Cost of Living Comparison Between Nagano and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Nagano and Tokyo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,199 per month in Nagano vs $1,653 in Tokyo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,906 per month in Nagano vs $2,585 in Tokyo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,614 per month in Nagano vs $3,517 in Tokyo, rent included.

Nagano is about 28% cheaper than Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Nagano sits 13% below the global median, while Tokyo is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 ¥962

$7.31 ¥1,142

-15.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.16 ¥6,742

$37.11 ¥5,798

16.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 ¥794

$4.98 ¥777

2.01%

Cappuccino

$3.49 ¥546

$3.65 ¥570

-4.38%

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

$1.04 ¥162

$1.69 ¥263

-38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥121

$0.92 ¥144

-16.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ¥381

$3.65 ¥570

-33.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥500

$5.06 ¥791

-36.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ¥222

$1.55 ¥243

-8.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 ¥267

$1.72 ¥269

-0.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 ¥574

$5.92 ¥925

-37.84%

Eggs

$2.05 ¥319

$2.23 ¥349

-8.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 ¥1,808

$11.36 ¥1,775

1.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 ¥923

$7.67 ¥1,199

-22.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 ¥2,189

$20.11 ¥3,142

-30.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.47 ¥854

$5.18 ¥809

5.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 ¥438

$2.51 ¥393

11.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 ¥437

$4.64 ¥725

-39.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 ¥668

$5.91 ¥923

-27.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 ¥388

$3.54 ¥553

-29.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 ¥399

$3.44 ¥538

-25.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥190

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥117

$0.86 ¥134

-12.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.69 ¥577

$3.97 ¥621

-7.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.41 ¥1,001

$9.53 ¥1,489

-32.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥269

$1.78 ¥278

-3.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ¥311

$3.03 ¥474

-34.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 ¥208

$1.23 ¥192

8.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.96 ¥7,492

$67.6 ¥10.6K

-29.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ¥486

$3.16 ¥494

-1.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.52 ¥394

$3.04 ¥475

-17.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.73 ¥3,239

$18.14 ¥2,834

14.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥171

$1.04 ¥162

5.77%

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

$20.8K ¥3.3M

$21.7K ¥3.4M

-3.94%

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

$18.4K ¥2.9M

$14.7K ¥2.3M

24.65%

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

$128 ¥20.0K

$157 ¥24.5K

-18.27%

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

$23.65 ¥3,694

$22.07 ¥3,448

7.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥1,972

$30.21 ¥4,720

-58.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 ¥8,000

$62.5 ¥9,770

-18.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,955

Cinema Ticket

$12.43 ¥1,942

$12.30 ¥1,921

1.06%

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

$634 ¥99.0K

$1,300 ¥203.0K

-51.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ¥2.2M

$17.7K ¥2.8M

-19.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ¥9,635

$51.2 ¥8,000

20.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.70 ¥4,951

$32.35 ¥5,054

-2.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 ¥9,573

$62.6 ¥9,777

-2.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ¥15.9K

$74.6 ¥11.6K

36.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 ¥71.0K

$1,230 ¥192.2K

-63.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ¥55.7K

$660 ¥103.0K

-45.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 ¥170.5K

$2,368 ¥369.9K

-53.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$720 ¥112.5K

$1,357 ¥212.1K

-46.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,178 ¥652.6K

$8,747 ¥1.4M

-52.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,778 ¥277.7K

$3,944 ¥616.2K

-54.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 ¥96.2K

$2,843 ¥444.2K

-78.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.12

1.93

9.84%

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

Last update for Nagano: August 31, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $454 in Nagano versus $1,230 in Tokyo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 362% higher in Tokyo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Nagano versus $37.00 in Tokyo. Groceries tell a different story – $289 in Nagano vs $354 in Tokyo – so Nagano wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Nagano vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo costs about 38% more than Nagano, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,798 per month in Nagano and $2,480 in Tokyo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nagano, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Nagano and $37.00 in Tokyo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,199 in Nagano and $1,653 in Tokyo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nagano, where all-in costs run around $1,199, than in Tokyo at $1,653. In Nagano it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nagano costs $1,199 versus $1,653 in Tokyo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Nagano. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tokyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.