Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kurume Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Kurume

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,436 in Okinawa versus $943 in Kurume.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,236 in Okinawa versus $1,507 in Kurume.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,037 in Okinawa versus $2,072 in Kurume.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 52% more expensive than in Kurume, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 4% above, Kurume is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ¥1,562

$4.17 ¥641

143.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.22 ¥6,483

$41.86 ¥6,428

0.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 ¥1,113

$3.58 ¥550

102.51%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ¥644

$1.83 ¥280

129.51%

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

$1.52 ¥233

$0.66 ¥101

130.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ¥149

$0.50 ¥77.0

94.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ¥324

$3.09 ¥475

-31.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 ¥709

$1.59 ¥243

190.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ¥256

$1.22 ¥188

36.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 ¥322

$1.27 ¥196

65.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.00 ¥615

$4.91 ¥754

-18.53%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥288

$1.90 ¥292

-1.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 ¥2,815

$18.12 ¥2,782

1.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 ¥781

$5.48 ¥842

-7.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.99 ¥3,531

$17.35 ¥2,664

32.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 ¥577

$3.52 ¥541

6.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 ¥412

$1.86 ¥286

44.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ¥349

$2.80 ¥430

-18.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 ¥827

$3.24 ¥497

66.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 ¥391

$2.15 ¥330

18.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥388

$2.52 ¥386

0.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥205

$1.02 ¥156

31.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥125

$0.91 ¥140

-10.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥612

$3.51 ¥540

13.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.33 ¥972

$6.29 ¥966

0.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ¥309

$1.68 ¥258

19.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 ¥527

$1.13 ¥173

203.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 ¥232

$1.44 ¥222

4.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.4K

$56.6 ¥8,688

19.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 ¥582

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.47 ¥532

$2.04 ¥314

70.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.86 ¥1,821

$17.64 ¥2,708

-32.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥175

$0.64 ¥98.2

78.12%

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

$21.7K ¥3.3M

$21.9K ¥3.4M

-0.86%

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

$15.5K ¥2.4M

$17.6K ¥2.7M

-12.03%

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

$166 ¥25.5K

$214 ¥32.8K

-22.28%

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

$25.25 ¥3,877

$24.15 ¥3,709

4.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 ¥8,344

$22.63 ¥3,474

140.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 ¥11.3K

$51.3 ¥7,871

43.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.5 ¥8,832

Cinema Ticket

$12.27 ¥1,885

$6.93 ¥1,065

77.06%

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

$346 ¥53.1K

$124 ¥19.0K

179.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,652 ¥867.9K

$11.9K ¥1.8M

-52.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 ¥7,795

$37.04 ¥5,687

37.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.35 ¥3,739

$12.33 ¥1,893

97.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ¥12.9K

$24.83 ¥3,813

238.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 ¥15.0K

$30.95 ¥4,753

215.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 ¥62.9K

$473 ¥72.6K

-13.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 ¥50.9K

$124 ¥19.1K

166.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 ¥132.4K

$463 ¥71.1K

86.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 ¥107.2K

$309 ¥47.5K

125.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,819 ¥1.4M

$4,320 ¥663.4K

104.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,241 ¥190.5K

$1,916 ¥294.3K

-35.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,890 ¥290.2K

$1,483 ¥227.8K

27.40%

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: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kurume: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Okinawa and $473 in Kurume. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 27% 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 Okinawa vs $42.00 in Kurume. Groceries flip the comparison at $339 vs $292, with Kurume cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kurume: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Okinawa and Kurume differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($1,436 vs $943 including rent). Kurume is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Okinawa, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $409 in Okinawa versus $473 in Kurume. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% 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 $943 in Kurume versus $1,436 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, Okinawa and Kurume 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 52% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.