Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Kumamoto Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Kumamoto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,346 in Osaka versus $1,241 in Kumamoto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,976 in Osaka versus $1,936 in Kumamoto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,606 in Osaka versus $2,630 in Kumamoto.

Living in Osaka is roughly 8% more expensive than in Kumamoto, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Osaka 2% lower, Kumamoto 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥957

$7.00 ¥1,094

-12.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ¥4,804

$30.81 ¥4,814

-0.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ¥751

$5.52 ¥862

-12.86%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥458

$3.21 ¥501

-8.72%

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

$1.43 ¥224

$1.03 ¥161

38.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥108

$0.67 ¥105

2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥411

$3.84 ¥600

-31.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ¥569

$2.15 ¥336

69.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.28 ¥200

11.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.84 ¥287

-30.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥820

$6.33 ¥989

-17.06%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥329

$1.91 ¥298

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,531

$18.11 ¥2,829

-45.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ¥1,435

$5.27 ¥824

74.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 ¥2,827

$16.66 ¥2,603

8.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ¥528

$3.59 ¥560

-5.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥299

$1.86 ¥291

2.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥309

$2.81 ¥439

-29.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥608

$3.33 ¥521

16.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥240

$2.10 ¥328

-26.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥183

$2.62 ¥409

-55.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$1.03 ¥160

25.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.97 ¥151

-16.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥600

$3.84 ¥599

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥1,484

$5.58 ¥871

70.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥292

$1.69 ¥263

10.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥504

$1.86 ¥291

73.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ¥213

$1.37 ¥215

-0.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,998

$61.2 ¥9,554

-47.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥589

$3.81 ¥595

-1.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$1.98 ¥310

53.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 ¥3,282

$17.83 ¥2,786

17.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥171

$1.10 ¥172

-0.91%

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

$21.4K ¥3.3M

$21.3K ¥3.3M

0.56%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$17.4K ¥2.7M

-12.81%

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

$136 ¥21.3K

$211 ¥32.9K

-35.43%

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

$23.92 ¥3,736

$24.54 ¥3,834

-2.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,785

$32.87 ¥5,136

-6.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.60 ¥7,592

$44.03 ¥6,879

10.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,797

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ¥1,881

$10.88 ¥1,699

10.66%

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

$520 ¥81.2K

$126 ¥19.6K

313.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$12.1K ¥1.9M

9.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 ¥6,898

$37.30 ¥5,828

18.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,641

$23.77 ¥3,714

24.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$60.0 ¥9,367

21.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ¥13.9K

$46.57 ¥7,275

90.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥109.2K

$473 ¥73.9K

47.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥79.2K

$330 ¥51.5K

53.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 ¥262.7K

$1,055 ¥164.8K

59.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ¥118.9K

$735 ¥114.9K

3.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,636 ¥880.4K

$4,127 ¥644.7K

36.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 ¥284.6K

$1,772 ¥276.8K

2.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥350.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

1.97

12.18%

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

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kumamoto: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Osaka and $473 in Kumamoto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Osaka vs $31.00 in Kumamoto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $302 per month, with Osaka 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

Osaka vs Kumamoto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Kumamoto differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,346 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 $2,019 in Osaka 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: $699 in Osaka 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 91% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $520 in Osaka 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 $1,346 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kumamoto but tight or insufficient in Osaka. 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, Osaka 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 8% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.