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: $1,022 in Kurume versus $1,437 in Okinawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,597 in Kurume versus $2,214 in Okinawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,172 in Kurume versus $2,992 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 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.85 ¥788

$8.18 ¥1,329

-40.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.86 ¥6,802

$41.94 ¥6,815

-0.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.17 ¥678

$5.98 ¥971

-30.27%

Cappuccino

$2.10 ¥342

$3.34 ¥543

-37.13%

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

$0.77 ¥125

$1.32 ¥215

-41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥89.4

$0.93 ¥152

-40.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 ¥560

$3.50 ¥569

-1.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ¥285

$4.91 ¥797

-64.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ¥230

$1.95 ¥317

-27.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥232

$2.37 ¥385

-39.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 ¥670

$4.87 ¥791

-15.20%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥340

$2.00 ¥325

5.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 ¥1,665

$16.39 ¥2,663

-37.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.12 ¥994

$10.84 ¥1,761

-43.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.02 ¥3,416

$26.48 ¥4,303

-20.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 ¥496

$5.06 ¥822

-39.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥229

$2.59 ¥420

-45.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ¥222

$3.13 ¥509

-56.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.83 ¥947

$5.64 ¥916

3.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 ¥448

$3.50 ¥568

-21.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 ¥508

$2.89 ¥469

8.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ¥159

$1.59 ¥258

-38.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥124

$0.88 ¥143

-13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ¥643

$4.92 ¥799

-19.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.04 ¥982

$6.09 ¥989

-0.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 ¥315

$1.73 ¥281

12.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 ¥196

$2.91 ¥473

-58.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 ¥260

$1.63 ¥265

-1.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 ¥8,892

$34.91 ¥5,673

56.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 ¥776

$4.11 ¥668

16.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$3.62 ¥587

-19.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.75 ¥3,210

$12.58 ¥2,044

57.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 ¥115

$1.24 ¥202

-43.55%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

-0.11%

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

$19.7K ¥3.2M

$16.7K ¥2.7M

18.12%

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

$215 ¥34.9K

$173 ¥28.2K

24.04%

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

$27.50 ¥4,468

$27.25 ¥4,428

0.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.68 ¥4,010

$31.66 ¥5,145

-22.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 ¥8,933

$53.7 ¥8,723

2.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.64 ¥2,217

$7.04 ¥1,144

93.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 ¥1,272

$12.45 ¥2,022

-37.11%

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

$416 ¥67.6K

$346 ¥56.2K

20.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

0.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.71 ¥6,940

$47.75 ¥7,758

-10.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.93 ¥2,263

$29.25 ¥4,753

-52.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.69 ¥4,336

$73.5 ¥11.9K

-63.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.22 ¥5,561

$90.9 ¥14.8K

-62.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$211 ¥34.3K

$445 ¥72.2K

-52.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 ¥22.8K

$400 ¥64.9K

-64.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 ¥85.6K

$946 ¥153.7K

-44.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 ¥55.7K

$748 ¥121.5K

-54.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,477 ¥727.4K

$8,584 ¥1.4M

-47.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,230 ¥362.4K

$1,221 ¥198.4K

82.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,480 ¥240.5K

$1,769 ¥287.4K

-16.32%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $211 in Kurume and $445 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Kurume vs $42.00 in Okinawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $395 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 41% in total monthly costs ($1,022 vs $1,437 including rent). Kurume is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Okinawa. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $211 in Kurume versus $445 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% 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 $42.00 versus $42.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,022 in Kurume versus $1,437 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 41% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.