Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hiroshima and Tokyo

For one person, living is cheaper in Hiroshima: $961 a month against $1,648 in Tokyo, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

47

Cost of Living Index in Hiroshima
Learn more

Hiroshima Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in Tokyo
Learn more

Tokyo Living Index

Jump to prices

Hiroshima

🇯🇵 Japan

$961

/mo nomad

Tokyo

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,648

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hiroshima and in Tokyo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hiroshima and in Tokyo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $961 per month in Hiroshima vs $1,648 in Tokyo, rent included.

Hiroshima $961
Tokyo $1,648

A couple spends around $1,557 per month in Hiroshima vs $2,604 in Tokyo, rent included.

Hiroshima $1,557
Tokyo $2,604

A family of three spends $2,152 per month in Hiroshima vs $3,561 in Tokyo, rent included.

Hiroshima $2,152
Tokyo $3,561

Hiroshima is about 42% cheaper than Tokyo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Hiroshima sits 29% below the global median, while Tokyo is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥969

$7.79 ¥1,230

-21.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.92 ¥5,043

$38.57 ¥6,094

-17.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥801

$4.99 ¥788

1.60%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ¥429

$3.58 ¥565

-24.02%

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

$0.96 ¥152

$1.57 ¥249

-38.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥109

$0.90 ¥142

-23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥433

$3.75 ¥593

-26.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ¥582

$5.22 ¥825

-29.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 ¥236

$1.55 ¥246

-3.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ¥240

$1.75 ¥277

-13.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 ¥748

$5.56 ¥879

-14.75%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥327

$2.25 ¥355

-8.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.11 ¥808

$11.31 ¥1,787

-54.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ¥976

$6.76 ¥1,068

-8.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ¥1,722

$16.83 ¥2,658

-35.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ¥522

$4.66 ¥736

-28.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ¥313

$2.27 ¥359

-12.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 ¥595

$4.33 ¥683

-12.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 ¥588

$5.23 ¥826

-28.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ¥238

$3.33 ¥526

-54.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.45 ¥545

$3.00 ¥474

15.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥214

$1.16 ¥183

16.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥130

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥631

$3.88 ¥613

3.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.70 ¥1,217

$9.53 ¥1,506

-19.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 ¥303

$1.63 ¥257

17.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 ¥392

$2.62 ¥414

-5.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 ¥290

$1.22 ¥193

50.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.79 ¥5,181

$62.3 ¥9,848

-47.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 ¥581

$3.19 ¥505

15.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 ¥192

$3.09 ¥489

-60.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.43 ¥3,386

$18.70 ¥2,954

14.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥174

$1.11 ¥175

-0.90%

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

$21.8K ¥3.4M

$22.0K ¥3.5M

-0.88%

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

$14.8K ¥2.3M

$15.1K ¥2.4M

-2.07%

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

$139 ¥21.9K

$148 ¥23.4K

-6.24%

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

$24.17 ¥3,818

$22.75 ¥3,594

6.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.93 ¥4,887

$29.86 ¥4,717

3.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 ¥8,315

$65.5 ¥10.4K

-19.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.65 ¥734

$26.19 ¥4,137

-82.25%

Cinema Ticket

$12.72 ¥2,009

$13.22 ¥2,089

-3.78%

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

$155 ¥24.5K

$1,314 ¥207.6K

-88.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,400 ¥537.2K

$17.9K ¥2.8M

-80.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.67 ¥4,529

$54.3 ¥8,584

-47.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.54 ¥3,877

$32.73 ¥5,172

-25.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.85 ¥7,560

$65.4 ¥10.3K

-26.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.0 ¥10.1K

$70.6 ¥11.2K

-9.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 ¥38.1K

$1,288 ¥203.4K

-81.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 ¥29.3K

$684 ¥108.1K

-72.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ¥97.7K

$2,507 ¥396.1K

-75.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$508 ¥80.2K

$1,460 ¥230.6K

-65.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,058 ¥483.1K

$9,204 ¥1.5M

-66.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,406 ¥222.2K

$4,226 ¥667.6K

-66.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,973 ¥311.8K

$2,994 ¥473.0K

-34.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

2.25

-1.78%

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

Last update for Hiroshima: October 18, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Hiroshima

$255 26.5%

Tokyo

$326 19.8% 27.8% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hiroshima

$194 20.2%

Tokyo

$201 12.2% 3.5% $6.7

Accommodation & Living

Hiroshima

$186 19.3%

Tokyo

$684 41.5% 269% $499

Eating Out

Hiroshima

$125 13%

Tokyo

$159 9.7% 27.9% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Hiroshima

$78 8.1%

Tokyo

$92 5.6% 17.8% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Hiroshima

$74 7.7%

Tokyo

$100 6.1% 35.1% $26

Getting Around

Hiroshima

$50 5.2%

Tokyo

$86 5.2% 72.1% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Hiroshima versus $1,288 in Tokyo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 52% higher in Tokyo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Hiroshima versus $39.00 in Tokyo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $326 – making Hiroshima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇯🇵 Hiroshima

🇯🇵 Tokyo

🕒 Local time

10:59 10:59 AM

Same time as Hiroshima

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,200,754

13,613,660 Capital

💱 Currency

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Hiroshima Tokyo 680 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Hiroshima
Tokyo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Hiroshima vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo costs about 71% more than Hiroshima, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,442 per month in Hiroshima and $2,473 in Tokyo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hiroshima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $961 in Hiroshima and $1,648 in Tokyo. That's a gap of about 71%.

Public transport costs about 90% less in Hiroshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hiroshima, where all-in costs run around $961, than in Tokyo at $1,648. In Hiroshima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hiroshima costs $961 versus $1,648 in Tokyo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hiroshima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tokyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.