Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kumamoto Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kumamoto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,385 in Okinawa versus $1,241 in Kumamoto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,168 in Okinawa versus $1,936 in Kumamoto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,950 in Okinawa versus $2,630 in Kumamoto.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 12% more expensive than in Kumamoto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 1% above, Kumamoto is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,589

$7.00 ¥1,094

45.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.19 ¥6,278

$30.81 ¥4,814

30.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 ¥1,090

$5.52 ¥862

26.45%

Cappuccino

$4.17 ¥651

$3.21 ¥501

29.91%

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

$1.47 ¥230

$1.03 ¥161

42.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥146

$0.67 ¥105

38.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ¥319

$3.84 ¥600

-46.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ¥675

$2.15 ¥336

100.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥242

$1.28 ¥200

21.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 ¥332

$1.84 ¥287

15.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 ¥588

$6.33 ¥989

-40.60%

Eggs

$1.76 ¥275

$1.91 ¥298

-7.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.00 ¥2,812

$18.11 ¥2,829

-0.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 ¥747

$5.27 ¥824

-9.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.13 ¥3,457

$16.66 ¥2,603

32.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥572

$3.59 ¥560

1.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 ¥415

$1.86 ¥291

43.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ¥334

$2.81 ¥439

-23.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 ¥811

$3.33 ¥521

55.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 ¥371

$2.10 ¥328

13.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 ¥398

$2.62 ¥409

-2.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$1.03 ¥160

25.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥122

$0.97 ¥151

-19.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥601

$3.84 ¥599

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 ¥973

$5.58 ¥871

11.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ¥305

$1.69 ¥263

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ¥494

$1.86 ¥291

69.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.37 ¥215

4.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 ¥10.1K

$61.2 ¥9,554

5.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 ¥583

$3.81 ¥595

-2.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.48 ¥544

$1.98 ¥310

75.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.36 ¥1,774

$17.83 ¥2,786

-36.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ¥164

$1.10 ¥172

-4.55%

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

$20.7K ¥3.2M

$21.3K ¥3.3M

-2.75%

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

$14.8K ¥2.3M

$17.4K ¥2.7M

-14.85%

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

$158 ¥24.8K

$211 ¥32.9K

-24.86%

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

$25.07 ¥3,916

$24.54 ¥3,834

2.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 ¥8,309

$32.87 ¥5,136

61.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.8 ¥11.2K

$44.03 ¥6,879

63.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.2 ¥8,461

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 ¥1,889

$10.88 ¥1,699

11.12%

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

$324 ¥50.6K

$126 ¥19.6K

157.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 ¥861.6K

$12.1K ¥1.9M

-54.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.91 ¥7,797

$37.30 ¥5,828

33.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.70 ¥3,546

$23.77 ¥3,714

-4.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 ¥12.3K

$60.0 ¥9,367

31.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ¥14.8K

$46.57 ¥7,275

104.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ¥62.2K

$473 ¥73.9K

-15.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 ¥49.6K

$330 ¥51.5K

-3.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 ¥129.3K

$1,055 ¥164.8K

-21.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 ¥102.0K

$735 ¥114.9K

-11.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,509 ¥1.3M

$4,127 ¥644.7K

106.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,199 ¥187.2K

$1,772 ¥276.8K

-32.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,819 ¥284.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

1.97

13.20%

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

Last update for Okinawa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kumamoto: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $398 in Okinawa and $473 in Kumamoto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Okinawa vs $31.00 in Kumamoto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $302 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

Okinawa vs Kumamoto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Okinawa and Kumamoto differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,385 vs $1,241 including rent). Kumamoto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,077 in Okinawa and $1,862 in Kumamoto 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: $398 in Okinawa versus $473 in Kumamoto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kumamoto runs roughly 6% less than in Okinawa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $324 in Okinawa versus $126 in Kumamoto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,241 in Kumamoto versus $1,385 in Okinawa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kumamoto but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. 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, Okinawa and Kumamoto 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 12% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.