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: $1,437 in Okinawa versus $1,022 in Kurume.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,214 in Okinawa versus $1,597 in Kurume.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,992 in Okinawa versus $2,172 in Kurume.

Living in Okinawa is roughly 41% more expensive than in Kurume, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Okinawa is 8% above, Kurume is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 ¥1,329

$4.85 ¥788

68.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 ¥6,815

$41.86 ¥6,802

0.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 ¥971

$4.17 ¥678

43.41%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥543

$2.10 ¥342

59.05%

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

$1.32 ¥215

$0.77 ¥125

71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥152

$0.55 ¥89.4

69.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥569

$3.45 ¥560

1.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ¥797

$1.76 ¥285

178.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥317

$1.42 ¥230

37.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ¥385

$1.43 ¥232

65.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥791

$4.13 ¥670

17.92%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥325

$2.10 ¥340

-4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 ¥2,663

$10.25 ¥1,665

59.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,761

$6.12 ¥994

77.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.48 ¥4,303

$21.02 ¥3,416

25.98%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 ¥822

$3.05 ¥496

65.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥420

$1.41 ¥229

83.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$1.36 ¥222

130.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 ¥916

$5.83 ¥947

-3.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥568

$2.76 ¥448

26.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ¥469

$3.13 ¥508

-7.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ¥258

$0.98 ¥159

62.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.76 ¥124

15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 ¥799

$3.96 ¥643

24.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ¥989

$6.04 ¥982

0.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥281

$1.94 ¥315

-10.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$1.21 ¥196

140.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.60 ¥260

1.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.91 ¥5,673

$54.7 ¥8,892

-36.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥668

$4.78 ¥776

-14.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 ¥587

$2.91 ¥473

24.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 ¥2,044

$19.75 ¥3,210

-36.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥202

$0.70 ¥115

77.14%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

0.11%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$19.7K ¥3.2M

-15.34%

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

$173 ¥28.2K

$215 ¥34.9K

-19.38%

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

$27.25 ¥4,428

$27.50 ¥4,468

-0.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 ¥5,145

$24.68 ¥4,010

28.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,723

$55.0 ¥8,933

-2.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ¥1,144

$13.64 ¥2,217

-48.39%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥2,022

$7.83 ¥1,272

59.00%

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

$346 ¥56.2K

$416 ¥67.6K

-16.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-0.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ¥7,758

$42.71 ¥6,940

11.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ¥4,753

$13.93 ¥2,263

109.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$26.69 ¥4,336

175.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 ¥14.8K

$34.22 ¥5,561

165.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.2K

$211 ¥34.3K

110.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ¥64.9K

$140 ¥22.8K

184.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥153.7K

$527 ¥85.6K

79.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ¥121.5K

$343 ¥55.7K

118.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,584 ¥1.4M

$4,477 ¥727.4K

91.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 ¥198.4K

$2,230 ¥362.4K

-45.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 ¥287.4K

$1,480 ¥240.5K

19.51%

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 Kurume: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Okinawa and $211 in Kurume. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okinawa pays 20% 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 $395 vs $288, 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 41% in total monthly costs ($1,437 vs $1,022 including rent). Kurume is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 20% 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: $445 in Okinawa versus $211 in Kurume. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% 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 $1,022 in Kurume versus $1,437 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 41% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.