Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Oita and Tokyo

For one person, living is cheaper in Oita: $1,309 a month against $1,648 in Tokyo, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Oita
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,309
/mo nomad
Tokyo
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,648
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Oita and in Tokyo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,309 in Oita versus $1,648 in Tokyo.

  • Oita $1,309
  • Tokyo $1,648

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,033 in Oita versus $2,604 in Tokyo.

  • Oita $2,033
  • Tokyo $2,604

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,757 in Oita versus $3,561 in Tokyo.

  • Oita $2,757
  • Tokyo $3,561

Living in Oita costs roughly 21% less than in Tokyo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oita is 3% below, Tokyo is 22% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oita
Tokyo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.42 ¥1,172
$7.79 ¥1,230
-4.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.27 ¥6,677
$38.57 ¥6,094
9.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.91 ¥934
$4.99 ¥788
18.44%
Cappuccino
$3.74 ¥591
$3.58 ¥565
4.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00 ¥159
$1.57 ¥249
-36.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 ¥118
$0.90 ¥142
-16.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.75 ¥593
$3.75 ¥593
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 ¥355
$5.22 ¥825
-56.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oita
Tokyo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 ¥248
$1.55 ¥246
1.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.93 ¥304
$1.75 ¥277
10.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.61 ¥1,044
$5.56 ¥879
18.88%
Eggs
$2.30 ¥364
$2.25 ¥355
2.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.89 ¥2,827
$11.31 ¥1,787
58.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.49 ¥867
$6.76 ¥1,068
-18.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.89 ¥2,985
$16.83 ¥2,658
12.24%
Apples (1kg)
$3.58 ¥565
$4.66 ¥736
-23.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 ¥286
$2.27 ¥359
-20.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.86 ¥451
$4.33 ¥683
-33.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.42 ¥540
$5.23 ¥826
-34.61%
Potato (1kg)
$2.15 ¥340
$3.33 ¥526
-35.44%
Onion (1kg)
$2.56 ¥404
$3.00 ¥474
-14.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 ¥163
$1.16 ¥183
-11.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 ¥143
$0.83 ¥130
9.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.88 ¥613
$3.88 ¥613
-
Wine (Bottle)
$6.34 ¥1,001
$9.53 ¥1,506
-33.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 ¥270
$1.63 ¥257
4.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 ¥292
$2.62 ¥414
-29.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Oita
Tokyo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.51 ¥239
$1.22 ¥193
23.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.2 ¥8,409
$62.3 ¥9,848
-14.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.91 ¥617
$3.19 ¥505
22.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.08 ¥329
$3.09 ¥489
-32.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.07 ¥2,855
$18.70 ¥2,954
-3.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 ¥167
$1.11 ¥175
-5.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.9K ¥3.5M
$22.0K ¥3.5M
-0.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.6K ¥2.8M
$15.1K ¥2.4M
16.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oita
Tokyo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$214 ¥33.9K
$148 ¥23.4K
44.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.34 ¥3,846
$22.75 ¥3,594
6.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.96 ¥5,365
$29.86 ¥4,717
13.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oita
Tokyo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.3 ¥8,104
$65.5 ¥10.4K
-21.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$26.19 ¥4,137
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.12 ¥1,757
$13.22 ¥2,089
-15.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oita
Tokyo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$126 ¥20.0K
$1,314 ¥207.6K
-90.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K ¥1.9M
$17.9K ¥2.8M
-31.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oita
Tokyo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.06 ¥7,751
$54.3 ¥8,584
-9.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.11 ¥4,126
$32.73 ¥5,172
-20.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.0 ¥10.3K
$65.4 ¥10.3K
-0.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.12 ¥7,445
$70.6 ¥11.2K
-33.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oita
Tokyo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$523 ¥82.6K
$1,288 ¥203.4K
-59.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$336 ¥53.0K
$684 ¥108.1K
-50.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,094 ¥172.9K
$2,507 ¥396.1K
-56.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$723 ¥114.2K
$1,460 ¥230.6K
-50.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,285 ¥677.0K
$9,204 ¥1.5M
-53.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,755 ¥277.2K
$4,226 ¥667.6K
-58.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oita
Tokyo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$2,994 ¥473.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
1.97
2.25
-12.44%

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

Last update for Oita: October 18, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Oita
$336
Tokyo
$684 104% $349
Groceries & Markets
Oita
$317
Tokyo
$326 2.7% $8.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oita
$273
Tokyo
$201 26.4% $72
Eating Out
Oita
$152
Tokyo
$159 4.6% $7.1
Clothing & Footwear
Oita
$84
Tokyo
$100 19.1% $16
Getting Around
Oita
$74
Tokyo
$86 16.7% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Oita
$74
Tokyo
$92 25.1% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $523 in Oita and $1,288 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Oita vs $39.00 in Tokyo. Groceries flip the comparison at $317 vs $326, with Oita cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Oita
🇯🇵 Tokyo
🕒 Local time
10:59 10:59 AM
10:59 10:59 AM
Same time as Oita
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
475,614
13,613,660 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Oita Tokyo 790 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Oita
  • Tokyo

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
Oita vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Oita or Tokyo?
Oita wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Tokyo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oita the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Oita and in Tokyo?
You'd need roughly $1,964 in Oita and $2,473 in Tokyo 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Oita compared to Tokyo?
Rent for a central apartment: $523 in Oita versus $1,288 in Tokyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Oita and in Tokyo?
Childcare runs $126 in Oita versus $1,314 in Tokyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Oita or in Tokyo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Oita or in Tokyo?
At $1,309 in Oita versus $1,648 in Tokyo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Oita but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Oita the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Oita or Tokyo?
Both work as nomad bases, but Oita delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,309 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Oita hard to pass up.
How safe is Oita compared to Tokyo?
Safety-wise, Oita 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Oita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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