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: $1,401 in Yokohama versus $1,269 in Kumamoto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,170 in Yokohama versus $1,963 in Kumamoto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,940 in Yokohama versus $2,658 in Kumamoto.

Living in Yokohama is roughly 10% more expensive than Kumamoto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.88 ¥1,100

$8.44 ¥1,350

-18.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.57 ¥6,648

$34.17 ¥5,466

21.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 ¥901

$6.21 ¥993

-9.34%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥514

$3.08 ¥493

4.22%

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

$1.19 ¥191

$0.66 ¥105

80.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥119

$0.82 ¥132

-9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ¥341

$1.69 ¥271

26.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ¥487

$2.14 ¥342

42.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ¥239

$1.37 ¥219

9.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 ¥282

$1.58 ¥253

11.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 ¥793

$4.11 ¥657

20.68%

Eggs

$2.30 ¥368

$2.06 ¥329

11.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 ¥1,630

$10.03 ¥1,604

1.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 ¥1,018

$6.03 ¥964

5.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.46 ¥2,472

$21.17 ¥3,386

-26.97%

Apples (1kg)

$6.09 ¥974

$3.10 ¥496

96.45%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 ¥501

$1.42 ¥228

120.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 ¥658

$1.41 ¥226

192.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.98 ¥957

$5.85 ¥936

2.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 ¥543

$2.72 ¥435

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 ¥682

$3.22 ¥515

32.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥213

$0.97 ¥155

37.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥142

$0.76 ¥121

17.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 ¥678

$3.93 ¥629

7.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.41 ¥1,026

$5.61 ¥897

14.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥284

$1.90 ¥304

-6.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥328

$2.11 ¥337

-2.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 ¥248

$1.67 ¥267

-7.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.5 ¥8,716

$56.3 ¥9,001

-3.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ¥557

$4.72 ¥755

-26.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.76 ¥441

$3.00 ¥480

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.39 ¥3,581

$19.29 ¥3,085

16.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥188

$1.19 ¥190

-1.68%

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

$23.1K ¥3.7M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

0.57%

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

$18.6K ¥3.0M

$20.1K ¥3.2M

-7.77%

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

$142 ¥22.7K

$213 ¥34.1K

-33.61%

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

$28.10 ¥4,495

$26.96 ¥4,312

4.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.65 ¥5,542

$35.73 ¥5,715

-3.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ¥8,929

$56.0 ¥8,949

-0.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.96 ¥2,232

$14.04 ¥2,246

-0.57%

Cinema Ticket

$13.51 ¥2,162

$13.65 ¥2,184

-1.03%

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

$283 ¥45.2K

$408 ¥65.2K

-30.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ¥2.2M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

4.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.37 ¥6,777

$43.84 ¥7,013

-3.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.34 ¥4,693

$29.57 ¥4,730

-0.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 ¥9,698

$64.9 ¥10.4K

-6.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ¥17.6K

$60.1 ¥9,613

82.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 ¥134.3K

$466 ¥74.5K

80.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 ¥76.9K

$325 ¥52.0K

47.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 ¥207.0K

$867 ¥138.7K

49.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 ¥137.9K

$664 ¥106.2K

29.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,268 ¥1.0M

$4,290 ¥686.2K

46.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,500 ¥719.8K

$2,396 ¥383.2K

87.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,672 ¥427.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.05

1.67

22.75%

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

Last update for Yokohama: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kumamoto: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $839 in Yokohama and $466 in Kumamoto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Yokohama vs $34.00 in Kumamoto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 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

Yokohama vs Kumamoto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yokohama and Kumamoto differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,401 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 $2,101 in Yokohama 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: $839 in Yokohama 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 3% less than in Yokohama. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $283 in Yokohama 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 $1,401 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 10% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.