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: $1,330 in Osaka versus $1,022 in Kurume.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,597 in Kurume.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,746 in Osaka versus $2,172 in Kurume.

Living in Osaka is roughly 30% more expensive than in Kurume, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 0% above, Kurume is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ¥1,149

$4.85 ¥788

45.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.92 ¥5,674

$41.86 ¥6,802

-16.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥773

$4.17 ¥678

14.15%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥523

$2.10 ¥342

53.33%

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

$1.10 ¥179

$0.77 ¥125

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥115

$0.55 ¥89.4

29.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ¥462

$3.45 ¥560

-17.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ¥683

$1.76 ¥285

139.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.42 ¥230

8.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥232

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 ¥751

$4.13 ¥670

11.86%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥396

$2.10 ¥340

16.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ¥1,716

$10.25 ¥1,665

3.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 ¥1,068

$6.12 ¥994

7.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥3,041

$21.02 ¥3,416

-10.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥599

$3.05 ¥496

20.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥343

$1.41 ¥229

49.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ¥401

$1.36 ¥222

81.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 ¥738

$5.83 ¥947

-22.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ¥267

$2.76 ¥448

-40.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥212

$3.13 ¥508

-58.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥223

$0.98 ¥159

39.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.76 ¥124

14.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ¥629

$3.96 ¥643

-2.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 ¥1,487

$6.04 ¥982

51.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥342

$1.94 ¥315

8.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$1.21 ¥196

137.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥271

$1.60 ¥260

4.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.74 ¥5,807

$54.7 ¥8,892

-34.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ¥751

$4.78 ¥776

-3.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 ¥532

$2.91 ¥473

12.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 ¥3,814

$19.75 ¥3,210

18.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥191

$0.70 ¥115

68.57%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$23.3K ¥3.8M

-2.21%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$19.7K ¥3.2M

-12.37%

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

$134 ¥21.8K

$215 ¥34.9K

-37.55%

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

$27.44 ¥4,458

$27.50 ¥4,468

-0.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 ¥4,941

$24.68 ¥4,010

23.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ¥9,396

$55.0 ¥8,933

5.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.18 ¥3,441

$13.64 ¥2,217

55.28%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥2,002

$7.83 ¥1,272

57.34%

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

$68.2 ¥11.1K

$416 ¥67.6K

-83.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-20.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.49 ¥7,229

$42.71 ¥6,940

4.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ¥4,796

$13.93 ¥2,263

111.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 ¥10.8K

$26.69 ¥4,336

149.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 ¥15.7K

$34.22 ¥5,561

182.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 ¥118.1K

$211 ¥34.3K

244.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥77.3K

$140 ¥22.8K

239.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 ¥211.3K

$527 ¥85.6K

146.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 ¥134.3K

$343 ¥55.7K

140.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,911 ¥960.3K

$4,477 ¥727.4K

32.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 ¥333.2K

$2,230 ¥362.4K

-8.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,865 ¥303.0K

$1,480 ¥240.5K

26.01%

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 Kurume: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $727 in Osaka and $211 in Kurume. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 26% 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: $35.00 in Osaka vs $42.00 in Kurume. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 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

Osaka vs Kurume: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Kurume differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,330 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 26% 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: $727 in Osaka versus $211 in Kurume. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% 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 $35.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,022 in Kurume versus $1,330 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 30% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.