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: $1,684 in Tokyo versus $1,269 in Kumamoto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,693 in Tokyo versus $1,963 in Kumamoto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,703 in Tokyo versus $2,658 in Kumamoto.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 26% above, Kumamoto is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$8.44 ¥1,350

-4.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$34.17 ¥5,466

41.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$6.21 ¥993

-8.37%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.08 ¥493

15.91%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$0.66 ¥105

90.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.82 ¥132

13.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$1.69 ¥271

151.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$2.14 ¥342

147.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.37 ¥219

15.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.58 ¥253

0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.11 ¥657

29.44%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.06 ¥329

16.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.03 ¥1,604

59.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.03 ¥964

30.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$21.17 ¥3,386

9.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$3.10 ¥496

68.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$1.42 ¥228

80.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$1.41 ¥226

306.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$5.85 ¥936

2.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$2.72 ¥435

18.01%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$3.22 ¥515

9.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$0.97 ¥155

52.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.76 ¥121

18.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$3.93 ¥629

8.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$5.61 ¥897

67.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.90 ¥304

13.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.11 ¥337

36.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.67 ¥267

-11.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$56.3 ¥9,001

50.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$4.72 ¥755

-26.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$3.00 ¥480

-4.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$19.29 ¥3,085

38.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.19 ¥190

2.52%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

1.98%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$20.1K ¥3.2M

-13.48%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$213 ¥34.1K

-23.34%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$26.96 ¥4,312

-1.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$35.73 ¥5,715

-5.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$56.0 ¥8,949

23.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$14.04 ¥2,246

43.23%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$13.65 ¥2,184

-4.32%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$408 ¥65.2K

24.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

18.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$43.84 ¥7,013

37.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.57 ¥4,730

36.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$64.9 ¥10.4K

-0.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$60.1 ¥9,613

51.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$466 ¥74.5K

134.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$325 ¥52.0K

83.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$867 ¥138.7K

200.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$664 ¥106.2K

101.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,290 ¥686.2K

151.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,396 ¥383.2K

107.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kumamoto: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,094 in Tokyo and $466 in Kumamoto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Tokyo vs $34.00 in Kumamoto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $289 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 ($1,684 vs $1,269 including rent). Kumamoto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,526 in Tokyo and $1,903 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: $1,094 in Tokyo versus $466 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 51% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $506 in Tokyo versus $408 in Kumamoto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,269 in Kumamoto versus $1,684 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.