Cost of Living Comparison Between Kurume and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Kurume and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,019 in Kurume versus $1,430 in Okinawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,606 in Kurume versus $2,196 in Okinawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,194 in Kurume versus $2,961 in Okinawa.

Living in Kurume costs roughly 29% less than in Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kurume is 24% below, Okinawa is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 ¥766

$8.57 ¥1,370

-44.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.36 ¥6,616

$41.32 ¥6,609

0.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 ¥649

$6.12 ¥978

-33.66%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ¥323

$3.31 ¥529

-38.97%

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

$0.80 ¥128

$1.32 ¥211

-39.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥95.0

$0.86 ¥137

-31.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 ¥552

$3.48 ¥557

-0.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ¥273

$4.81 ¥769

-64.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ¥227

$1.87 ¥299

-24.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 ¥218

$2.30 ¥367

-40.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.24 ¥679

$4.83 ¥772

-12.22%

Eggs

$2.14 ¥342

$2.01 ¥321

6.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 ¥1,628

$16.33 ¥2,613

-37.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.10 ¥976

$11.13 ¥1,780

-45.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.39 ¥3,261

$26.95 ¥4,310

-24.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 ¥504

$5.27 ¥842

-40.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 ¥229

$2.61 ¥418

-45.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ¥227

$3.03 ¥485

-53.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$5.65 ¥904

5.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 ¥456

$3.69 ¥590

-22.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 ¥512

$2.90 ¥464

10.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ¥159

$1.60 ¥256

-38.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥128

$0.94 ¥151

-14.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 ¥609

$4.82 ¥771

-20.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 ¥990

$6.11 ¥978

1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ¥319

$1.72 ¥275

15.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 ¥199

$2.89 ¥461

-56.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 ¥255

$1.67 ¥268

-4.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.8 ¥8,763

$35.27 ¥5,642

55.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ¥739

$4.19 ¥671

10.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 ¥461

$3.77 ¥603

-23.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.64 ¥3,141

$12.74 ¥2,037

54.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 ¥106

$1.20 ¥192

-45.00%

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

$23.0K ¥3.7M

$22.8K ¥3.6M

1.09%

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

$20.3K ¥3.3M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

19.84%

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

$213 ¥34.1K

$173 ¥27.7K

23.19%

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

$26.86 ¥4,295

$27.72 ¥4,434

-3.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.14 ¥4,021

$32.51 ¥5,200

-22.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.7 ¥8,912

$53.4 ¥8,547

4.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.93 ¥2,227

$6.76 ¥1,081

106.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 ¥1,204

$12.60 ¥2,016

-40.32%

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

$423 ¥67.6K

$347 ¥55.5K

21.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

-2.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.55 ¥6,966

$48.84 ¥7,813

-10.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.64 ¥2,182

$29.28 ¥4,683

-53.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$27.11 ¥4,337

$72.9 ¥11.7K

-62.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.11 ¥5,616

$93.1 ¥14.9K

-62.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$204 ¥32.6K

$437 ¥69.9K

-53.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 ¥22.0K

$394 ¥63.1K

-65.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 ¥83.3K

$944 ¥150.9K

-44.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 ¥56.2K

$750 ¥119.9K

-53.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,879 ¥780.4K

$8,543 ¥1.4M

-42.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,517 ¥402.5K

$1,187 ¥189.8K

112.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,526 ¥244.1K

$1,292 ¥206.6K

18.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

-16.50%

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

Last update for Kurume: May 31, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $204 in Kurume and $437 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kurume pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Kurume vs $41.00 in Okinawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $398 per month, with Kurume 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

Kurume vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kurume and Okinawa differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($1,019 vs $1,430 including rent). Kurume is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kurume pays 18% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $204 in Kurume versus $437 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kurume – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $41.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,019 in Kurume versus $1,430 in Okinawa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kurume but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Kurume 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, Kurume and Okinawa 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 Kurume gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.