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: $1,701 in Tokyo versus $1,022 in Kurume.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,691 in Tokyo versus $1,597 in Kurume.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Tokyo versus $2,172 in Kurume.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 67% more expensive than in Kurume, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 27% above, Kurume is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$4.85 ¥788

66.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$41.86 ¥6,802

16.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$4.17 ¥678

31.41%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$2.10 ¥342

71.43%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$0.77 ¥125

64.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.55 ¥89.4

56.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$3.45 ¥560

18.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$1.76 ¥285

209.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.42 ¥230

14.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.43 ¥232

5.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.13 ¥670

29.30%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.10 ¥340

10.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$10.25 ¥1,665

55.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.12 ¥994

32.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$21.02 ¥3,416

7.28%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$3.05 ¥496

80.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$1.41 ¥229

83.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$1.36 ¥222

335.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$5.83 ¥947

4.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$2.76 ¥448

17.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$3.13 ¥508

8.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$0.98 ¥159

47.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.76 ¥124

14.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$3.96 ¥643

7.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$6.04 ¥982

54.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.94 ¥315

5.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$1.21 ¥196

137.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.60 ¥260

-7.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$54.7 ¥8,892

54.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$4.78 ¥776

-29.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$19.75 ¥3,210

32.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$0.70 ¥115

71.43%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.3K ¥3.8M

1.03%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$19.7K ¥3.2M

-12.78%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$215 ¥34.9K

-22.03%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$27.50 ¥4,468

-6.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$24.68 ¥4,010

35.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$55.0 ¥8,933

29.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$13.64 ¥2,217

48.46%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$7.83 ¥1,272

66.92%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$416 ¥67.6K

18.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

18.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$42.71 ¥6,940

44.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$13.93 ¥2,263

199.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$26.69 ¥4,336

146.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$34.22 ¥5,561

166.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$211 ¥34.3K

430.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$140 ¥22.8K

332.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$527 ¥85.6K

408.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$343 ¥55.7K

290.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$4,477 ¥727.4K

131.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,230 ¥362.4K

123.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

$1,480 ¥240.5K

57.40%

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 Kurume: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,120 in Tokyo and $211 in Kurume. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 57% 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: $49.00 in Tokyo vs $42.00 in Kurume for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $288 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 67% in total monthly costs ($1,701 vs $1,022 including rent). Kurume is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 57% higher in Tokyo, 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: $1,120 in Tokyo versus $211 in Kurume. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% 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 $42.00 versus $49.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,022 in Kurume versus $1,701 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 67% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.