Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong and Fukushima

For one person, living is cheaper in Fukushima: $1,165 a month against $3,005 in Hong Kong, rent and utilities included – about $22,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hong Kong
🇭🇰 Hong Kong (China)
$3,005
/mo nomad
Fukushima
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,165
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hong Kong and in Fukushima

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,005 in Hong Kong versus $1,165 in Fukushima.

  • Hong Kong $3,005
  • Fukushima $1,165

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,643 in Hong Kong versus $1,826 in Fukushima.

  • Hong Kong $4,643
  • Fukushima $1,826

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,281 in Hong Kong versus $2,487 in Fukushima.

  • Hong Kong $6,281
  • Fukushima $2,487

Living in Hong Kong is roughly 158% more expensive than in Fukushima, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hong Kong is 122% above, Fukushima is 14% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hong Kong
Fukushima
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.80 HK$61.2
$5.89 ¥930
32.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.7 HK$508
$29.92 ¥4,727
116.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.24 HK$48.97
$4.45 ¥703
40.22%
Cappuccino
$5.01 HK$39.34
$2.55 ¥404
96.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 HK$10.12
$0.94 ¥148
37.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 HK$8.74
$0.67 ¥106
65.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.77 HK$61.0
$2.61 ¥412
197.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.41 HK$50.3
$3.12 ¥493
105.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hong Kong
Fukushima
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.90 HK$22.79
$1.47 ¥232
97.28%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 HK$18.29
$1.55 ¥244
50.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.23 HK$17.51
$4.08 ¥645
-45.34%
Eggs
$3.45 HK$27.04
$2.08 ¥328
65.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.96 HK$196
$10.38 ¥1,639
140.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.79 HK$69.0
$6.69 ¥1,057
31.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.71 HK$139
$16.64 ¥2,629
6.43%
Apples (1kg)
$4.15 HK$32.59
$3.77 ¥596
10.08%
Banana (1kg)
$2.63 HK$20.62
$2.26 ¥357
16.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.54 HK$35.65
$2.80 ¥443
62.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.09 HK$32.08
$4.07 ¥642
0.49%
Potato (1kg)
$3.22 HK$25.25
$2.48 ¥391
29.84%
Onion (1kg)
$3.26 HK$25.56
$2.57 ¥406
26.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.65 HK$12.94
$1.29 ¥205
27.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 HK$13.62
$0.84 ¥132
107.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.45 HK$106
$3.89 ¥615
245.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.16 HK$119
$6.82 ¥1,077
122.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.97 HK$15.44
$1.84 ¥291
7.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 HK$17.42
$2.13 ¥337
4.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Hong Kong
Fukushima
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.28 HK$10.04
$1.49 ¥235
-14.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$90.1 HK$707
$48.19 ¥7,613
86.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.67 HK$28.84
$3.18 ¥502
15.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 HK$10.60
$2.69 ¥425
-49.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.21 HK$127
$21.15 ¥3,342
-23.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$4.20 HK$32.94
$1.02 ¥161
311.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.9K HK$352.2K
$20.2K ¥3.2M
122.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.8K HK$288.9K
$15.6K ¥2.5M
136.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hong Kong
Fukushima
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$238 HK$1,865
$126 ¥19.9K
88.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.70 HK$123
$21.15 ¥3,342
-25.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.91 HK$172
$30.04 ¥4,746
-27.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hong Kong
Fukushima
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$91.1 HK$715
$51.6 ¥8,154
76.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.14 HK$71.8
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.96 HK$102
$11.70 ¥1,849
10.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hong Kong
Fukushima
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,172 HK$9,201
$453 ¥71.6K
158.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.2K HK$174.2K
$11.4K ¥1.8M
94.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hong Kong
Fukushima
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.9 HK$533
$46.93 ¥7,414
44.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.57 HK$342
$36.00 ¥5,688
21.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.1 HK$652
$64.6 ¥10.2K
28.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 HK$963
$84.5 ¥13.3K
45.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hong Kong
Fukushima
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,255 HK$17.7K
$535 ¥84.5K
321.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,752 HK$13.7K
$333 ¥52.5K
426.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,173 HK$40.6K
$1,018 ¥160.9K
408.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,543 HK$27.8K
$705 ¥111.4K
402.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$29.3K HK$229.7K
$3,897 ¥615.6K
651.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$17.5K HK$137.1K
$1,857 ¥293.4K
841.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hong Kong
Fukushima
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,285 HK$25.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.79
2.21
71.49%

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

Last update for Hong Kong: October 17, 2026

Last update for Fukushima: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hong Kong
$1.8K
Fukushima
$333 81% $1.4K
Groceries & Markets
Hong Kong
$410
Fukushima
$288 29.8% $122
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hong Kong
$275
Fukushima
$177 35.5% $98
Eating Out
Hong Kong
$203
Fukushima
$117 42.3% $86
Clothing & Footwear
Hong Kong
$143
Fukushima
$104 26.9% $38
Sport & Entertainment
Hong Kong
$117
Fukushima
$75 35.9% $42
Getting Around
Hong Kong
$106
Fukushima
$71 33% $35

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,255 in Hong Kong and $535 in Fukushima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Hong Kong vs $30.00 in Fukushima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $288 per month, with Fukushima cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇭🇰 Hong Kong
🇯🇵 Fukushima
🕒 Local time
02:55 2:55 AM
03:55 3:55 AM
1 h ahead of Hong Kong
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,367,900 Capital
282,693
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to HKD – Hong Kong Dollar Converter

Hong Kong Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 7.85 HKD (1 HKD = 0.127 USD). 1 EUR = 8.82 HKD (1 HKD = 0.113 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hong Kong Fukushima 3,050 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Hong Kong
  • Fukushima

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
Hong Kong vs Fukushima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fukushima cheaper than Hong Kong?
Fukushima is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 158% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $4,508 in Hong Kong and $1,748 in Fukushima 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.
What is the rent difference between Hong Kong and Fukushima?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,255 in Hong Kong versus $535 in Fukushima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Hong Kong and in Fukushima?
Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Hong Kong. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Hong Kong or in Fukushima?
Dining out is cheaper in Fukushima – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $65.0 in Hong Kong. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Hong Kong or in Fukushima?
At $1,165 in Fukushima versus $3,005 in Hong Kong, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fukushima but tight or insufficient in Hong Kong. The gap between the two cities makes Fukushima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Hong Kong or Fukushima more family-friendly?
For families, Fukushima is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hong Kong, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Hong Kong or Fukushima?
Safety-wise, Hong Kong and Fukushima are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Fukushima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 158% less than in Hong Kong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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