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: $1,160 in Kamakura versus $1,653 in Tokyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,827 in Kamakura versus $2,585 in Tokyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,494 in Kamakura versus $3,517 in Tokyo.

Living in Kamakura costs roughly 30% less than in Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kamakura is 16% below, Tokyo is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.10 ¥950

$7.31 ¥1,137

-16.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.78 ¥4,790

$37.11 ¥5,776

-17.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 ¥782

$4.98 ¥774

1.00%

Cappuccino

$2.45 ¥382

$3.65 ¥567

-32.88%

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

$1.04 ¥161

$1.69 ¥262

-38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥124

$0.92 ¥144

-13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ¥399

$3.65 ¥568

-29.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ¥480

$5.06 ¥788

-39.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.55 ¥242

-7.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.72 ¥268

-13.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 ¥547

$5.92 ¥922

-40.71%

Eggs

$2.04 ¥318

$2.23 ¥347

-8.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 ¥1,821

$11.36 ¥1,769

2.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 ¥951

$7.67 ¥1,194

-20.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 ¥2,206

$20.11 ¥3,130

-29.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.46 ¥850

$5.18 ¥806

5.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 ¥430

$2.51 ¥391

9.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 ¥450

$4.64 ¥722

-37.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 ¥631

$5.91 ¥920

-31.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 ¥400

$3.54 ¥551

-27.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 ¥404

$3.44 ¥536

-24.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ¥180

$1.22 ¥189

-4.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥118

$0.86 ¥133

-11.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 ¥599

$3.97 ¥618

-3.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥951

$9.53 ¥1,484

-35.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥269

$1.78 ¥277

-2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ¥325

$3.03 ¥472

-31.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ¥222

$1.23 ¥191

16.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.1 ¥9,509

$67.6 ¥10.5K

-9.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 ¥490

$3.16 ¥492

-0.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 ¥395

$3.04 ¥473

-16.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.53 ¥2,417

$18.14 ¥2,824

-14.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ¥164

$1.04 ¥162

0.96%

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

$21.5K ¥3.4M

$21.7K ¥3.4M

-0.75%

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

$15.2K ¥2.4M

$14.7K ¥2.3M

3.17%

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

$115 ¥17.8K

$157 ¥24.4K

-26.96%

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

$22.79 ¥3,547

$22.07 ¥3,435

3.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.02 ¥4,827

$30.21 ¥4,702

2.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.61 ¥7,721

$62.5 ¥9,734

-20.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,941

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 ¥1,966

$12.30 ¥1,914

2.68%

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

$562 ¥87.5K

$1,300 ¥202.3K

-56.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ¥2.2M

$17.7K ¥2.8M

-18.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥7,665

$51.2 ¥7,970

-3.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.37 ¥5,038

$32.35 ¥5,035

0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.0 ¥9,183

$62.6 ¥9,740

-5.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 ¥15.4K

$74.6 ¥11.6K

32.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ¥81.9K

$1,230 ¥191.5K

-57.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 ¥48.4K

$660 ¥102.7K

-52.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 ¥144.8K

$2,368 ¥368.5K

-60.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 ¥129.1K

$1,357 ¥211.3K

-38.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,636 ¥721.6K

$8,747 ¥1.4M

-47.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,794 ¥279.1K

$3,944 ¥613.9K

-54.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,755 ¥273.1K

$2,843 ¥442.5K

-38.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.66

1.93

-13.99%

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

Last update for Kamakura: September 1, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $526 in Kamakura and $1,230 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 62% 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: $31.00 in Kamakura vs $37.00 in Tokyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $354 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 62% 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: $526 in Kamakura versus $1,230 in Tokyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $562 in Kamakura versus $1,300 in Tokyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,160 in Kamakura versus $1,653 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 43% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.