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Fukuoka vs Kumamoto cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฏ๐ต Fukuoka
๐ฏ๐ต Kumamoto
At a glance
- Where Kumamoto is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (63%โ), Street food (50%โ), Half-day tour (38%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Fukuoka is easier to travel (1.6 vs 2.0). Biggest gap: language โ Fukuoka 3 vs Kumamoto 4. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Fukuoka | Kumamoto | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | similar |
| Street food1 item | ยฅ 800$5.41 | ยฅ 400$2.7 | Kumamoto โ50% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ยฅ 3,500$23.6 | ยฅ 3,000$20.3 | Kumamoto โ14% |
| Coffeeone cup | ยฅ 500$3.38 | ยฅ 500$3.38 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | ยฅ 580$3.92 | ยฅ 550$3.72 | Kumamoto โ5% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ยฅ 700$4.73 | ยฅ 700$4.73 | similar |
| Bottled water | ยฅ 130$0.88 | ยฅ 120$0.81 | Kumamoto โ8% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ยฅ 190$1.28 | ยฅ 160$1.08 | Kumamoto โ16% |
| Taxi5 km in town | ยฅ 2,000$13.5 | ยฅ 1,900$12.8 | similar |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | similar |
| Transitone ride | ยฅ 210$1.42 | ยฅ 200$1.35 | similar |
| Scooter rentalper day | ยฅ 2,700$18.2 | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | Kumamoto โ63% |
| Hotel night3-star | ยฅ 13,000$87.8 | ยฅ 10,000$67.6 | Kumamoto โ23% |
| Studio rent (month) | ยฅ 70,000$473 | ยฅ 55,000$372 | Kumamoto โ21% |
| Laundry | ยฅ 740$5 | ยฅ 800$5.41 | Fukuoka โ8% |
| SIM card1 week data | ยฅ 2,500$16.9 | ยฅ 2,500$16.9 | similar |
| Haircutcut | ยฅ 2,500$16.9 | ยฅ 2,500$16.9 | similar |
| Massage1 hour | ยฅ 4,000$27 | ยฅ 4,000$27 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | ยฅ 8,000$54.1 | ยฅ 5,000$33.8 | Kumamoto โ38% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | ยฅ 800$5.41 | Kumamoto โ20% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Fukuoka or Kumamoto?
Kumamoto is 10% cheaper than Fukuoka. Daily budget $177 vs $150; a month $2,323 vs $2,191.
Which is easier to travel, Fukuoka or Kumamoto?
Fukuoka is easier: Fukuoka 1.6/5 vs Kumamoto 2.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Fukuoka and Kumamoto?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Fukuoka is about $2,323 and Kumamoto about $2,191 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.