Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Kurume Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Kurume

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,401 in Yokohama versus $1,019 in Kurume.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,170 in Yokohama versus $1,606 in Kurume.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,940 in Yokohama versus $2,194 in Kurume.

Living in Yokohama is roughly 37% more expensive than Kurume, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yokohama is 5% above, Kurume is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.88 ¥1,100

$4.79 ¥766

43.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.57 ¥6,648

$41.36 ¥6,616

0.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 ¥901

$4.06 ¥649

38.67%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥514

$2.02 ¥323

58.91%

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

$1.19 ¥191

$0.80 ¥128

48.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥119

$0.59 ¥95.0

25.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ¥341

$3.45 ¥552

-38.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ¥487

$1.71 ¥273

77.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ¥239

$1.42 ¥227

5.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 ¥282

$1.37 ¥218

28.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 ¥793

$4.24 ¥679

16.98%

Eggs

$2.30 ¥368

$2.14 ¥342

7.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 ¥1,630

$10.18 ¥1,628

0.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 ¥1,018

$6.10 ¥976

4.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.46 ¥2,472

$20.39 ¥3,261

-24.18%

Apples (1kg)

$6.09 ¥974

$3.15 ¥504

93.33%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 ¥501

$1.43 ¥229

118.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 ¥658

$1.42 ¥227

190.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.98 ¥957

$5.97 ¥955

0.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 ¥543

$2.85 ¥456

19.30%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 ¥682

$3.20 ¥512

33.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥213

$0.99 ¥159

34.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥142

$0.80 ¥128

11.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 ¥678

$3.81 ¥609

11.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.41 ¥1,026

$6.19 ¥990

3.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥284

$1.99 ¥319

-11.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥328

$1.25 ¥199

64.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 ¥248

$1.60 ¥255

-3.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.5 ¥8,716

$54.8 ¥8,763

-0.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ¥557

$4.62 ¥739

-24.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.76 ¥441

$2.88 ¥461

-4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.39 ¥3,581

$19.64 ¥3,141

14.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥188

$0.66 ¥106

77.27%

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

$23.1K ¥3.7M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

0.38%

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

$18.6K ¥3.0M

$20.3K ¥3.3M

-8.67%

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

$142 ¥22.7K

$213 ¥34.1K

-33.52%

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

$28.10 ¥4,495

$26.86 ¥4,295

4.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.65 ¥5,542

$25.14 ¥4,021

37.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ¥8,929

$55.7 ¥8,912

0.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.96 ¥2,232

$13.93 ¥2,227

0.22%

Cinema Ticket

$13.51 ¥2,162

$7.52 ¥1,204

79.65%

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

$283 ¥45.2K

$423 ¥67.6K

-33.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ¥2.2M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

4.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.37 ¥6,777

$43.55 ¥6,966

-2.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.34 ¥4,693

$13.64 ¥2,182

115.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 ¥9,698

$27.11 ¥4,337

123.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ¥17.6K

$35.11 ¥5,616

212.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 ¥134.3K

$204 ¥32.6K

311.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 ¥76.9K

$138 ¥22.0K

248.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 ¥207.0K

$521 ¥83.3K

148.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 ¥137.9K

$351 ¥56.2K

145.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,268 ¥1.0M

$4,879 ¥780.4K

28.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,500 ¥719.8K

$2,517 ¥402.5K

78.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,672 ¥427.5K

$1,526 ¥244.1K

75.12%

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 Kurume: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $839 in Yokohama and $204 in Kurume. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 75% 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: $42.00 in Yokohama vs $41.00 in Kurume for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 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

Yokohama vs Kurume: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yokohama and Kurume differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($1,401 vs $1,019 including rent). Kurume is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Yokohama pays 75% 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: $839 in Yokohama versus $204 in Kurume. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Yokohama. 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 $42.00 in Yokohama. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,019 in Kurume versus $1,401 in Yokohama, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kurume but tight or insufficient in Yokohama. 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, Yokohama 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 37% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.