Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Kumamoto Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Kumamoto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,340 in Yokohama versus $1,241 in Kumamoto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,073 in Yokohama versus $1,936 in Kumamoto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,806 in Yokohama versus $2,630 in Kumamoto.

Living in Yokohama is roughly 8% more expensive than in Kumamoto, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yokohama 2% lower, Kumamoto 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.20 ¥969

$7.00 ¥1,094

-11.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.57 ¥6,807

$30.81 ¥4,814

41.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ¥762

$5.52 ¥862

-11.59%

Cappuccino

$3.37 ¥527

$3.21 ¥501

4.98%

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

$1.04 ¥163

$1.03 ¥161

0.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥124

$0.67 ¥105

17.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ¥379

$3.84 ¥600

-36.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 ¥485

$2.15 ¥336

44.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 ¥215

$1.28 ¥200

7.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ¥256

$1.84 ¥287

-10.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 ¥571

$6.33 ¥989

-42.18%

Eggs

$2.05 ¥321

$1.91 ¥298

7.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.53 ¥1,801

$18.11 ¥2,829

-36.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.08 ¥949

$5.27 ¥824

15.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.31 ¥2,236

$16.66 ¥2,603

-14.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.75 ¥898

$3.59 ¥560

60.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 ¥440

$1.86 ¥291

51.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 ¥458

$2.81 ¥439

4.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 ¥642

$3.33 ¥521

23.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 ¥394

$2.10 ¥328

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ¥405

$2.62 ¥409

-1.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.03 ¥160

24.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥124

$0.97 ¥151

-18.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.64 ¥569

$3.84 ¥599

-5.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ¥993

$5.58 ¥871

13.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥278

$1.69 ¥263

5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ¥309

$1.86 ¥291

6.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥220

$1.37 ¥215

2.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.6 ¥8,836

$61.2 ¥9,554

-7.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 ¥503

$3.81 ¥595

-15.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.48 ¥388

$1.98 ¥310

25.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.42 ¥3,191

$17.83 ¥2,786

14.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ¥173

$1.10 ¥172

0.91%

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

$20.8K ¥3.2M

$21.3K ¥3.3M

-2.21%

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

$18.2K ¥2.8M

$17.4K ¥2.7M

4.92%

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

$130 ¥20.3K

$211 ¥32.9K

-38.48%

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

$23.66 ¥3,697

$24.54 ¥3,834

-3.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.55 ¥4,929

$32.87 ¥5,136

-4.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 ¥7,928

$44.03 ¥6,879

15.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.57 ¥1,807

Cinema Ticket

$12.73 ¥1,989

$10.88 ¥1,699

17.00%

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

$621 ¥96.9K

$126 ¥19.6K

393.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ¥2.2M

$12.1K ¥1.9M

19.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 ¥9,530

$37.30 ¥5,828

63.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.14 ¥5,021

$23.77 ¥3,714

35.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.3 ¥9,413

$60.0 ¥9,367

0.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ¥15.8K

$46.57 ¥7,275

117.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 ¥177.7K

$473 ¥73.9K

140.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 ¥70.1K

$330 ¥51.5K

36.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ¥355.1K

$1,055 ¥164.8K

115.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$836 ¥130.6K

$735 ¥114.9K

13.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,574 ¥1.0M

$4,127 ¥644.7K

59.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,057 ¥633.7K

$1,772 ¥276.8K

128.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,611 ¥407.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.12

1.97

7.61%

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

Last update for Yokohama: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kumamoto: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,137 in Yokohama and $473 in Kumamoto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Yokohama vs $31.00 in Kumamoto. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $302, with Yokohama 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

Yokohama vs Kumamoto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yokohama and Kumamoto differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,340 vs $1,241 including rent). Kumamoto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,009 in Yokohama and $1,862 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: $1,137 in Yokohama versus $473 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 8% less than in Yokohama. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $621 in Yokohama versus $126 in Kumamoto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,241 in Kumamoto versus $1,340 in Yokohama, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kumamoto but tight or insufficient in Yokohama. 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, Yokohama 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 8% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.