Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Niigata and Somerset, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Niigata: $723 a month against $3,865 in Somerset, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $37,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Niigata
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Niigata Living Index
189

Cost of Living Index in Somerset, NJ
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Somerset, NJ Living Index

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Niigata

🇯🇵 Japan

$723

/mo nomad

Somerset, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,865

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Niigata and in Somerset, NJ

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Niigata and in Somerset, NJ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $723 in Niigata versus $3,865 in Somerset, NJ.

Niigata $723
Somerset, NJ $3,865

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,092 in Niigata versus $4,297 in Somerset, NJ.

Niigata $1,092
Somerset, NJ $4,297

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,462 in Niigata versus $4,728 in Somerset, NJ.

Niigata $1,462
Somerset, NJ $4,728

Living in Niigata costs roughly 81% less than in Somerset, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Niigata is 46% below, Somerset, NJ is 186% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥969

$18.26 $18.26

-66.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.60 ¥2,465

$39.28 $39.28

-60.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 ¥790

$8.16 $8.16

-38.73%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ¥410

$4.89 $4.89

-46.83%

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

$1.56 ¥246

$1.96 $1.96

-20.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥127

$1.47 $1.47

-45.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 ¥408

$7.84 $7.84

-67.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ¥419

$7.13 $7.13

-62.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥193

$1.32 $1.32

-7.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ¥154

$4.38 $4.38

-77.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 ¥403

$6.12 $6.12

-58.33%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥352

$2.02 $2.02

10.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.68 ¥1,214

$13.28 $13.28

-42.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 ¥1,055

$10.19 $10.19

-34.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 ¥2,581

$19.45 $19.45

-15.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ¥513

$6.07 $6.07

-46.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 ¥195

$3.49 $3.49

-64.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 ¥402

$4.32 $4.32

-40.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ¥359

$5.43 $5.43

-58.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 ¥302

$3.04 $3.04

-37.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 ¥308

$3.04 $3.04

-35.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 ¥148

$2.43 $2.43

-61.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥102

$2.97 $2.97

-78.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 ¥598

$17.39 $17.39

-78.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.30 ¥679

$15.25 $15.25

-71.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥269

$1.78 $1.78

-4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ¥301

$3.52 $3.52

-45.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 ¥199

$1.95 $1.95

-35.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ¥410

$2.94 $2.94

-11.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.09 ¥488

$2.23 $2.23

38.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.34 ¥2,897

$41.34 $41.34

-55.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥165

$1.10 $1.10

-5.45%

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

$18.6K ¥2.9M

$36.0K $36.0K

-48.20%

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

$12.5K ¥2.0M

$25.3K $25.3K

-50.70%

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

$147 ¥23.2K

$173 $173

-15.20%

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

$21.26 ¥3,360

$50.0 $50.0

-57.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.41 ¥4,015

$49.14 $49.14

-48.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 ¥8,210

$40.91 $40.91

27.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.24 ¥985

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 ¥1,872

$20.32 $20.32

-41.68%

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

$63.2 ¥9,991

$2,016 $2,016

-96.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K ¥2.8M

$16.3K $16.3K

10.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.35 ¥4,953

$50.2 $50.2

-37.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.21 ¥5,089

$40.93 $40.93

-21.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.87 ¥5,982

$85.3 $85.3

-55.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.6 ¥10.0K

$104 $104

-38.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 ¥55.3K

$1,599 $1,599

-78.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 $2,626

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,527 $2,527

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,114 $2,114

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,767 $2,767

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,399 $2,399

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,267 ¥200.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.48

6.8

-78.24%

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

Last update for Niigata: October 12, 2026

Last update for Somerset, NJ: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Niigata

$234 32.3%

Somerset, NJ

$441 11.4% 88.8% $208

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Niigata

$193 26.8%

Somerset, NJ

$272 7% 40.7% $79

Eating Out

Niigata

$123 17%

Somerset, NJ

$296 7.7% 141% $174

Sport & Entertainment

Niigata

$76 10.5%

Somerset, NJ

$82 2.1% 7.8% $5.9

Clothing & Footwear

Niigata

$74 10.3%

Somerset, NJ

$126 3.3% 69.8% $52

Getting Around

Niigata

$23 * 3.2%

Somerset, NJ

$22 * 0.6% 5.2% $1.2

Accommodation & Living

Niigata

- * 0%

Somerset, NJ

$2.6K 67.9%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $350 in Niigata and $1,599 in Somerset, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $16.00 in Niigata vs $39.00 in Somerset, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $441 per month, with Niigata cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇯🇵 Niigata

🇺🇸 Somerset, NJ

🕒 Local time

15:04 3:04 PM

02:04 2:04 AM

13 h behind Niigata

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

811,639

11,924

💱 Currency

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇯🇵 Japanese Yen (¥)

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to JPY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Niigata Somerset, NJ 10,650 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Niigata
Somerset, NJ

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Niigata vs Somerset, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Niigata and Somerset, NJ differ by about 435% in total monthly costs ($723 vs $3,865 including rent). Niigata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,085 in Niigata and $5,798 in Somerset, NJ 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: $350 in Niigata versus $1,599 in Somerset, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 89% higher in Somerset, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $723 per month in Niigata versus $3,865 in Somerset, NJ – a 435% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $723 in Niigata versus $3,865 in Somerset, NJ, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Niigata but tight or insufficient in Somerset, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Niigata 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, Niigata and Somerset, NJ 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 Niigata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 435% less than in Somerset, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.