Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Kawagoe

For one person, living is cheaper in Kawagoe: $1,084 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $20,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

138

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
Learn more

Melbourne Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in Kawagoe
Learn more

Kawagoe Living Index

Jump to prices

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,821

/mo nomad

Kawagoe

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,084

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne and in Kawagoe

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Melbourne and in Kawagoe actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,821 in Melbourne versus $1,084 in Kawagoe.

Melbourne $2,821
Kawagoe $1,084

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,235 in Melbourne versus $1,747 in Kawagoe.

Melbourne $4,235
Kawagoe $1,747

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,650 in Melbourne versus $2,409 in Kawagoe.

Melbourne $5,650
Kawagoe $2,409

Living in Melbourne is roughly 160% more expensive than in Kawagoe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Melbourne is 109% above, Kawagoe is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 A$25.08

$6.38 ¥1,008

173.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 A$122

$40.89 ¥6,460

106.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.92

$5.02 ¥793

148.21%

Cappuccino

$4.11 A$5.91

$3.41 ¥539

20.53%

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

$3.06 A$4.40

$0.93 ¥146

229.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 A$3.62

$0.49 ¥78.0

414.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.80 A$14.10

$1.92 ¥304

410.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.57 A$12.33

$2.64 ¥417

224.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 A$2.14

$1.16 ¥183

27.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 A$4.23

$1.29 ¥203

127.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.82

$3.59 ¥566

-25.91%

Eggs

$5.54 A$7.97

$2.02 ¥320

174.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 A$15.13

$6.14 ¥970

71.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 A$13.89

$6.24 ¥987

54.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.22 A$21.91

$14.67 ¥2,318

3.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 A$5.75

$5.61 ¥887

-28.88%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.34

$2.30 ¥364

31.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 A$4.46

$2.81 ¥445

10.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 A$6.93

$3.11 ¥492

54.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.03 A$4.36

$2.55 ¥403

18.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.52

$1.87 ¥296

30.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.54

$1.30 ¥206

89.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.34

$0.74 ¥117

120.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.07 A$63.4

$3.86 ¥609

1041.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 A$18.28

$4.87 ¥770

160.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.54 A$7.97

$1.74 ¥275

218.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 A$7.52

$2.03 ¥320

157.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.74 A$5.38

$2.98 ¥471

25.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 A$198

$53.7 ¥8,488

155.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 A$6.50

$3.19 ¥504

41.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 A$1.96

$2.73 ¥431

-50.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.45 A$43.81

$20.42 ¥3,226

49.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.12

$1.11 ¥175

32.43%

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

$29.0K A$41.7K

$15.7K ¥2.5M

84.38%

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

$26.5K A$38.1K

$12.9K ¥2.0M

105.76%

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

$234 A$336

$131 ¥20.7K

78.53%

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

$27.93 A$40.19

$22.38 ¥3,536

24.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 A$80.2

$31.77 ¥5,020

75.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.40 A$71.1

$43.88 ¥6,932

12.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 A$30.91

$32.08 ¥5,068

-33.04%

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 A$21.72

$11.12 ¥1,757

35.70%

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

$2,371 A$3,412

$315 ¥49.8K

652.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K A$43.5K

$6,305 ¥996.1K

378.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.0 A$115

$31.87 ¥5,035

150.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 A$73.0

$33.30 ¥5,261

52.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$174

$43.84 ¥6,926

175.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$188

$96.3 ¥15.2K

35.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,759 A$2,531

$417 ¥65.8K

322.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 A$2,000

$273 ¥43.1K

408.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,494 A$5,027

$844 ¥133.4K

313.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,493 A$3,588

$594 ¥93.8K

319.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,926 A$9,967

$2,561 ¥404.5K

170.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,445 A$9,274

$1,760 ¥278.0K

266.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,383 A$6,307

$1,614 ¥255.0K

171.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

1.6

268.75%

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Last update for Kawagoe: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3%

Kawagoe

$273 25.2% 80.3% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Melbourne

$384 13.6%

Kawagoe

$257 23.7% 33% $127

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Melbourne

$317 11.3%

Kawagoe

$185 17.1% 41.7% $132

Eating Out

Melbourne

$315 11.2%

Kawagoe

$128 11.8% 59.4% $187

Clothing & Footwear

Melbourne

$172 6.1%

Kawagoe

$92 8.5% 46.2% $79

Getting Around

Melbourne

$164 5.8%

Kawagoe

$83 7.6% 49.6% $81

Sport & Entertainment

Melbourne

$80 2.8%

Kawagoe

$66 6.1% 16.9% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,759 in Melbourne and $417 in Kawagoe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 172% 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: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $41.00 in Kawagoe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $257 per month, with Kawagoe cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🇯🇵 Kawagoe

🕒 Local time

13:52 1:52 PM

11:52 11:52 AM

2 h behind Melbourne

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,031,195

350,745

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

USD to AUD in detail →

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Melbourne Kawagoe 8,220 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

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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

Melbourne vs Kawagoe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Kawagoe differ by about 160% in total monthly costs ($2,821 vs $1,084 including rent). Kawagoe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 172% higher in Melbourne, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,759 in Melbourne versus $417 in Kawagoe. 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 $41.00 versus $85.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,821 per month in Melbourne versus $1,084 in Kawagoe – a 160% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,084 in Kawagoe versus $2,821 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kawagoe but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. 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, Melbourne and Kawagoe 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 160% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.