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: $1,701 in Tokyo versus $1,268 in Kumamoto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,691 in Tokyo versus $1,969 in Kumamoto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Tokyo versus $2,670 in Kumamoto.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 34% more expensive than in Kumamoto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 27% above, Kumamoto is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$8.57 ¥1,392

-5.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$35.04 ¥5,693

39.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$6.03 ¥979

-9.12%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.07 ¥499

17.26%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$0.70 ¥114

81.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.83 ¥134

3.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$1.62 ¥263

151.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$2.10 ¥341

159.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.35 ¥219

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.65 ¥269

-8.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.08 ¥663

30.88%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.10 ¥341

10.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$10.16 ¥1,650

57.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.30 ¥1,023

28.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$20.78 ¥3,376

8.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$3.10 ¥503

78.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$1.41 ¥228

83.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$1.42 ¥230

316.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$5.96 ¥968

1.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$2.83 ¥460

14.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$3.12 ¥507

8.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$0.91 ¥147

59.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.74 ¥120

17.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$3.94 ¥641

7.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$5.47 ¥889

70.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.98 ¥321

3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.05 ¥333

40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.61 ¥261

-8.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$55.1 ¥8,948

53.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$4.72 ¥766

-28.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.89 ¥469

0.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$19.40 ¥3,153

35.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.23 ¥200

-2.44%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.17%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$19.6K ¥3.2M

-12.42%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$214 ¥34.8K

-21.69%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$26.96 ¥4,380

-4.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$36.22 ¥5,884

-7.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$56.1 ¥9,112

26.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$14.04 ¥2,282

44.23%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$13.83 ¥2,246

-5.50%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$409 ¥66.5K

20.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

18.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$42.67 ¥6,933

44.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.61 ¥4,810

40.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$65.3 ¥10.6K

0.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$61.4 ¥9,978

48.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$462 ¥75.1K

142.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$329 ¥53.5K

84.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$868 ¥141.0K

208.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$666 ¥108.2K

101.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$3,816 ¥620.1K

171.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$1,816 ¥295.1K

174.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.67

2.99%

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

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kumamoto: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,120 in Tokyo and $462 in Kumamoto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Tokyo vs $35.00 in Kumamoto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $291 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 34% in total monthly costs ($1,701 vs $1,268 including rent). Kumamoto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,552 in Tokyo and $1,902 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: $1,120 in Tokyo versus $462 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 54% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $495 in Tokyo versus $409 in Kumamoto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,268 in Kumamoto versus $1,701 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 34% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.