥719.8K

-46.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,672 ¥427.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

2.05

-18.54%

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

Last update for Kumamoto: June 2, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $466 in Kumamoto and $839 in Yokohama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Kumamoto vs $42.00 in Yokohama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $327 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 Yokohama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kumamoto and Yokohama differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,269 vs $1,401 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 $2,101 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: $466 in Kumamoto versus $839 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 3% less than in Yokohama. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $408 in Kumamoto versus $283 in Yokohama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,269 in Kumamoto versus $1,401 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 10% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.