Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nagasaki and Tokyo

For one person, living is cheaper in Nagasaki: $1,287 a month against $1,688 in Tokyo, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Nagasaki
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Nagasaki Living Index
81

Cost of Living Index in Tokyo
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Tokyo Living Index

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Nagasaki

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,287

/mo nomad

Tokyo

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,688

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Nagasaki versus $1,688 in Tokyo.

Nagasaki $1,287
Tokyo $1,688

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,907 in Nagasaki versus $2,588 in Tokyo.

Nagasaki $1,907
Tokyo $2,588

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,527 in Nagasaki versus $3,489 in Tokyo.

Nagasaki $2,527
Tokyo $3,489

Living in Nagasaki costs roughly 24% less than in Tokyo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nagasaki is 5% below, Tokyo is 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.03 ¥792

$7.72 ¥1,217

-34.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.07 ¥3,004

$37.51 ¥5,909

-49.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.10 ¥803

$5.01 ¥788

1.80%

Cappuccino

$3.63 ¥572

$3.68 ¥579

-1.36%

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

$1.04 ¥164

$1.51 ¥238

-31.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥120

$0.85 ¥133

-10.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ¥341

$3.77 ¥594

-42.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ¥355

$5.75 ¥906

-60.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥245

$1.49 ¥235

4.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ¥290

$1.73 ¥273

6.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.21 ¥979

$5.80 ¥913

7.07%

Eggs

$2.03 ¥320

$2.25 ¥354

-9.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.36 ¥1,475

$11.50 ¥1,811

-18.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥506

$6.96 ¥1,096

-53.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.33 ¥3,045

$16.39 ¥2,582

17.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 ¥561

$4.73 ¥745

-24.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ¥288

$2.28 ¥359

-19.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 ¥453

$4.26 ¥671

-32.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.26 ¥514

$5.37 ¥845

-39.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 ¥353

$3.29 ¥519

-31.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 ¥417

$3.00 ¥473

-11.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ¥163

$1.15 ¥181

-9.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ¥152

$0.80 ¥126

21.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ¥609

$3.89 ¥613

-0.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 ¥1,024

$9.72 ¥1,531

-33.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ¥269

$1.70 ¥268

0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥291

$2.66 ¥419

-30.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 ¥200

$1.25 ¥197

1.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.4 ¥8,888

$62.4 ¥9,835

-9.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 ¥649

$3.15 ¥495

30.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 ¥378

$3.14 ¥494

-23.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.66 ¥2,782

$18.98 ¥2,989

-6.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ¥170

$1.11 ¥175

-2.70%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$22.5K ¥3.5M

1.40%

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

$15.5K ¥2.4M

$15.3K ¥2.4M

0.82%

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

$215 ¥33.8K

$147 ¥23.1K

46.11%

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

$24.77 ¥3,902

$23.17 ¥3,650

6.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.03 ¥5,203

$30.10 ¥4,741

9.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ¥8,242

$57.4 ¥9,048

-8.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 ¥4,171

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 ¥1,995

$13.39 ¥2,109

-5.45%

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

$706 ¥111.2K

$1,410 ¥222.1K

-49.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K ¥2.0M

$18.6K ¥2.9M

-33.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.40 ¥7,624

$55.3 ¥8,715

-12.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.87 ¥4,075

$32.43 ¥5,108

-20.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 ¥10.7K

$64.4 ¥10.1K

5.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.74 ¥7,363

$72.1 ¥11.4K

-35.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$550 ¥86.6K

$1,329 ¥209.4K

-58.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 ¥58.9K

$729 ¥114.8K

-48.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 ¥170.9K

$2,622 ¥413.1K

-58.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 ¥117.0K

$1,401 ¥220.7K

-46.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,205 ¥662.3K

$10.7K ¥1.7M

-60.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,287 ¥360.3K

$5,054 ¥796.1K

-54.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 ¥475.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.97

2.25

-12.44%

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

Last update for Nagasaki: October 25, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nagasaki

$374 29.1%

Tokyo

$729 43.2% 94.7% $354

Groceries & Markets

Nagasaki

$279 21.7%

Tokyo

$327 19.4% 17.5% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nagasaki

$272 21.2%

Tokyo

$200 11.9% 26.5% $72

Eating Out

Nagasaki

$122 9.5%

Tokyo

$161 9.5% 32.2% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Nagasaki

$85 6.6%

Tokyo

$101 6% 18.8% $16

Getting Around

Nagasaki

$78 6%

Tokyo

$86 5.1% 11.1% $8.7

Sport & Entertainment

Nagasaki

$78 6%

Tokyo

$84 5% 8.4% $6.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $550 in Nagasaki and $1,329 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19 in Nagasaki vs $38 in Tokyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $279 vs $327 per month, with Nagasaki cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇯🇵 Nagasaki

🇯🇵 Tokyo

🕒 Local time

09:07 9:07 AM

Same time as Nagasaki

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

409,118

13,613,660 Capital

💱 Currency

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JPY = 6.35 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.69 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.35 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Nagasaki vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nagasaki is about 24% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,931 in Nagasaki and $2,533 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $550 in Nagasaki versus $1,329 in Tokyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Nagasaki – a meal for two runs $19 versus $38 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,287 in Nagasaki versus $1,688 in Tokyo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nagasaki but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Nagasaki 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, Nagasaki and Tokyo are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Nagasaki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.