Cost of Living Comparison Between Kurume and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Kurume and Tokyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,019 in Kurume versus $1,684 in Tokyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,606 in Kurume versus $2,693 in Tokyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,194 in Kurume versus $3,703 in Tokyo.

Living in Kurume costs roughly 39% less than in Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kurume is 24% below, Tokyo is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 ¥766

$8.09 ¥1,294

-40.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.36 ¥6,616

$48.31 ¥7,727

-14.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 ¥649

$5.69 ¥910

-28.65%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ¥323

$3.57 ¥571

-43.42%

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

$0.80 ¥128

$1.26 ¥202

-36.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥95.0

$0.93 ¥148

-36.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 ¥552

$4.25 ¥681

-18.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ¥273

$5.30 ¥848

-67.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ¥227

$1.58 ¥252

-10.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 ¥218

$1.59 ¥254

-13.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.24 ¥679

$5.32 ¥851

-20.30%

Eggs

$2.14 ¥342

$2.41 ¥385

-11.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 ¥1,628

$16.04 ¥2,565

-36.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.10 ¥976

$7.85 ¥1,255

-22.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.39 ¥3,261

$23.16 ¥3,704

-11.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 ¥504

$5.23 ¥836

-39.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 ¥229

$2.57 ¥412

-44.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ¥227

$5.73 ¥917

-75.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 ¥456

$3.21 ¥514

-11.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 ¥512

$3.51 ¥562

-8.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ¥159

$1.48 ¥236

-33.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥128

$0.90 ¥143

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 ¥609

$4.27 ¥684

-10.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 ¥990

$9.39 ¥1,501

-34.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ¥319

$2.15 ¥343

-7.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 ¥199

$2.88 ¥461

-56.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 ¥255

$1.48 ¥237

8.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.8 ¥8,763

$84.9 ¥13.6K

-35.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ¥739

$3.49 ¥559

32.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.87 ¥458

0.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.64 ¥3,141

$26.77 ¥4,281

-26.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 ¥106

$1.22 ¥195

-45.90%

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

$23.0K ¥3.7M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-1.75%

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

$20.3K ¥3.3M

$17.4K ¥2.8M

16.72%

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

$213 ¥34.1K

$164 ¥26.2K

30.26%

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

$26.86 ¥4,295

$26.63 ¥4,259

0.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.14 ¥4,021

$33.94 ¥5,428

-25.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.7 ¥8,912

$69.0 ¥11.0K

-19.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.93 ¥2,227

$20.11 ¥3,217

-30.73%

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 ¥1,204

$13.06 ¥2,088

-42.42%

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

$423 ¥67.6K

$506 ¥81.0K

-16.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$15.7K ¥2.5M

-15.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.55 ¥6,966

$60.1 ¥9,611

-27.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.64 ¥2,182

$40.31 ¥6,448

-66.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$27.11 ¥4,337

$64.7 ¥10.3K

-58.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.11 ¥5,616

$91.2 ¥14.6K

-61.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$204 ¥32.6K

$1,094 ¥175.0K

-81.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 ¥22.0K

$596 ¥95.4K

-76.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 ¥83.3K

$2,609 ¥417.4K

-80.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 ¥56.2K

$1,339 ¥214.2K

-73.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,879 ¥780.4K

$10.8K ¥1.7M

-54.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,517 ¥402.5K

$4,974 ¥795.6K

-49.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,526 ¥244.1K

$2,501 ¥400.1K

-38.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

1.72

-2.91%

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

Last update for Kurume: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $204 in Kurume and $1,094 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 64% 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: $41.00 in Kurume vs $48.00 in Tokyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $382 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 Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kurume and Tokyo differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,019 vs $1,684 including rent). Kurume is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Tokyo earns 64% less. 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: $204 in Kurume versus $1,094 in Tokyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Tokyo. 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 $48.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,019 in Kurume versus $1,684 in Tokyo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kurume but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. 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 Tokyo 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 65% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.