Cost of Living Comparison Between Kamakura and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Kamakura and Tokyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Kamakura versus $1,684 in Tokyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,992 in Kamakura versus $2,693 in Tokyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,690 in Kamakura versus $3,703 in Tokyo.

Living in Kamakura costs roughly 23% less than in Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kamakura is 3% below, Tokyo is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.05 ¥1,127

$8.09 ¥1,294

-12.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.17 ¥5,625

$48.31 ¥7,727

-27.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ¥907

$5.69 ¥910

-0.35%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ¥501

$3.57 ¥571

-12.32%

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

$1.21 ¥194

$1.26 ¥202

-3.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥121

$0.93 ¥148

-18.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ¥331

$4.25 ¥681

-51.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ¥509

$5.30 ¥848

-39.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ¥244

$1.58 ¥252

-3.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 ¥281

$1.59 ¥254

10.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.02 ¥803

$5.32 ¥851

-5.64%

Eggs

$2.27 ¥364

$2.41 ¥385

-5.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.81 ¥2,209

$16.04 ¥2,565

-13.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 ¥1,099

$7.85 ¥1,255

-12.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.62 ¥2,818

$23.16 ¥3,704

-23.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 ¥946

$5.23 ¥836

13.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 ¥462

$2.57 ¥412

12.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.09 ¥654

$5.73 ¥917

-28.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.09 ¥974

$5.97 ¥955

2.01%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 ¥523

$3.21 ¥514

1.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 ¥411

$3.51 ¥562

-26.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.48 ¥236

-6.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ¥169

$0.90 ¥143

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ¥545

$4.27 ¥684

-20.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,483

$9.39 ¥1,501

-1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥294

$2.15 ¥343

-14.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ¥383

$2.88 ¥461

-17.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.48 ¥237

8.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ¥8,849

$84.9 ¥13.6K

-34.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.98 ¥477

$2.87 ¥458

3.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.59 ¥2,814

$26.77 ¥4,281

-34.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥197

$1.22 ¥195

0.82%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

0.57%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$17.4K ¥2.8M

-2.99%

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

$143 ¥22.9K

$164 ¥26.2K

-12.58%

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

$26.75 ¥4,278

$26.63 ¥4,259

0.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.96 ¥5,432

$33.94 ¥5,428

0.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 ¥8,853

$69.0 ¥11.0K

-19.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ¥2,245

$20.11 ¥3,217

-30.18%

Cinema Ticket

$12.51 ¥2,001

$13.06 ¥2,088

-4.21%

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

$287 ¥45.8K

$506 ¥81.0K

-43.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ¥1.8M

$15.7K ¥2.5M

-28.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.28 ¥6,763

$60.1 ¥9,611

-29.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.29 ¥4,685

$40.31 ¥6,448

-27.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ¥9,046

$64.7 ¥10.3K

-12.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 ¥15.0K

$91.2 ¥14.6K

2.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥76.2K

$1,094 ¥175.0K

-56.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ¥52.2K

$596 ¥95.4K

-45.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 ¥138.2K

$2,609 ¥417.4K

-66.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 ¥104.9K

$1,339 ¥214.2K

-51.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,481 ¥716.7K

$10.8K ¥1.7M

-58.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,206 ¥352.9K

$4,974 ¥795.6K

-55.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,760 ¥281.5K

$2,501 ¥400.1K

-29.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

1.72

3.49%

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

Last update for Kamakura: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Kamakura and $1,094 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 42% 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: $35.00 in Kamakura vs $48.00 in Tokyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $382 per month, with Kamakura 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

Kamakura vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kamakura is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Tokyo earns 42% less. 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: $476 in Kamakura versus $1,094 in Tokyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $287 in Kamakura versus $506 in Tokyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,294 in Kamakura versus $1,684 in Tokyo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kamakura but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Kamakura the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kamakura is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tokyo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kamakura 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 Kamakura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.