Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kumamoto Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kumamoto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,653 in Tokyo versus $1,241 in Kumamoto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Tokyo versus $1,936 in Kumamoto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,517 in Tokyo versus $2,630 in Kumamoto.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 33% more expensive than in Kumamoto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 20% above, Kumamoto is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,142

$7.00 ¥1,094

4.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,798

$30.81 ¥4,814

20.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥777

$5.52 ¥862

-9.78%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥570

$3.21 ¥501

13.71%

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

$1.69 ¥263

$1.03 ¥161

64.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.67 ¥105

37.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥570

$3.84 ¥600

-4.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥791

$2.15 ¥336

135.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥243

$1.28 ¥200

21.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥269

$1.84 ¥287

-6.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥925

$6.33 ¥989

-6.48%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥349

$1.91 ¥298

16.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,775

$18.11 ¥2,829

-37.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,199

$5.27 ¥824

45.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,142

$16.66 ¥2,603

20.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥809

$3.59 ¥560

44.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥393

$1.86 ¥291

34.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥725

$2.81 ¥439

65.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥923

$3.33 ¥521

77.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥553

$2.10 ¥328

68.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥538

$2.62 ¥409

31.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥190

$1.03 ¥160

18.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥134

$0.97 ¥151

-11.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥621

$3.84 ¥599

3.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,489

$5.58 ¥871

70.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥278

$1.69 ¥263

5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥474

$1.86 ¥291

62.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥192

$1.37 ¥215

-10.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.6K

$61.2 ¥9,554

10.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥494

$3.81 ¥595

-17.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$1.98 ¥310

53.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,834

$17.83 ¥2,786

1.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$1.10 ¥172

-5.45%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$21.3K ¥3.3M

2.03%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$17.4K ¥2.7M

-15.25%

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

$157 ¥24.5K

$211 ¥32.9K

-25.54%

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

$22.07 ¥3,448

$24.54 ¥3,834

-10.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,720

$32.87 ¥5,136

-8.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,770

$44.03 ¥6,879

42.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,955

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,921

$10.88 ¥1,699

13.05%

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

$1,300 ¥203.0K

$126 ¥19.6K

934.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$12.1K ¥1.9M

46.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥8,000

$37.30 ¥5,828

37.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,054

$23.77 ¥3,714

36.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,777

$60.0 ¥9,367

4.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$46.57 ¥7,275

60.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥192.2K

$473 ¥73.9K

160.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥103.0K

$330 ¥51.5K

99.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥369.9K

$1,055 ¥164.8K

124.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥212.1K

$735 ¥114.9K

84.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$4,127 ¥644.7K

111.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥616.2K

$1,772 ¥276.8K

122.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥444.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

1.97

-2.03%

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

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kumamoto: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,230 in Tokyo and $473 in Kumamoto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Tokyo vs $31.00 in Kumamoto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $302 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

Tokyo vs Kumamoto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo and Kumamoto differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,653 vs $1,241 including rent). Kumamoto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,480 in Tokyo and $1,862 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: $1,230 in Tokyo versus $473 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 11% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,300 in Tokyo versus $126 in Kumamoto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,241 in Kumamoto versus $1,653 in Tokyo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kumamoto but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. 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, Tokyo 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 33% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.