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: $1,330 in Osaka versus $1,268 in Kumamoto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,969 in Kumamoto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,746 in Osaka versus $2,670 in Kumamoto.

Living in Osaka is roughly 5% more expensive than in Kumamoto, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 0% above, Kumamoto is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ¥1,149

$8.57 ¥1,392

-17.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.92 ¥5,674

$35.04 ¥5,693

-0.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥773

$6.03 ¥979

-21.06%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥523

$3.07 ¥499

4.89%

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

$1.10 ¥179

$0.70 ¥114

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥115

$0.83 ¥134

-14.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ¥462

$1.62 ¥263

75.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ¥683

$2.10 ¥341

100.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.35 ¥219

14.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥232

$1.65 ¥269

-13.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 ¥751

$4.08 ¥663

13.24%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥396

$2.10 ¥341

16.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ¥1,716

$10.16 ¥1,650

3.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 ¥1,068

$6.30 ¥1,023

4.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥3,041

$20.78 ¥3,376

-9.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥599

$3.10 ¥503

19.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥343

$1.41 ¥228

49.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ¥401

$1.42 ¥230

73.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 ¥738

$5.96 ¥968

-23.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ¥267

$2.83 ¥460

-42.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥212

$3.12 ¥507

-58.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥223

$0.91 ¥147

50.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.74 ¥120

17.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ¥629

$3.94 ¥641

-1.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 ¥1,487

$5.47 ¥889

67.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥342

$1.98 ¥321

6.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.05 ¥333

40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥271

$1.61 ¥261

3.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.74 ¥5,807

$55.1 ¥8,948

-35.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ¥751

$4.72 ¥766

-2.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 ¥532

$2.89 ¥469

13.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 ¥3,814

$19.40 ¥3,153

20.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥191

$1.23 ¥200

-4.07%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-3.38%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$19.6K ¥3.2M

-12.00%

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

$134 ¥21.8K

$214 ¥34.8K

-37.29%

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

$27.44 ¥4,458

$26.96 ¥4,380

1.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 ¥4,941

$36.22 ¥5,884

-16.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ¥9,396

$56.1 ¥9,112

3.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.18 ¥3,441

$14.04 ¥2,282

50.85%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥2,002

$13.83 ¥2,246

-10.92%

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

$68.2 ¥11.1K

$409 ¥66.5K

-83.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-20.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.49 ¥7,229

$42.67 ¥6,933

4.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ¥4,796

$29.61 ¥4,810

-0.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 ¥10.8K

$65.3 ¥10.6K

2.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 ¥15.7K

$61.4 ¥9,978

57.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 ¥118.1K

$462 ¥75.1K

57.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥77.3K

$329 ¥53.5K

44.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 ¥211.3K

$868 ¥141.0K

49.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 ¥134.3K

$666 ¥108.2K

24.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,911 ¥960.3K

$3,816 ¥620.1K

54.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 ¥333.2K

$1,816 ¥295.1K

12.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,865 ¥303.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.67

8.38%

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

Last update for Osaka: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kumamoto: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $727 in Osaka and $462 in Kumamoto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $35.00 in Kumamoto. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $291, with Kumamoto 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

Osaka vs Kumamoto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Kumamoto differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,330 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 $1,994 in Osaka 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: $727 in Osaka 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 54% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $68.2 in Osaka 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 $1,330 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 5% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.