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: $1,430 in Okinawa versus $1,269 in Kumamoto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,196 in Okinawa versus $1,963 in Kumamoto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,961 in Okinawa versus $2,658 in Kumamoto.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 7% above, Kumamoto is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,370

$8.44 ¥1,350

1.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 ¥6,609

$34.17 ¥5,466

20.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ¥978

$6.21 ¥993

-1.45%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥529

$3.08 ¥493

7.47%

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

$1.32 ¥211

$0.66 ¥105

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$0.82 ¥132

4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ¥557

$1.69 ¥271

105.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 ¥769

$2.14 ¥342

124.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥299

$1.37 ¥219

36.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ¥367

$1.58 ¥253

45.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥772

$4.11 ¥657

17.52%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥321

$2.06 ¥329

-2.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ¥2,613

$10.03 ¥1,604

62.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ¥1,780

$6.03 ¥964

84.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.95 ¥4,310

$21.17 ¥3,386

27.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ¥842

$3.10 ¥496

70.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$1.42 ¥228

83.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$1.41 ¥226

114.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 ¥904

$5.85 ¥936

-3.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$2.72 ¥435

35.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ¥464

$3.22 ¥515

-9.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ¥256

$0.97 ¥155

64.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥151

$0.76 ¥121

23.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 ¥771

$3.93 ¥629

22.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥978

$5.61 ¥897

8.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥275

$1.90 ¥304

-9.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥461

$2.11 ¥337

36.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.67 ¥267

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 ¥5,642

$56.3 ¥9,001

-37.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥671

$4.72 ¥755

-11.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 ¥603

$3.00 ¥480

25.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.74 ¥2,037

$19.29 ¥3,085

-33.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.19 ¥190

0.84%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

-0.89%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$20.1K ¥3.2M

-15.74%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$213 ¥34.1K

-18.94%

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

$27.72 ¥4,434

$26.96 ¥4,312

2.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.51 ¥5,200

$35.73 ¥5,715

-9.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ¥8,547

$56.0 ¥8,949

-4.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ¥1,081

$14.04 ¥2,246

-51.85%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 ¥2,016

$13.65 ¥2,184

-7.69%

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

$347 ¥55.5K

$408 ¥65.2K

-14.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

2.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 ¥7,813

$43.84 ¥7,013

11.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$29.57 ¥4,730

-0.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥11.7K

$64.9 ¥10.4K

12.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥14.9K

$60.1 ¥9,613

54.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥69.9K

$466 ¥74.5K

-6.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ¥63.1K

$325 ¥52.0K

21.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ¥150.9K

$867 ¥138.7K

8.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ¥119.9K

$664 ¥106.2K

12.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,543 ¥1.4M

$4,290 ¥686.2K

99.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ¥189.8K

$2,396 ¥383.2K

-50.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 ¥206.6K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kumamoto: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Okinawa and $466 in Kumamoto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $41.00 in Okinawa vs $34.00 in Kumamoto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $289 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 ($1,430 vs $1,269 including rent). Kumamoto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,145 in Okinawa and $1,903 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: $437 in Okinawa versus $466 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 60% less than in Okinawa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $347 in Okinawa versus $408 in Kumamoto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,269 in Kumamoto versus $1,430 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.