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: $1,437 in Okinawa versus $1,268 in Kumamoto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,214 in Okinawa versus $1,969 in Kumamoto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,992 in Okinawa versus $2,670 in Kumamoto.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 13% more expensive than in Kumamoto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 8% above, Kumamoto is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$8.57 ¥1,392

-4.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$35.04 ¥5,693

19.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$6.03 ¥979

-0.83%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$3.07 ¥499

8.79%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$0.70 ¥114

88.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.83 ¥134

12.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$1.62 ¥263

116.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$2.10 ¥341

133.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.35 ¥219

44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.65 ¥269

43.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$4.08 ¥663

19.36%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$2.10 ¥341

-4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$10.16 ¥1,650

61.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$6.30 ¥1,023

72.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$20.78 ¥3,376

27.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$3.10 ¥503

63.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$1.41 ¥228

83.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$1.42 ¥230

120.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$5.96 ¥968

-5.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$2.83 ¥460

23.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$3.12 ¥507

-7.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$0.91 ¥147

74.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.74 ¥120

18.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$3.94 ¥641

24.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$5.47 ¥889

11.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$1.98 ¥321

-12.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.05 ¥333

41.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.61 ¥261

1.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$55.1 ¥8,948

-36.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$4.72 ¥766

-12.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$2.89 ¥469

25.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$19.40 ¥3,153

-35.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$1.23 ¥200

0.81%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-1.08%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$19.6K ¥3.2M

-14.99%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$214 ¥34.8K

-19.03%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$26.96 ¥4,380

1.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$36.22 ¥5,884

-12.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$56.1 ¥9,112

-4.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$14.04 ¥2,282

-49.86%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$13.83 ¥2,246

-9.98%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$409 ¥66.5K

-15.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-0.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$42.67 ¥6,933

11.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$29.61 ¥4,810

-1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$65.3 ¥10.6K

12.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$61.4 ¥9,978

48.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$462 ¥75.1K

-3.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$329 ¥53.5K

21.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$868 ¥141.0K

9.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$666 ¥108.2K

12.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$3,816 ¥620.1K

124.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$1,816 ¥295.1K

-32.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

19.76%

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

Last update for Okinawa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kumamoto: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Okinawa and $462 in Kumamoto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Okinawa vs $35.00 in Kumamoto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $291 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 13% in total monthly costs ($1,437 vs $1,268 including rent). Kumamoto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,155 in Okinawa and $1,902 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: $445 in Okinawa versus $462 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 58% less than in Okinawa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $346 in Okinawa versus $409 in Kumamoto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,268 in Kumamoto versus $1,437 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 13% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.