Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Kurume Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Kurume

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,421 in Osaka versus $943 in Kurume.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,048 in Osaka versus $1,507 in Kurume.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,675 in Osaka versus $2,072 in Kurume.

Living in Osaka is roughly 51% more expensive than in Kurume, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 3% above, Kurume is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ¥983

$4.17 ¥641

53.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.97 ¥5,063

$41.86 ¥6,428

-21.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.24 ¥805

$3.58 ¥550

46.37%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ¥452

$1.83 ¥280

61.20%

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

$1.42 ¥218

$0.66 ¥101

115.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥115

$0.50 ¥77.0

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 ¥410

$3.09 ¥475

-13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 ¥613

$1.59 ¥243

150.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ¥226

$1.22 ¥188

20.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ¥212

$1.27 ¥196

8.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.60 ¥861

$4.91 ¥754

14.05%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥323

$1.90 ¥292

10.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 ¥1,532

$18.12 ¥2,782

-44.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 ¥1,465

$5.48 ¥842

74.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥2,873

$17.35 ¥2,664

7.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 ¥533

$3.52 ¥541

-1.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ¥303

$1.86 ¥286

6.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ¥315

$2.80 ¥430

-26.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 ¥617

$3.24 ¥497

24.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥246

$2.15 ¥330

-25.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ¥183

$2.52 ¥386

-52.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥214

$1.02 ¥156

36.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥130

$0.91 ¥140

-6.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥610

$3.51 ¥540

13.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,457

$6.29 ¥966

50.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ¥293

$1.68 ¥258

13.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ¥504

$1.13 ¥173

190.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 ¥214

$1.44 ¥222

-3.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.85 ¥5,044

$56.6 ¥8,688

-41.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 ¥583

$3.79 ¥582

0.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.34 ¥512

$2.04 ¥314

63.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.84 ¥3,354

$17.64 ¥2,708

23.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥168

$0.64 ¥98.2

71.88%

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

$22.6K ¥3.5M

$21.9K ¥3.4M

3.12%

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

$15.2K ¥2.3M

$17.6K ¥2.7M

-13.74%

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

$141 ¥21.6K

$214 ¥32.8K

-34.01%

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

$25.14 ¥3,860

$24.15 ¥3,709

4.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.21 ¥4,792

$22.63 ¥3,474

37.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 ¥8,347

$51.3 ¥7,871

6.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 ¥2,871

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 ¥1,902

$6.93 ¥1,065

78.64%

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

$526 ¥80.8K

$124 ¥19.0K

325.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.0M

$11.9K ¥1.8M

10.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.05 ¥7,532

$37.04 ¥5,687

32.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.73 ¥4,873

$12.33 ¥1,893

157.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 ¥11.4K

$24.83 ¥3,813

199.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 ¥14.1K

$30.95 ¥4,753

196.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥110.1K

$473 ¥72.6K

51.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 ¥80.5K

$124 ¥19.1K

321.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 ¥268.1K

$463 ¥71.1K

276.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 ¥122.6K

$309 ¥47.5K

157.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,373 ¥978.6K

$4,320 ¥663.4K

47.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,960 ¥300.9K

$1,916 ¥294.3K

2.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,336 ¥358.7K

$1,483 ¥227.8K

57.52%

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: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kurume: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $473 in Kurume. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 58% 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: $33.00 in Osaka vs $42.00 in Kurume. Groceries flip the comparison at $309 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

Osaka vs Kurume: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Kurume differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($1,421 vs $943 including rent). Kurume is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 58% higher in Osaka, 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: $717 in Osaka versus $473 in Kurume. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Osaka. 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 $33.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $943 in Kurume versus $1,421 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kurume but tight or insufficient in Osaka. 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, Osaka 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 51% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.