Cost of Living Comparison Between Kawagoe and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Kawagoe and Tokyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Kawagoe versus $1,701 in Tokyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,991 in Kawagoe versus $2,691 in Tokyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,722 in Kawagoe versus $3,682 in Tokyo.

Living in Kawagoe costs roughly 26% less than in Tokyo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kawagoe is 6% below, Tokyo is 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.88 ¥1,118

$8.09 ¥1,315

-14.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.69 ¥5,638

$48.77 ¥7,926

-28.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥827

$5.48 ¥891

-7.12%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ¥466

$3.60 ¥584

-20.28%

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

$1.01 ¥165

$1.27 ¥206

-20.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥120

$0.86 ¥140

-13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ¥343

$4.08 ¥662

-48.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥347

$5.44 ¥883

-60.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ¥272

$1.62 ¥264

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥321

$1.51 ¥245

30.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.86 ¥1,277

$5.34 ¥868

47.19%

Eggs

$1.51 ¥245

$2.32 ¥377

-34.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.32 ¥2,002

$15.96 ¥2,594

-22.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.25 ¥1,990

$8.12 ¥1,319

50.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.59 ¥2,696

$22.55 ¥3,665

-26.43%

Apples (1kg)

$7.76 ¥1,261

$5.52 ¥897

40.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 ¥417

$2.59 ¥421

-1.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 ¥711

$5.92 ¥962

-26.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 ¥730

$6.07 ¥987

-26.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 ¥587

$3.24 ¥527

11.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.67 ¥597

$3.39 ¥551

8.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ¥224

$1.45 ¥235

-4.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ¥195

$0.87 ¥142

37.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ¥701

$4.25 ¥691

1.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 ¥1,274

$9.31 ¥1,514

-15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 ¥404

$2.05 ¥334

21.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 ¥560

$2.87 ¥466

19.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥272

$1.48 ¥241

12.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 ¥9,124

$84.6 ¥13.8K

-33.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 ¥572

$3.38 ¥549

4.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 ¥468

$2.91 ¥473

-1.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.84 ¥3,386

$26.24 ¥4,265

-20.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥185

$1.20 ¥195

-5.00%

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

$24.3K ¥4.0M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

3.16%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

0.09%

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

$82.3 ¥13.4K

$168 ¥27.2K

-50.90%

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

$10.55 ¥1,715

$25.82 ¥4,196

-59.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.24 ¥2,803

$33.50 ¥5,445

-48.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$70.9 ¥11.5K

3.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.10 ¥2,292

$20.25 ¥3,290

-30.37%

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 ¥1,891

$13.07 ¥2,125

-11.02%

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

$276 ¥44.9K

$495 ¥80.4K

-44.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.2M

$15.7K ¥2.6M

-14.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.49 ¥6,906

$61.5 ¥10.0K

-30.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.86 ¥4,853

$41.66 ¥6,771

-28.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 ¥9,618

$65.9 ¥10.7K

-10.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.7 ¥15.9K

$91.1 ¥14.8K

7.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥77.4K

$1,120 ¥182.0K

-57.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 ¥52.5K

$606 ¥98.6K

-46.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 ¥141.8K

$2,680 ¥435.6K

-67.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 ¥106.9K

$1,342 ¥218.0K

-50.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,500 ¥406.2K

$10.4K ¥1.7M

-75.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,117 ¥344.0K

$4,986 ¥810.3K

-57.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,550 ¥251.9K

$2,330 ¥378.6K

-33.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

16.28%

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

Last update for Kawagoe: July 11, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Kawagoe and $1,120 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 50% 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 Kawagoe vs $49.00 in Tokyo. Groceries flip the comparison at $389 vs $383, with Tokyo cheaper for home cooking.

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

Kawagoe vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kawagoe and Tokyo differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $1,701 including rent). Kawagoe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 50% 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: $476 in Kawagoe versus $1,120 in Tokyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kawagoe – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $49.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Kawagoe versus $1,701 in Tokyo – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Kawagoe versus $1,701 in Tokyo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kawagoe but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Kawagoe 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, Kawagoe 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 Kawagoe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.