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: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,269 in Kumamoto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,963 in Kumamoto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,658 in Kumamoto.

Living in Osaka is roughly 8% more expensive than Kumamoto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Kumamoto is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$8.44 ¥1,350

-17.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$34.17 ¥5,466

1.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$6.21 ¥993

-19.81%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$3.08 ¥493

8.12%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$0.66 ¥105

63.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.82 ¥132

-7.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$1.69 ¥271

62.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$2.14 ¥342

103.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.37 ¥219

17.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.58 ¥253

-9.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$4.11 ¥657

18.25%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.06 ¥329

19.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$10.03 ¥1,604

3.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$6.03 ¥964

5.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$21.17 ¥3,386

-12.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$3.10 ¥496

13.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$1.42 ¥228

54.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$1.41 ¥226

75.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$5.85 ¥936

-26.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$2.72 ¥435

-37.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$3.22 ¥515

-60.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$0.97 ¥155

43.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.76 ¥121

11.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$5.61 ¥897

65.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$1.90 ¥304

12.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.11 ¥337

41.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.67 ¥267

-3.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$56.3 ¥9,001

-35.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$4.72 ¥755

-3.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$3.00 ¥480

10.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$19.29 ¥3,085

24.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.19 ¥190

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

2.39%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$20.1K ¥3.2M

-16.08%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$213 ¥34.1K

-36.81%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$26.96 ¥4,312

2.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$35.73 ¥5,715

-15.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$56.0 ¥8,949

5.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$14.04 ¥2,246

45.23%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$13.65 ¥2,184

-9.45%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$408 ¥65.2K

-83.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-20.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$43.84 ¥7,013

0.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$29.57 ¥4,730

-0.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$64.9 ¥10.4K

3.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$60.1 ¥9,613

57.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$466 ¥74.5K

54.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$325 ¥52.0K

48.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$867 ¥138.7K

51.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$664 ¥106.2K

21.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$4,290 ¥686.2K

38.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$2,396 ¥383.2K

-14.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kumamoto: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $466 in Kumamoto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $34.00 in Kumamoto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 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

Osaka vs Kumamoto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Kumamoto differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,371 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 $2,057 in Osaka 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: $717 in Osaka 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 55% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $68.1 in Osaka 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 $1,371 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.