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: $1,692 in Tokyo versus $943 in Kurume.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,641 in Tokyo versus $1,507 in Kurume.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,589 in Tokyo versus $2,072 in Kurume.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 80% more expensive than in Kurume, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 23% above, Kurume is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.83 ¥1,202

$4.17 ¥641

87.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.04 ¥5,995

$41.86 ¥6,428

-6.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 ¥809

$3.58 ¥550

47.21%

Cappuccino

$3.71 ¥569

$1.83 ¥280

102.73%

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

$1.74 ¥268

$0.66 ¥101

163.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥138

$0.50 ¥77.0

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.97 ¥609

$3.09 ¥475

28.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 ¥810

$1.59 ¥243

232.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥248

$1.22 ¥188

31.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥274

$1.27 ¥196

40.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 ¥885

$4.91 ¥754

17.31%

Eggs

$2.25 ¥345

$1.90 ¥292

18.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 ¥1,696

$18.12 ¥2,782

-39.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 ¥1,189

$5.48 ¥842

41.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.30 ¥3,117

$17.35 ¥2,664

17.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.33 ¥819

$3.52 ¥541

51.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 ¥382

$1.86 ¥286

33.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 ¥724

$2.80 ¥430

68.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.78 ¥888

$3.24 ¥497

78.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 ¥554

$2.15 ¥330

67.91%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥521

$2.52 ¥386

34.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ¥195

$1.02 ¥156

24.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥123

$0.91 ¥140

-12.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ¥633

$3.51 ¥540

17.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 ¥1,513

$6.29 ¥966

56.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥278

$1.68 ¥258

7.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ¥486

$1.13 ¥173

180.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 ¥198

$1.44 ¥222

-10.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.0 ¥11.1K

$56.6 ¥8,688

27.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ¥487

$3.79 ¥582

-16.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.18 ¥488

$2.04 ¥314

55.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.21 ¥2,950

$17.64 ¥2,708

8.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥174

$0.64 ¥98.2

76.56%

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

$22.2K ¥3.4M

$21.9K ¥3.4M

1.10%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$17.6K ¥2.7M

-11.72%

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

$162 ¥24.8K

$214 ¥32.8K

-24.27%

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

$22.42 ¥3,443

$24.15 ¥3,709

-7.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.34 ¥4,659

$22.63 ¥3,474

34.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 ¥9,958

$51.3 ¥7,871

26.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.93 ¥4,135

Cinema Ticket

$13.04 ¥2,003

$6.93 ¥1,065

88.17%

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

$1,347 ¥206.9K

$124 ¥19.0K

989.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K ¥2.9M

$11.9K ¥1.8M

55.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 ¥8,137

$37.04 ¥5,687

43.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.21 ¥5,100

$12.33 ¥1,893

169.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 ¥9,782

$24.83 ¥3,813

156.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ¥11.2K

$30.95 ¥4,753

136.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 ¥198.1K

$473 ¥72.6K

172.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$687 ¥105.5K

$124 ¥19.1K

451.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,550 ¥391.5K

$463 ¥71.1K

450.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 ¥210.9K

$309 ¥47.5K

343.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,017 ¥1.4M

$4,320 ¥663.4K

108.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,353 ¥668.4K

$1,916 ¥294.3K

127.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,959 ¥454.4K

$1,483 ¥227.8K

99.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.94

1.97

-1.52%

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

Last update for Tokyo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kurume: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,290 in Tokyo and $473 in Kurume. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 100% 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: $39.00 in Tokyo vs $42.00 in Kurume. Groceries flip the comparison at $355 vs $292, with Kurume cheaper for home cooking.

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 80% in total monthly costs ($1,692 vs $943 including rent). Kurume is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 100% 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: $1,290 in Tokyo versus $473 in Kurume. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% 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 $39.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $943 in Kurume versus $1,692 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 80% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.