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: $1,103 in Hamamatsu versus $1,733 in Tokyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,819 in Hamamatsu versus $2,746 in Tokyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,536 in Hamamatsu versus $3,760 in Tokyo.

Living in Hamamatsu costs roughly 36% less than in Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hamamatsu is 17% below, Tokyo is 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.92 ¥775

$8.08 ¥1,273

-39.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.90 ¥6,603

$48.59 ¥7,656

-13.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.39 ¥534

$5.42 ¥855

-37.45%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ¥477

$3.63 ¥572

-16.53%

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

$0.66 ¥104

$1.20 ¥189

-45.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥121

$0.92 ¥145

-16.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 ¥324

$4.04 ¥637

-49.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥449

$5.50 ¥867

-48.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ¥232

$1.63 ¥257

-9.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 ¥267

$1.58 ¥250

7.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.01 ¥790

$5.36 ¥845

-6.53%

Eggs

$1.83 ¥288

$2.35 ¥371

-22.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 ¥1,592

$15.75 ¥2,482

-35.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ¥975

$7.83 ¥1,233

-20.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.69 ¥2,472

$23.09 ¥3,639

-32.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 ¥640

$5.32 ¥838

-23.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥332

$2.63 ¥415

-19.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 ¥534

$5.94 ¥936

-42.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 ¥650

$5.90 ¥929

-30.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 ¥535

$3.36 ¥529

0.89%

Onion (1kg)

$4.36 ¥687

$3.36 ¥529

29.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥219

$1.42 ¥225

-2.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥139

$0.89 ¥140

-1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥544

$4.27 ¥673

-19.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.92 ¥1,406

$9.34 ¥1,471

-4.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥274

$2.10 ¥331

-17.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ¥325

$2.96 ¥466

-30.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 ¥166

$1.41 ¥222

-24.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.2 ¥8,851

$81.6 ¥12.9K

-31.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 ¥555

$3.55 ¥559

-0.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 ¥467

$2.86 ¥451

3.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.75 ¥3,427

$26.61 ¥4,193

-18.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥188

$1.19 ¥188

0.84%

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

$21.0K ¥3.3M

$23.3K ¥3.7M

-9.58%

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

$14.1K ¥2.2M

$17.5K ¥2.8M

-19.69%

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

$109 ¥17.2K

$167 ¥26.3K

-34.60%

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

$9.66 ¥1,522

$26.04 ¥4,103

-62.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.96 ¥3,303

$32.85 ¥5,177

-36.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$103 ¥16.3K

$70.3 ¥11.1K

47.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.56 ¥2,925

$20.78 ¥3,274

-10.68%

Cinema Ticket

$13.56 ¥2,137

$13.13 ¥2,069

3.27%

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

$279 ¥43.9K

$501 ¥78.9K

-44.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ¥2.2M

$15.5K ¥2.4M

-11.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.66 ¥6,564

$60.4 ¥9,521

-31.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.43 ¥4,322

$40.49 ¥6,379

-32.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.1 ¥8,688

$65.0 ¥10.2K

-15.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ¥16.3K

$90.6 ¥14.3K

14.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 ¥60.5K

$1,112 ¥175.2K

-65.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 ¥39.0K

$594 ¥93.6K

-58.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 ¥136.9K

$2,607 ¥410.8K

-66.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 ¥94.1K

$1,310 ¥206.3K

-54.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,252 ¥670.1K

$10.5K ¥1.6M

-59.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 ¥323.1K

$4,871 ¥767.4K

-57.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,346 ¥369.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

0.95

1.72

-44.77%

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

Last update for Hamamatsu: July 26, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $384 in Hamamatsu and $1,112 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Hamamatsu vs $49.00 in Tokyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $383 per month, with Hamamatsu 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

Hamamatsu vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamamatsu and Tokyo differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($1,103 vs $1,733 including rent). Hamamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,654 in Hamamatsu and $2,599 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: $384 in Hamamatsu versus $1,112 in Tokyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% 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 $49.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,103 in Hamamatsu versus $1,733 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 57% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.