Cost of Living Comparison Between Japan and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Japan and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,243 in Japan versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,941 in Japan versus $1,132 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,638 in Japan versus $1,551 in China.

Living in Japan is roughly 75% more expensive than China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Japan 7% lower, China 47% lower.

Japan ($1,019–$1,684) and China ($520–$1,209) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 ¥1,082

$2.81 ¥18.99

140.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.81 ¥5,580

$23.30 ¥158

49.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 ¥901

$5.01 ¥33.89

12.18%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ¥547

$3.01 ¥20.39

13.29%

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

$1.09 ¥175

$0.45 ¥3.03

142.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥134

$0.29 ¥1.97

189.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 ¥550

$0.95 ¥6.42

261.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 ¥663

$2.05 ¥13.88

101.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥249

$1.76 ¥11.88

-11.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ¥245

$1.62 ¥10.98

-5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.53 ¥726

$0.95 ¥6.45

376.84%

Eggs

$2.27 ¥363

$1.56 ¥10.56

45.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.11 ¥1,942

$13.06 ¥88.3

-7.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 ¥1,122

$3.28 ¥22.18

113.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.78 ¥3,170

$10.65 ¥72.0

85.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.35 ¥858

$1.78 ¥12.04

200.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 ¥420

$1.24 ¥8.42

111.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.67 ¥749

$1.50 ¥10.12

211.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 ¥760

$1.15 ¥7.79

312.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 ¥457

$0.75 ¥5.07

280.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 ¥430

$0.86 ¥5.81

211.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥215

$0.62 ¥4.17

116.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ¥152

$0.56 ¥3.81

69.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ¥662

$3.51 ¥23.77

17.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ¥1,328

$11.66 ¥78.9

-28.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ¥348

$0.80 ¥5.40

171.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ¥472

$1.66 ¥11.25

77.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 ¥250

$0.43 ¥2.93

262.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.7 ¥9,412

$20.86 ¥141

181.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 ¥682

$1.37 ¥9.26

210.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 ¥463

$0.35 ¥2.38

725.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.36 ¥3,745

$6.63 ¥44.85

252.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥188

$1.14 ¥7.70

2.63%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$19.2K ¥129.8K

22.35%

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

$17.5K ¥2.8M

$16.8K ¥113.4K

4.58%

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

$175 ¥28.0K

$51.2 ¥346

241.10%

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

$27.13 ¥4,349

$10.16 ¥68.7

167.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.95 ¥5,603

$11.51 ¥77.9

203.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.0 ¥9,452

$40.53 ¥274

45.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.90 ¥2,548

$15.05 ¥102

5.65%

Cinema Ticket

$12.97 ¥2,079

$6.10 ¥41.28

112.62%

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

$341 ¥54.6K

$402 ¥2,720

-15.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$17.7K ¥119.6K

-23.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.49 ¥7,773

$45.57 ¥308

6.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.95 ¥5,281

$33.26 ¥225

-0.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.1 ¥10.1K

$72.6 ¥491

-13.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 ¥13.9K

$74.5 ¥504

16.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 ¥96.9K

$429 ¥2,905

40.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 ¥67.0K

$257 ¥1,740

62.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 ¥218.4K

$895 ¥6,058

52.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 ¥135.2K

$541 ¥3,662

55.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,620 ¥900.9K

$5,015 ¥33.9K

12.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 ¥490.4K

$2,469 ¥16.7K

23.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,859 ¥298.0K

$1,055 ¥7,135

76.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.82

4.06

-55.17%

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

Last update for Japan: May 31, 2026

Last update for China: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $484 in Japan, $286 in China. Capital cities: $1,094 in Tokyo vs $916 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $1,862 in Japan, $861 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 69% higher in Japan.

Dining out costs 67% more in Japan.

Public transport is 200% more expensive in Japan.

Salaries are 116% higher in Japan, giving Japan stronger purchasing power.

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

Japan vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $865 per month in China and $1,352 in Japan, there's a 56% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Japan beats China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Japan, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. China wins on affordability; Japan may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.