Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kurume Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kurume

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,684 in Tokyo versus $1,019 in Kurume.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,693 in Tokyo versus $1,606 in Kurume.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,703 in Tokyo versus $2,194 in Kurume.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 65% more expensive than Kurume, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 26% above, Kurume is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$4.79 ¥766

68.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$41.36 ¥6,616

16.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$4.06 ¥649

40.15%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$2.02 ¥323

76.73%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$0.80 ¥128

57.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.59 ¥95.0

57.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$3.45 ¥552

23.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$1.71 ¥273

209.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.42 ¥227

11.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.37 ¥218

16.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.24 ¥679

25.47%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.14 ¥342

12.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.18 ¥1,628

57.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.10 ¥976

28.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$20.39 ¥3,261

13.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$3.15 ¥504

66.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$1.43 ¥229

79.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$1.42 ¥227

303.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$2.85 ¥456

12.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$3.20 ¥512

9.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$0.99 ¥159

49.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.80 ¥128

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$3.81 ¥609

12.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$6.19 ¥990

51.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.99 ¥319

8.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$1.25 ¥199

130.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.60 ¥255

-7.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$54.8 ¥8,763

54.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$4.62 ¥739

-24.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.88 ¥461

-0.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$19.64 ¥3,141

36.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$0.66 ¥106

84.85%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

1.79%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$20.3K ¥3.3M

-14.32%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$213 ¥34.1K

-23.23%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$26.86 ¥4,295

-0.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$25.14 ¥4,021

35.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$55.7 ¥8,912

23.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.93 ¥2,227

44.36%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$7.52 ¥1,204

73.67%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$423 ¥67.6K

19.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

18.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$43.55 ¥6,966

37.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$13.64 ¥2,182

195.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$27.11 ¥4,337

138.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$35.11 ¥5,616

159.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$204 ¥32.6K

435.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$138 ¥22.0K

332.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$521 ¥83.3K

400.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$351 ¥56.2K

281.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,879 ¥780.4K

121.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,517 ¥402.5K

97.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$1,526 ¥244.1K

63.91%

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 Kurume: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,094 in Tokyo and $204 in Kurume. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 64% 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: $48.00 in Tokyo vs $41.00 in Kurume for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $289 per month, with Kurume 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 Kurume: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo and Kurume differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,684 vs $1,019 including rent). Kurume is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Tokyo pays 64% 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: $1,094 in Tokyo versus $204 in Kurume. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Tokyo. 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 $48.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,019 in Kurume versus $1,684 in Tokyo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kurume but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. 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, Tokyo 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 65% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.