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: $1,374 in Nagoya versus $1,684 in Tokyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Nagoya versus $2,693 in Tokyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,989 in Nagoya versus $3,703 in Tokyo.

Living in Nagoya costs roughly 18% less than in Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nagoya 3% above, Tokyo 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ¥1,087

$8.09 ¥1,294

-15.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.16 ¥5,624

$48.31 ¥7,727

-27.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 ¥873

$5.69 ¥910

-4.04%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ¥479

$3.57 ¥571

-16.25%

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

$1.20 ¥192

$1.26 ¥202

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥123

$0.93 ¥148

-17.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ¥341

$4.25 ¥681

-49.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ¥507

$5.30 ¥848

-40.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.58 ¥252

1.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 ¥277

$1.59 ¥254

8.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 ¥773

$5.32 ¥851

-9.21%

Eggs

$2.22 ¥356

$2.41 ¥385

-7.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 ¥1,611

$16.04 ¥2,565

-37.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 ¥1,019

$7.85 ¥1,255

-18.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.56 ¥2,489

$23.16 ¥3,704

-32.82%

Apples (1kg)

$8.85 ¥1,415

$5.23 ¥836

69.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 ¥465

$2.57 ¥412

13.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 ¥629

$5.73 ¥917

-31.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.88 ¥941

$5.97 ¥955

-1.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.96 ¥634

$3.21 ¥514

23.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 ¥428

$3.51 ¥562

-23.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ¥212

$1.48 ¥236

-10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 ¥221

$0.90 ¥143

53.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 ¥561

$4.27 ¥684

-17.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.47 ¥1,514

$9.39 ¥1,501

0.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥283

$2.15 ¥343

-17.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥324

$2.88 ¥461

-29.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.48 ¥237

8.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.4 ¥11.1K

$84.9 ¥13.6K

-18.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 ¥548

$3.49 ¥559

-1.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.98 ¥477

$2.87 ¥458

3.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.46 ¥2,793

$26.77 ¥4,281

-34.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥190

$1.22 ¥195

-2.46%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

0.60%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$17.4K ¥2.8M

-4.45%

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

$142 ¥22.7K

$164 ¥26.2K

-13.27%

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

$26.96 ¥4,312

$26.63 ¥4,259

1.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 ¥5,360

$33.94 ¥5,428

-1.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 ¥8,968

$69.0 ¥11.0K

-18.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.37 ¥2,938

$20.11 ¥3,217

-8.65%

Cinema Ticket

$12.55 ¥2,008

$13.06 ¥2,088

-3.91%

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

$477 ¥76.3K

$506 ¥81.0K

-5.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ¥1.8M

$15.7K ¥2.5M

-26.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.40 ¥7,261

$60.1 ¥9,611

-24.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.99 ¥4,797

$40.31 ¥6,448

-25.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.7 ¥9,065

$64.7 ¥10.3K

-12.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 ¥14.9K

$91.2 ¥14.6K

2.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 ¥96.2K

$1,094 ¥175.0K

-44.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 ¥66.9K

$596 ¥95.4K

-29.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 ¥211.9K

$2,609 ¥417.4K

-49.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$850 ¥136.0K

$1,339 ¥214.2K

-36.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,486 ¥397.7K

$10.8K ¥1.7M

-77.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,134 ¥181.5K

$4,974 ¥795.6K

-77.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,905 ¥304.7K

$2,501 ¥400.1K

-23.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

1.72

3.49%

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

Last update for Nagoya: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $602 in Nagoya and $1,094 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 31% 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: $35.00 in Nagoya vs $48.00 in Tokyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $382 per month, with Nagoya cheaper across the board.

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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Tokyo earns 31% less. 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: $602 in Nagoya versus $1,094 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 22% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $477 in Nagoya versus $506 in Tokyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,374 in Nagoya versus $1,684 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.