Cost of Living Comparison Between Nagoya and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Nagoya and Tokyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,343 in Nagoya versus $1,653 in Tokyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,108 in Nagoya versus $2,585 in Tokyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,874 in Nagoya versus $3,517 in Tokyo.

Living in Nagoya costs roughly 19% less than in Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nagoya is 2% below, Tokyo is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.63 ¥1,349

$7.31 ¥1,142

18.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.67 ¥4,791

$37.11 ¥5,798

-17.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ¥762

$4.98 ¥777

-2.01%

Cappuccino

$2.42 ¥377

$3.65 ¥570

-33.70%

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

$1.24 ¥194

$1.69 ¥263

-26.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥137

$0.92 ¥144

-4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 ¥476

$3.65 ¥570

-16.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ¥479

$5.06 ¥791

-39.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 ¥233

$1.55 ¥243

-3.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.72 ¥269

-13.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 ¥634

$5.92 ¥925

-31.42%

Eggs

$2.15 ¥337

$2.23 ¥349

-3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.87 ¥2,479

$11.36 ¥1,775

39.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.03 ¥1,098

$7.67 ¥1,199

-8.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.76 ¥2,619

$20.11 ¥3,142

-16.66%

Apples (1kg)

$8.35 ¥1,305

$5.18 ¥809

61.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 ¥461

$2.51 ¥393

17.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.06 ¥790

$4.64 ¥725

9.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.88 ¥1,231

$5.91 ¥923

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.93 ¥613

$3.54 ¥553

11.02%

Onion (1kg)

$4.54 ¥710

$3.44 ¥538

31.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ¥180

$1.22 ¥190

-5.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥145

$0.86 ¥134

8.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 ¥591

$3.97 ¥621

-4.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.38 ¥1,465

$9.53 ¥1,489

-1.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 ¥399

$1.78 ¥278

43.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥321

$3.03 ¥474

-32.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 ¥236

$1.23 ¥192

22.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.1 ¥14.4K

$67.6 ¥10.6K

36.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ¥483

$3.16 ¥494

-2.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.90 ¥452

$3.04 ¥475

-4.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.63 ¥2,441

$18.14 ¥2,834

-13.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ¥165

$1.04 ¥162

1.92%

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

$21.1K ¥3.3M

$21.7K ¥3.4M

-2.87%

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

$14.9K ¥2.3M

$14.7K ¥2.3M

1.50%

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

$115 ¥18.0K

$157 ¥24.5K

-26.50%

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

$22.80 ¥3,561

$22.07 ¥3,448

3.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.11 ¥4,861

$30.21 ¥4,720

2.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 ¥7,827

$62.5 ¥9,770

-19.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.52 ¥2,113

$25.32 ¥3,955

-46.60%

Cinema Ticket

$11.39 ¥1,780

$12.30 ¥1,921

-7.40%

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

$576 ¥90.0K

$1,300 ¥203.0K

-55.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ¥2.3M

$17.7K ¥2.8M

-17.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.73 ¥7,769

$51.2 ¥8,000

-2.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.03 ¥5,629

$32.35 ¥5,054

11.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.7 ¥9,330

$62.6 ¥9,777

-4.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 ¥14.9K

$74.6 ¥11.6K

28.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 ¥82.3K

$1,230 ¥192.2K

-57.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ¥54.1K

$660 ¥103.0K

-47.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 ¥189.8K

$2,368 ¥369.9K

-48.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 ¥114.7K

$1,357 ¥212.1K

-45.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,000 ¥312.5K

$8,747 ¥1.4M

-77.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,033 ¥161.4K

$3,944 ¥616.2K

-73.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,929 ¥301.3K

$2,843 ¥444.2K

-32.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.66

1.93

-13.99%

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

Last update for Nagoya: September 1, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $527 in Nagoya and $1,230 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 47% 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: $31.00 in Nagoya vs $37.00 in Tokyo. Groceries flip the comparison at $379 vs $354, 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

Nagoya vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nagoya is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 47% 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: $527 in Nagoya versus $1,230 in Tokyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nagoya runs roughly 36% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $576 in Nagoya versus $1,300 in Tokyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,343 in Nagoya versus $1,653 in Tokyo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nagoya but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Nagoya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nagoya is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tokyo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nagoya 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 Nagoya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.