Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibaraki and Tokyo

For one person, living is cheaper in Ibaraki: $1,142 a month against $1,686 in Tokyo, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

54

Cost of Living Index in Ibaraki
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Ibaraki Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in Tokyo
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Tokyo Living Index

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Ibaraki

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,142

/mo nomad

Tokyo

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,686

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ibaraki 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 Ibaraki and in Tokyo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,142 in Ibaraki versus $1,686 in Tokyo.

Ibaraki $1,142
Tokyo $1,686

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,768 in Ibaraki versus $2,604 in Tokyo.

Ibaraki $1,768
Tokyo $2,604

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,395 in Ibaraki versus $3,522 in Tokyo.

Ibaraki $2,395
Tokyo $3,522

Living in Ibaraki costs roughly 32% less than in Tokyo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ibaraki is 16% below, Tokyo is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.20 ¥983

$7.67 ¥1,214

-19.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.03 ¥4,914

$37.82 ¥5,989

-17.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.22 ¥826

$5.20 ¥823

0.38%

Cappuccino

$3.15 ¥498

$3.69 ¥584

-14.63%

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

$1.15 ¥182

$1.69 ¥268

-31.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥125

$0.86 ¥135

-8.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 ¥419

$3.77 ¥598

-29.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 ¥494

$5.67 ¥899

-44.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 ¥432

$1.54 ¥244

77.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ¥248

$1.69 ¥267

-7.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.10 ¥650

$5.52 ¥874

-25.72%

Eggs

$2.03 ¥321

$2.29 ¥363

-11.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 ¥1,637

$11.19 ¥1,772

-7.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 ¥1,036

$6.82 ¥1,079

-4.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.75 ¥2,652

$17.14 ¥2,714

-2.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 ¥588

$4.56 ¥722

-18.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 ¥361

$2.20 ¥348

3.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 ¥467

$4.28 ¥678

-31.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 ¥659

$5.05 ¥800

-17.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 ¥392

$3.12 ¥494

-20.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 ¥412

$2.91 ¥460

-10.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ¥209

$1.20 ¥190

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥134

$0.77 ¥121

10.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 ¥680

$4.03 ¥638

6.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.57 ¥1,040

$9.65 ¥1,528

-31.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥295

$1.67 ¥265

11.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥329

$2.81 ¥445

-25.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 ¥260

$1.24 ¥196

32.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.8 ¥9,159

$63.4 ¥10.0K

-8.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.75 ¥753

$3.24 ¥513

46.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 ¥464

$3.11 ¥492

-5.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.58 ¥4,050

$18.81 ¥2,979

35.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥173

$1.10 ¥174

-0.91%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$22.7K ¥3.6M

-4.35%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$15.3K ¥2.4M

0.33%

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

$138 ¥21.8K

$159 ¥25.2K

-13.58%

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

$24.35 ¥3,856

$23.73 ¥3,757

2.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.52 ¥4,991

$30.06 ¥4,760

4.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 ¥8,016

$58.5 ¥9,268

-13.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.75 ¥4,078

Cinema Ticket

$12.49 ¥1,977

$13.27 ¥2,101

-5.88%

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

$626 ¥99.2K

$1,423 ¥225.4K

-55.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$23.5K ¥3.7M

-34.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.34 ¥4,170

$54.7 ¥8,663

-51.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.99 ¥5,066

$32.56 ¥5,155

-1.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.6 ¥10.7K

$64.7 ¥10.2K

4.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 ¥12.8K

$73.0 ¥11.6K

10.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ¥63.8K

$1,308 ¥207.1K

-69.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 ¥41.9K

$714 ¥113.1K

-63.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 ¥162.8K

$2,676 ¥423.7K

-61.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 ¥83.5K

$1,423 ¥225.4K

-62.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,712 ¥746.1K

$11.1K ¥1.8M

-57.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,384 ¥377.6K

$5,530 ¥875.6K

-56.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,498 ¥395.6K

$2,845 ¥450.5K

-12.20%

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 Ibaraki: October 31, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Ibaraki

$301 26.4%

Tokyo

$323 19.2% 7.5% $22

Accommodation & Living

Ibaraki

$264 23.2%

Tokyo

$714 42.4% 170% $450

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ibaraki

$193 17%

Tokyo

$213 12.6% 10.1% $20

Eating Out

Ibaraki

$130 11.4%

Tokyo

$162 9.6% 24% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Ibaraki

$93 8.2%

Tokyo

$101 6% 8.7% $8.1

Getting Around

Ibaraki

$84 7.3%

Tokyo

$87 5.2% 4% $3.3

Sport & Entertainment

Ibaraki

$76 6.6%

Tokyo

$85 5.1% 12.5% $9.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Ibaraki and $1,308 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 14% 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: $31 in Ibaraki vs $38 in Tokyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $301 vs $323 per month, with Ibaraki cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇯🇵 Ibaraki

🇯🇵 Tokyo

🕒 Local time

04:50 4:50 AM

Same time as Ibaraki

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

287,730

13,613,660 Capital

💱 Currency

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JPY = 6.32 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.32 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,142 in Ibaraki and $1,686 in Tokyo, so Ibaraki is about 32% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Ibaraki. 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: $403 in Ibaraki versus $1,308 in Tokyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% 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 $31 versus $38 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Ibaraki gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Ibaraki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.