Cost of Living Comparison Between Narita and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Narita and Tokyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,237 in Narita versus $1,714 in Tokyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,921 in Narita versus $2,739 in Tokyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,604 in Narita versus $3,765 in Tokyo.

Living in Narita costs roughly 28% less than in Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Narita is 8% below, Tokyo is 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 ¥869

$8.47 ¥1,354

-35.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.86 ¥6,694

$49.34 ¥7,892

-15.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 ¥783

$5.67 ¥907

-13.76%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ¥495

$3.60 ¥576

-13.89%

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

$0.81 ¥129

$1.25 ¥200

-35.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.87 ¥139

-12.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ¥326

$4.26 ¥681

-52.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ¥491

$5.27 ¥843

-41.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥198

$1.63 ¥261

-23.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ¥149

$1.52 ¥244

-38.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.94 ¥791

$5.56 ¥889

-11.15%

Eggs

$2.18 ¥349

$2.34 ¥374

-6.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 ¥1,637

$15.89 ¥2,541

-35.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.20 ¥992

$7.78 ¥1,244

-20.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.20 ¥2,431

$22.52 ¥3,602

-32.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.98 ¥956

$5.35 ¥855

11.78%

Banana (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$2.65 ¥424

21.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 ¥640

$5.84 ¥935

-31.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.01 ¥961

$6.04 ¥967

-0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 ¥536

$3.23 ¥517

3.72%

Onion (1kg)

$4.29 ¥687

$3.34 ¥534

28.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥212

$1.49 ¥239

-10.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥132

$0.92 ¥148

-9.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ¥527

$4.20 ¥672

-21.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 ¥1,494

$9.13 ¥1,460

2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ¥281

$2.08 ¥332

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ¥323

$2.96 ¥474

-31.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 ¥258

$1.41 ¥225

14.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 ¥8,966

$81.9 ¥13.1K

-31.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥541

$3.50 ¥560

-3.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 ¥258

$3.01 ¥481

-46.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.98 ¥3,516

$26.66 ¥4,264

-17.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ¥178

$1.25 ¥200

-11.20%

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

$20.5K ¥3.3M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

-10.93%

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

$18.5K ¥3.0M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

7.02%

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

$145 ¥23.2K

$167 ¥26.7K

-13.21%

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

$27.90 ¥4,462

$26.17 ¥4,186

6.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.00 ¥4,958

$33.97 ¥5,434

-8.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 ¥9,082

$69.3 ¥11.1K

-17.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.80 ¥2,207

$20.10 ¥3,215

-31.34%

Cinema Ticket

$12.59 ¥2,014

$13.09 ¥2,094

-3.82%

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

$286 ¥45.8K

$512 ¥81.8K

-44.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K ¥2.2M

$15.6K ¥2.5M

-12.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.20 ¥6,590

$61.6 ¥9,846

-33.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.35 ¥4,695

$40.45 ¥6,470

-27.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.0 ¥9,431

$66.6 ¥10.7K

-11.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ¥18.1K

$90.6 ¥14.5K

24.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 ¥80.3K

$1,118 ¥178.8K

-55.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 ¥54.5K

$594 ¥94.9K

-42.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 ¥140.7K

$2,691 ¥430.4K

-67.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 ¥107.1K

$1,335 ¥213.5K

-49.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,028 ¥644.2K

$10.7K ¥1.7M

-62.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,454 ¥392.4K

$4,981 ¥796.6K

-50.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,264 ¥202.2K

$2,491 ¥398.3K

-49.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.05

1.72

19.19%

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

Last update for Narita: June 9, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $502 in Narita and $1,118 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 97% 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: $42.00 in Narita vs $49.00 in Tokyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $382 per month, with Narita 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

Narita vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Narita is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Tokyo earns 97% 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: $502 in Narita versus $1,118 in Tokyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Narita runs roughly 46% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $286 in Narita versus $512 in Tokyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,237 in Narita versus $1,714 in Tokyo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Narita but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Narita the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Narita 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, Narita 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 Narita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.