Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamamatsu and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamamatsu and Tokyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $784 in Hamamatsu versus $1,665 in Tokyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,297 in Hamamatsu versus $2,604 in Tokyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,810 in Hamamatsu versus $3,543 in Tokyo.

Living in Hamamatsu costs roughly 53% less than in Tokyo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hamamatsu is 43% below, Tokyo is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.91 ¥610

$7.58 ¥1,183

-48.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.33 ¥6,605

$39.00 ¥6,085

8.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 ¥804

$5.13 ¥801

0.39%

Cappuccino

$3.46 ¥539

$3.76 ¥586

-7.98%

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

$1.12 ¥175

$1.67 ¥261

-32.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥118

$0.89 ¥139

-14.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ¥407

$4.01 ¥625

-34.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ¥515

$5.30 ¥827

-37.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ¥165

$1.54 ¥241

-31.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 ¥270

$1.60 ¥250

8.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.81 ¥595

$5.85 ¥913

-34.87%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥263

$2.26 ¥352

-25.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 ¥1,908

$10.69 ¥1,667

14.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ¥965

$7.62 ¥1,190

-18.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.72 ¥2,296

$19.01 ¥2,966

-22.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.71 ¥892

$4.94 ¥771

15.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 ¥449

$2.37 ¥369

21.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 ¥448

$4.34 ¥677

-33.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 ¥657

$5.50 ¥859

-23.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 ¥408

$3.37 ¥526

-22.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 ¥422

$3.18 ¥496

-15.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ¥206

$1.19 ¥186

10.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ¥105

$0.86 ¥135

-22.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 ¥595

$3.98 ¥621

-4.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.34 ¥989

$9.92 ¥1,548

-36.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥290

$1.77 ¥276

5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥320

$2.84 ¥443

-27.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 ¥199

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.7 ¥8,062

$72.4 ¥11.3K

-28.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 ¥508

$3.20 ¥499

1.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 ¥402

$3.29 ¥513

-21.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.64 ¥3,221

$19.15 ¥2,988

7.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$22.2K ¥3.5M

-1.39%

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

$18.4K ¥2.9M

$15.6K ¥2.4M

17.86%

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

$134 ¥20.9K

$158 ¥24.6K

-14.95%

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

$9.28 ¥1,448

$22.59 ¥3,525

-58.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.89 ¥5,131

$31.21 ¥4,870

5.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.0 ¥10.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.35 ¥2,706

$25.99 ¥4,055

-33.24%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,040

$13.04 ¥2,035

0.23%

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

$652 ¥101.7K

$1,395 ¥217.6K

-53.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K ¥2.4M

$18.4K ¥2.9M

-16.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 ¥9,934

$54.1 ¥8,446

17.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.90 ¥5,133

$33.76 ¥5,267

-2.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.8 ¥9,957

$65.0 ¥10.1K

-1.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ¥16.1K

$72.6 ¥11.3K

42.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 ¥199.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 ¥107.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 ¥388.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 ¥221.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,047 ¥1.3M

$9,219 ¥1.4M

-12.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,552 ¥866.2K

$4,492 ¥700.8K

23.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,614 ¥251.8K

$3,049 ¥475.8K

-47.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.12

1.94

9.28%

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

Last update for Hamamatsu: September 13, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Tokyo pays 89% 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 Hamamatsu vs $39.00 in Tokyo. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $341, with Hamamatsu 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

Hamamatsu vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamamatsu and Tokyo differ by about 112% in total monthly costs ($784 vs $1,665 including rent). Hamamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 89% lower in Tokyo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamamatsu – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $39.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $784 in Hamamatsu versus $1,665 in Tokyo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hamamatsu but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Hamamatsu 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, Hamamatsu 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 Hamamatsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.