Cost of Living Comparison Between Otsu and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Otsu and Tokyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,216 in Otsu versus $1,684 in Tokyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,935 in Otsu versus $2,693 in Tokyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,655 in Otsu versus $3,703 in Tokyo.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Otsu is 9% below, Tokyo is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,293

$8.09 ¥1,294

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.07 ¥5,450

$48.31 ¥7,727

-29.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 ¥903

$5.69 ¥910

-0.88%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ¥495

$3.57 ¥571

-13.45%

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

$0.92 ¥147

$1.26 ¥202

-26.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥115

$0.93 ¥148

-22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 ¥563

$4.25 ¥681

-17.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ¥510

$5.30 ¥848

-39.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ¥270

$1.58 ¥252

6.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥274

$1.59 ¥254

8.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ¥495

$5.32 ¥851

-41.92%

Eggs

$2.35 ¥376

$2.41 ¥385

-2.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 ¥1,537

$16.04 ¥2,565

-40.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 ¥1,239

$7.85 ¥1,255

-1.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.18 ¥2,428

$23.16 ¥3,704

-34.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.40 ¥865

$5.23 ¥836

3.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 ¥416

$2.57 ¥412

1.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.96 ¥793

$5.73 ¥917

-13.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ¥632

$5.97 ¥955

-33.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥265

$3.21 ¥514

-48.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 ¥378

$3.51 ¥562

-32.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ¥197

$1.48 ¥236

-16.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥161

$0.90 ¥143

12.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥646

$4.27 ¥684

-5.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.31 ¥1,169

$9.39 ¥1,501

-22.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ¥288

$2.15 ¥343

-16.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ¥382

$2.88 ¥461

-17.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.48 ¥237

8.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.1 ¥8,818

$84.9 ¥13.6K

-35.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥557

$3.49 ¥559

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 ¥462

$2.87 ¥458

0.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.62 ¥2,819

$26.77 ¥4,281

-34.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥196

$1.22 ¥195

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-2.88%

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

$17.1K ¥2.7M

$17.4K ¥2.8M

-2.16%

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

$113 ¥18.1K

$164 ¥26.2K

-30.93%

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

$26.63 ¥4,260

$26.63 ¥4,259

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.27 ¥5,322

$33.94 ¥5,428

-1.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 ¥9,036

$69.0 ¥11.0K

-18.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ¥2,246

$20.11 ¥3,217

-30.18%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥1,992

$13.06 ¥2,088

-4.67%

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

$374 ¥59.9K

$506 ¥81.0K

-26.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,274 ¥1.2M

$15.7K ¥2.5M

-53.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.68 ¥7,466

$60.1 ¥9,611

-22.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.44 ¥5,028

$40.31 ¥6,448

-22.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.4 ¥8,859

$64.7 ¥10.3K

-14.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.4 ¥14.8K

$91.2 ¥14.6K

1.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ¥74.7K

$1,094 ¥175.0K

-57.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 ¥52.1K

$596 ¥95.4K

-45.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 ¥140.3K

$2,609 ¥417.4K

-66.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ¥104.2K

$1,339 ¥214.2K

-51.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,879 ¥780.4K

$10.8K ¥1.7M

-54.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,196 ¥351.2K

$4,974 ¥795.6K

-55.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

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 Otsu: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $467 in Otsu and $1,094 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Otsu vs $48.00 in Tokyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $306 vs $382 per month, with Otsu 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

Otsu vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Otsu wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Tokyo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Otsu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,823 in Otsu and $2,526 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $467 in Otsu versus $1,094 in Tokyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $374 in Otsu versus $506 in Tokyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,216 in Otsu versus $1,684 in Tokyo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Otsu but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Otsu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Otsu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,216 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Otsu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Otsu 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 Otsu 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.