Cost of Living Comparison Between Fukushima and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Fukushima and Tokyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,196 in Fukushima versus $1,653 in Tokyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,916 in Fukushima versus $2,585 in Tokyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,636 in Fukushima versus $3,517 in Tokyo.

Living in Fukushima costs roughly 28% less than in Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fukushima is 13% below, Tokyo is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.23 ¥973

$7.31 ¥1,142

-14.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.86 ¥4,978

$37.11 ¥5,798

-14.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ¥763

$4.98 ¥777

-2.01%

Cappuccino

$3.01 ¥470

$3.65 ¥570

-17.53%

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

$1.04 ¥162

$1.69 ¥263

-38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥122

$0.92 ¥144

-15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 ¥420

$3.65 ¥570

-26.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 ¥538

$5.06 ¥791

-32.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ¥230

$1.55 ¥243

-5.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ¥255

$1.72 ¥269

-5.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 ¥693

$5.92 ¥925

-25.00%

Eggs

$1.91 ¥299

$2.23 ¥349

-14.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.75 ¥1,835

$11.36 ¥1,775

3.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.46 ¥853

$7.67 ¥1,199

-28.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.93 ¥2,958

$20.11 ¥3,142

-5.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.85 ¥758

$5.18 ¥809

-6.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥401

$2.51 ¥393

2.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ¥425

$4.64 ¥725

-41.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.57 ¥715

$5.91 ¥923

-22.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 ¥370

$3.54 ¥553

-33.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 ¥392

$3.44 ¥538

-27.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥214

$1.22 ¥190

12.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥139

$0.86 ¥134

3.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.01 ¥626

$3.97 ¥621

1.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.66 ¥1,040

$9.53 ¥1,489

-30.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ¥262

$1.78 ¥278

-5.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ¥337

$3.03 ¥474

-28.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 ¥204

$1.23 ¥192

5.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.0 ¥8,903

$67.6 ¥10.6K

-15.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ¥539

$3.16 ¥494

9.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.86 ¥447

$3.04 ¥475

-5.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 ¥2,942

$18.14 ¥2,834

3.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 ¥144

$1.04 ¥162

-11.54%

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

$19.5K ¥3.1M

$21.7K ¥3.4M

-9.94%

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

$13.7K ¥2.1M

$14.7K ¥2.3M

-6.92%

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

$144 ¥22.5K

$157 ¥24.5K

-8.32%

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

$26.18 ¥4,090

$22.07 ¥3,448

18.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.27 ¥5,510

$30.21 ¥4,720

16.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 ¥8,493

$62.5 ¥9,770

-13.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,955

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 ¥1,926

$12.30 ¥1,921

0.24%

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

$583 ¥91.1K

$1,300 ¥203.0K

-55.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K ¥1.9M

$17.7K ¥2.8M

-31.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.63 ¥7,596

$51.2 ¥8,000

-5.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.32 ¥5,362

$32.35 ¥5,054

6.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.0 ¥8,904

$62.6 ¥9,777

-8.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ¥13.7K

$74.6 ¥11.6K

18.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 ¥74.1K

$1,230 ¥192.2K

-61.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 ¥49.7K

$660 ¥103.0K

-51.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 ¥177.0K

$2,368 ¥369.9K

-52.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥103.2K

$1,357 ¥212.1K

-51.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,019 ¥627.9K

$8,747 ¥1.4M

-54.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,906 ¥297.8K

$3,944 ¥616.2K

-51.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥444.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.06

1.93

6.74%

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

Last update for Fukushima: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Fukushima and $1,230 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Fukushima vs $37.00 in Tokyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $304 vs $354 per month, with Fukushima 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

Fukushima vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fukushima is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,794 in Fukushima and $2,480 in Tokyo 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: $474 in Fukushima versus $1,230 in Tokyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Fukushima – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $37.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,196 in Fukushima versus $1,653 in Tokyo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fukushima but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Fukushima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fukushima is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tokyo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Fukushima and Tokyo 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 Fukushima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.