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: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,019 in Kurume.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,606 in Kurume.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,194 in Kurume.

Living in Osaka is roughly 35% more expensive than Kurume, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Kurume is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$4.79 ¥766

45.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$41.36 ¥6,616

-16.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$4.06 ¥649

22.66%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$2.02 ¥323

64.85%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$0.80 ¥128

35.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.59 ¥95.0

28.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$3.45 ¥552

-20.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$1.71 ¥273

154.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.42 ¥227

13.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.37 ¥218

4.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$4.24 ¥679

14.62%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.14 ¥342

14.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$10.18 ¥1,628

2.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$6.10 ¥976

4.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$20.39 ¥3,261

-8.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$3.15 ¥504

12.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$1.43 ¥229

53.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$1.42 ¥227

74.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$5.97 ¥955

-27.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$2.85 ¥456

-40.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$3.20 ¥512

-60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$0.99 ¥159

40.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.80 ¥128

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$3.81 ¥609

3.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$6.19 ¥990

49.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$1.99 ¥319

7.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$1.25 ¥199

139.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.60 ¥255

0.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$54.8 ¥8,763

-33.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$4.62 ¥739

-1.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$2.88 ¥461

14.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$19.64 ¥3,141

21.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$0.66 ¥106

80.30%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

2.20%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$20.3K ¥3.3M

-16.89%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$213 ¥34.1K

-36.73%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$26.86 ¥4,295

2.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$25.14 ¥4,021

20.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$55.7 ¥8,912

6.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$13.93 ¥2,227

46.37%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$7.52 ¥1,204

64.36%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$423 ¥67.6K

-83.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-19.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$43.55 ¥6,966

1.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$13.64 ¥2,182

116.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$27.11 ¥4,337

147.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$35.11 ¥5,616

170.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$204 ¥32.6K

251.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$138 ¥22.0K

250.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$521 ¥83.3K

151.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$351 ¥56.2K

129.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$4,879 ¥780.4K

21.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$2,517 ¥402.5K

-18.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

$1,526 ¥244.1K

27.36%

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 Kurume: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $204 in Kurume. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 27% 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 $41.00 in Kurume. Groceries flip the comparison at $299 vs $289, 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 35% in total monthly costs ($1,371 vs $1,019 including rent). Kurume is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Osaka pays 27% more on average, 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 $204 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 $41.00 versus $35.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,019 in Kurume versus $1,371 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 35% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.