Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibaraki and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibaraki and Tokyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,178 in Ibaraki versus $1,665 in Tokyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,848 in Ibaraki versus $2,604 in Tokyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,518 in Ibaraki versus $3,543 in Tokyo.

Living in Ibaraki costs roughly 29% less than in Tokyo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ibaraki is 14% below, Tokyo is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.63 ¥1,035

$7.58 ¥1,184

-12.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.89 ¥4,979

$39.00 ¥6,091

-18.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 ¥828

$5.13 ¥802

3.31%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ¥489

$3.76 ¥587

-16.76%

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

$1.16 ¥181

$1.67 ¥261

-30.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥119

$0.89 ¥139

-14.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ¥395

$4.01 ¥626

-36.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥502

$5.30 ¥828

-39.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.80 ¥437

$1.54 ¥241

81.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ¥243

$1.60 ¥250

-3.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 ¥679

$5.85 ¥914

-25.81%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥328

$2.26 ¥352

-7.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 ¥1,747

$10.69 ¥1,669

4.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 ¥1,034

$7.62 ¥1,191

-13.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.37 ¥2,713

$19.01 ¥2,969

-8.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 ¥765

$4.94 ¥772

-0.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 ¥367

$2.37 ¥370

-0.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 ¥496

$4.34 ¥678

-26.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 ¥676

$5.50 ¥860

-21.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 ¥394

$3.37 ¥527

-24.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 ¥378

$3.18 ¥497

-23.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.19 ¥186

7.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.86 ¥135

-5.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 ¥590

$3.98 ¥622

-5.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 ¥1,178

$9.92 ¥1,549

-23.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥288

$1.77 ¥277

3.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ¥345

$2.84 ¥444

-22.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 ¥259

$1.27 ¥199

30.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.7 ¥9,167

$72.4 ¥11.3K

-18.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.80 ¥750

$3.20 ¥500

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 ¥444

$3.29 ¥514

-13.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.73 ¥3,082

$19.15 ¥2,991

3.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥182

$1.09 ¥170

7.34%

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

$22.3K ¥3.5M

$22.2K ¥3.5M

0.54%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$15.6K ¥2.4M

-1.23%

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

$134 ¥20.8K

$158 ¥24.6K

-15.25%

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

$24.24 ¥3,786

$22.59 ¥3,529

7.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.64 ¥4,941

$31.21 ¥4,875

1.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ¥8,129

$65.0 ¥10.1K

-19.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.99 ¥4,058

Cinema Ticket

$11.94 ¥1,865

$13.04 ¥2,037

-8.44%

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

$552 ¥86.2K

$1,395 ¥217.8K

-60.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ¥2.2M

$18.4K ¥2.9M

-23.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.82 ¥4,189

$54.1 ¥8,454

-50.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.01 ¥5,155

$33.76 ¥5,272

-2.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 ¥10.6K

$65.0 ¥10.2K

4.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 ¥12.6K

$72.6 ¥11.3K

10.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 ¥63.3K

$1,279 ¥199.7K

-68.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 ¥41.4K

$690 ¥107.8K

-61.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,034 ¥161.4K

$2,488 ¥388.5K

-58.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ¥84.5K

$1,421 ¥222.0K

-61.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,081 ¥637.4K

$9,219 ¥1.4M

-55.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 ¥317.6K

$4,492 ¥701.4K

-54.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,572 ¥401.6K

$3,049 ¥476.2K

-15.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

1.94

7.73%

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

Last update for Ibaraki: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Ibaraki and $1,279 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 19% 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: $32.00 in Ibaraki vs $39.00 in Tokyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $341 per month, with Ibaraki 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

Ibaraki vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibaraki and Tokyo differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,178 vs $1,665 including rent). Ibaraki is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 19% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $405 in Ibaraki versus $1,279 in Tokyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ibaraki – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $39.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,178 in Ibaraki versus $1,665 in Tokyo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ibaraki but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Ibaraki 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, Ibaraki 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 Ibaraki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.