Cost of Living Comparison Between Nishinomiya and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Nishinomiya and Tokyo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,237 per month in Nishinomiya vs $1,653 in Tokyo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,938 per month in Nishinomiya vs $2,585 in Tokyo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,640 per month in Nishinomiya vs $3,517 in Tokyo, rent included.

Nishinomiya is about 25% cheaper than Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Nishinomiya sits 10% below the global median, while Tokyo is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.54 ¥1,333

$7.31 ¥1,142

16.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.27 ¥4,885

$37.11 ¥5,798

-15.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 ¥766

$4.98 ¥777

-1.61%

Cappuccino

$2.42 ¥377

$3.65 ¥570

-33.70%

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

$1.22 ¥191

$1.69 ¥263

-27.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥113

$0.92 ¥144

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ¥424

$3.65 ¥570

-25.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ¥485

$5.06 ¥791

-38.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.55 ¥243

-4.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥236

$1.72 ¥269

-12.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.19 ¥810

$5.92 ¥925

-12.33%

Eggs

$2.11 ¥330

$2.23 ¥349

-5.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 ¥1,469

$11.36 ¥1,775

-17.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 ¥1,484

$7.67 ¥1,199

23.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.29 ¥2,858

$20.11 ¥3,142

-9.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 ¥765

$5.18 ¥809

-5.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥298

$2.51 ¥393

-23.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 ¥480

$4.64 ¥725

-33.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.23 ¥973

$5.91 ¥923

5.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥241

$3.54 ¥553

-56.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 ¥380

$3.44 ¥538

-29.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ¥197

$1.22 ¥190

3.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥130

$0.86 ¥134

-3.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ¥604

$3.97 ¥621

-2.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.66 ¥1,509

$9.53 ¥1,489

1.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ¥368

$1.78 ¥278

32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥333

$3.03 ¥474

-29.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 ¥232

$1.23 ¥192

21.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.37 ¥7,556

$67.6 ¥10.6K

-28.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 ¥482

$3.16 ¥494

-2.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 ¥450

$3.04 ¥475

-5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.79 ¥2,467

$18.14 ¥2,834

-12.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥172

$1.04 ¥162

5.77%

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

$21.6K ¥3.4M

$21.7K ¥3.4M

-0.49%

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

$15.0K ¥2.4M

$14.7K ¥2.3M

2.20%

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

$117 ¥18.2K

$157 ¥24.5K

-25.60%

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

$23.45 ¥3,663

$22.07 ¥3,448

6.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.12 ¥4,705

$30.21 ¥4,720

-0.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.4 ¥9,905

$62.5 ¥9,770

1.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,955

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 ¥1,794

$12.30 ¥1,921

-6.67%

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

$501 ¥78.2K

$1,300 ¥203.0K

-61.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ¥2.0M

$17.7K ¥2.8M

-28.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.28 ¥6,918

$51.2 ¥8,000

-13.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.37 ¥4,744

$32.35 ¥5,054

-6.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.3 ¥9,420

$62.6 ¥9,777

-3.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 ¥14.1K

$74.6 ¥11.6K

21.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ¥67.9K

$1,230 ¥192.2K

-64.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ¥46.4K

$660 ¥103.0K

-54.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$909 ¥142.0K

$2,368 ¥369.9K

-61.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 ¥122.3K

$1,357 ¥212.1K

-42.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,053 ¥633.2K

$8,747 ¥1.4M

-53.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,818 ¥284.0K

$3,944 ¥616.2K

-53.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,966 ¥307.1K

$2,843 ¥444.2K

-30.86%

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 Nishinomiya: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Nishinomiya versus $1,230 in Tokyo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 45% higher in Tokyo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Nishinomiya versus $37.00 in Tokyo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $329 vs $354 – making Nishinomiya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Nishinomiya vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tokyo is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,855 per month in Nishinomiya and $2,480 in Tokyo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nishinomiya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Nishinomiya and $37.00 in Tokyo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,237 in Nishinomiya and $1,653 in Tokyo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nishinomiya, where all-in costs run around $1,237, than in Tokyo at $1,653. In Nishinomiya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nishinomiya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Nishinomiya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tokyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.