Cost of Living Comparison Between Sendai and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Sendai and Tokyo

🙂 Solo nomad: Sendai is 24% cheaper than Tokyo without rent, and 24.9% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Sendai is 24.2% cheaper than Tokyo without rent, and 34% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sendai
Tokyo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.76 ¥971
$8.53 ¥1,226
-20.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.4 ¥4,942
$47.7 ¥6,852
-27.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.96 ¥713
$5.49 ¥789
-9.65%
Cappuccino
$3.96 ¥569
$3.6 ¥517
10.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 ¥227
$1.21 ¥174
30.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79 ¥113
$0.88 ¥126
-10.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.45 ¥495
$4.22 ¥606
-18.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ¥500
$5.35 ¥769
-34.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sendai
Tokyo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 ¥207
$1.57 ¥225
-8.28%
White Bread (500g)
$1.18 ¥169
$1.54 ¥221
-23.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.91 ¥561
$5.39 ¥774
-27.46%
Eggs
$1.79 ¥257
$2.41 ¥346
-25.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 ¥1,468
$16.02 ¥2,301
-36.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.44 ¥1,069
$7.96 ¥1,144
-6.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.7 ¥1,393
$22.64 ¥3,253
-57.16%
Apples (1kg)
$5.55 ¥798
$5.4 ¥776
2.78%
Banana (1kg)
$2.2 ¥315
$2.65 ¥381
-16.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.9 ¥704
$5.99 ¥860
-18.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.7 ¥532
$5.97 ¥858
-38.02%
Potato (1kg)
$2.52 ¥363
$3.28 ¥472
-23.17%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 ¥283
$3.5 ¥503
-43.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 ¥166
$1.49 ¥215
-22.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 ¥106
$0.87 ¥125
-14.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.91 ¥705
$4.22 ¥606
16.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ¥1,102
$10.09 ¥1,450
-23.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 ¥310
$2.13 ¥306
1.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ¥400
$2.87 ¥412
-3.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Sendai
Tokyo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.77 ¥254
$1.48 ¥212
19.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$49.43 ¥7,101
$83.5 ¥12K
-40.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 ¥774
$3.41 ¥490
58.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.36 ¥195
$3.01 ¥432
-54.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.82 ¥2,847
$26.47 ¥3,802
-25.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.19 ¥171
$1.21 ¥174
-1.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K ¥3M
$22.8K ¥3.3M
-8.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.1K ¥4M
$17.2K ¥2.5M
63.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sendai
Tokyo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$175 ¥25.2K
$168 ¥24.2K
4.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.11 ¥3,320
$26.83 ¥3,855
-13.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.82 ¥4,571
$33.17 ¥4,764
-4.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sendai
Tokyo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.8 ¥7,735
$69.9 ¥10K
-22.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.7 ¥1,967
$20.69 ¥2,972
-33.78%
Cinema Ticket
$12.3 ¥1,767
$13.01 ¥1,870
-5.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sendai
Tokyo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$320 ¥46K
$511 ¥73.4K
-37.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,267 ¥900.3K
$15.4K ¥2.2M
-59.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sendai
Tokyo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.6 ¥8,844
$61.3 ¥8,802
0.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.85 ¥5,725
$41.69 ¥5,989
-4.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$51 ¥7,328
$66.6 ¥9,562
-23.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.4 ¥10.8K
$91.2 ¥13.1K
-17.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sendai
Tokyo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$452 ¥65K
$1,121 ¥161K
-59.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$330 ¥47.4K
$606 ¥87.1K
-45.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$836 ¥120K
$2,695 ¥387.2K
-69.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$616 ¥88.6K
$1,338 ¥192.3K
-53.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,209 ¥317.3K
$11K ¥1.6M
-79.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,251 ¥179.7K
$5,208 ¥748.2K
-75.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sendai
Tokyo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,515 ¥217.6K
$2,525 ¥362.7K
-40.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3
1.72
74.42%

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

Last update for Sendai: October 27, 2025

Last update for Tokyo: October 29, 2025

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