Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Koriyama and Tokyo

For one person, living is cheaper in Koriyama: $1,187 a month against $1,648 in Tokyo, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Koriyama
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,187
/mo nomad
Tokyo
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,648
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,187 in Koriyama versus $1,648 in Tokyo.

  • Koriyama $1,187
  • Tokyo $1,648

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,881 in Koriyama versus $2,604 in Tokyo.

  • Koriyama $1,881
  • Tokyo $2,604

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,575 in Koriyama versus $3,561 in Tokyo.

  • Koriyama $2,575
  • Tokyo $3,561

Living in Koriyama costs roughly 28% less than in Tokyo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Koriyama is 12% below, Tokyo is 22% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Koriyama
Tokyo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.12 ¥967
$7.79 ¥1,230
-21.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.16 ¥4,923
$38.57 ¥6,094
-19.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.13 ¥810
$4.99 ¥788
2.81%
Cappuccino
$2.96 ¥468
$3.58 ¥565
-17.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 ¥195
$1.57 ¥249
-21.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 ¥124
$0.90 ¥142
-13.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.70 ¥426
$3.75 ¥593
-28.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 ¥501
$5.22 ¥825
-39.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Koriyama
Tokyo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 ¥230
$1.55 ¥246
-5.81%
White Bread (500g)
$1.56 ¥246
$1.75 ¥277
-10.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.20 ¥664
$5.56 ¥879
-24.46%
Eggs
$2.01 ¥317
$2.25 ¥355
-10.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.18 ¥1,609
$11.31 ¥1,787
-9.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.65 ¥1,051
$6.76 ¥1,068
-1.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.68 ¥2,635
$16.83 ¥2,658
-0.89%
Apples (1kg)
$3.65 ¥576
$4.66 ¥736
-21.67%
Banana (1kg)
$2.27 ¥358
$2.27 ¥359
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.89 ¥457
$4.33 ¥683
-33.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.07 ¥643
$5.23 ¥826
-22.18%
Potato (1kg)
$2.47 ¥390
$3.33 ¥526
-25.83%
Onion (1kg)
$2.55 ¥402
$3.00 ¥474
-15.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.29 ¥204
$1.16 ¥183
11.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 ¥133
$0.83 ¥130
1.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.85 ¥608
$3.88 ¥613
-0.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.80 ¥1,074
$9.53 ¥1,506
-28.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 ¥293
$1.63 ¥257
13.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 ¥333
$2.62 ¥414
-19.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Koriyama
Tokyo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.52 ¥241
$1.22 ¥193
24.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.0 ¥8,380
$62.3 ¥9,848
-14.90%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.22 ¥508
$3.19 ¥505
0.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.87 ¥453
$3.09 ¥489
-7.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.64 ¥2,945
$18.70 ¥2,954
-0.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 ¥174
$1.11 ¥175
-0.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K ¥3.3M
$22.0K ¥3.5M
-4.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.2K ¥2.4M
$15.1K ¥2.4M
1.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Koriyama
Tokyo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$134 ¥21.2K
$148 ¥23.4K
-9.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.63 ¥3,890
$22.75 ¥3,594
8.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.55 ¥4,984
$29.86 ¥4,717
5.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Koriyama
Tokyo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 ¥8,243
$65.5 ¥10.4K
-20.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$26.19 ¥4,137
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.02 ¥1,899
$13.22 ¥2,089
-9.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Koriyama
Tokyo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$523 ¥82.7K
$1,314 ¥207.6K
-60.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K ¥2.0M
$17.9K ¥2.8M
-29.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Koriyama
Tokyo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.37 ¥7,799
$54.3 ¥8,584
-9.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.64 ¥4,999
$32.73 ¥5,172
-3.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.0 ¥9,639
$65.4 ¥10.3K
-6.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.4 ¥13.8K
$70.6 ¥11.2K
23.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Koriyama
Tokyo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$542 ¥85.6K
$1,288 ¥203.4K
-57.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$325 ¥51.4K
$684 ¥108.1K
-52.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,102 ¥174.1K
$2,507 ¥396.1K
-56.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$739 ¥116.8K
$1,460 ¥230.6K
-49.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,230 ¥668.2K
$9,204 ¥1.5M
-54.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,778 ¥280.8K
$4,226 ¥667.6K
-57.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Koriyama
Tokyo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$2,994 ¥473.0K
-
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 Koriyama: October 19, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Koriyama
$325
Tokyo
$684 111% $359
Groceries & Markets
Koriyama
$287
Tokyo
$326 13.4% $38
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Koriyama
$191
Tokyo
$201 5.3% $10
Eating Out
Koriyama
$128
Tokyo
$159 24.7% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Koriyama
$103
Tokyo
$100 2.8% $2.9
Getting Around
Koriyama
$77
Tokyo
$86 12% $9.2
Sport & Entertainment
Koriyama
$76
Tokyo
$92 20.7% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $542 in Koriyama and $1,288 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Koriyama vs $39.00 in Tokyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $326 per month, with Koriyama cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Koriyama
🇯🇵 Tokyo
🕒 Local time
09:52 9:52 AM
09:52 9:52 AM
Same time as Koriyama
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
327,692
13,613,660 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Koriyama Tokyo 200 km
From you
  • Koriyama
  • Tokyo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Koriyama vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Koriyama and in Tokyo?
Koriyama and Tokyo differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,187 vs $1,648 including rent). Koriyama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Koriyama compared to Tokyo?
You'd need roughly $1,781 in Koriyama and $2,473 in Tokyo to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Koriyama and in Tokyo?
Rent for a central apartment: $542 in Koriyama versus $1,288 in Tokyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Koriyama and in Tokyo?
A monthly transit pass in Koriyama runs roughly 18% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Koriyama and Tokyo?
Childcare runs $523 in Koriyama versus $1,314 in Tokyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,187 in Koriyama versus $1,648 in Tokyo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Koriyama but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Koriyama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Koriyama and Tokyo?
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.
Is Koriyama or Tokyo safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Koriyama 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.
Where should expats move: Koriyama or Tokyo?
Expats usually find Koriyama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Koriyama vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?