Cost of Living Comparison Between Shiso and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Shiso and Tokyo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,106 per month in Shiso vs $1,684 in Tokyo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,996 per month in Shiso vs $2,693 in Tokyo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,887 per month in Shiso vs $3,703 in Tokyo, rent included.

Shiso is about 34% cheaper than Tokyo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Shiso sits 17% below the global median, while Tokyo is 26% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.17 ¥1,306

$8.09 ¥1,294

0.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.6 ¥10.8K

$48.31 ¥7,727

39.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 ¥1,024

$5.69 ¥910

12.48%

Cappuccino

$3.62 ¥579

$3.57 ¥571

1.40%

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

$0.86 ¥137

$1.26 ¥202

-31.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥112

$0.93 ¥148

-24.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ¥409

$4.25 ¥681

-39.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ¥503

$5.30 ¥848

-40.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.58 ¥252

1.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 ¥475

$1.59 ¥254

86.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.84 ¥774

$5.32 ¥851

-9.02%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥356

$2.41 ¥385

-7.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 ¥1,635

$16.04 ¥2,565

-36.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 ¥997

$7.85 ¥1,255

-20.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.03 ¥4,324

$23.16 ¥3,704

16.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.36 ¥857

$5.23 ¥836

2.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 ¥420

$2.57 ¥412

2.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 ¥632

$5.73 ¥917

-31.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.05 ¥968

$5.97 ¥955

1.34%

Potato (1kg)

$4.48 ¥717

$3.21 ¥514

39.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ¥415

$3.51 ¥562

-26.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥212

$1.48 ¥236

-10.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥134

$0.90 ¥143

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ¥684

$4.27 ¥684

0.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.40 ¥1,184

$9.39 ¥1,501

-21.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥298

$2.15 ¥343

-13.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ¥361

$2.88 ¥461

-21.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 ¥215

$1.48 ¥237

-9.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.38 ¥5,340

$84.9 ¥13.6K

-60.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ¥560

$3.49 ¥559

0.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 ¥463

$2.87 ¥458

0.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.17 ¥3,385

$26.77 ¥4,281

-20.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥196

$1.22 ¥195

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

0.61%

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

$17.1K ¥2.7M

$17.4K ¥2.8M

-1.96%

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

$145 ¥23.2K

$164 ¥26.2K

-11.47%

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

$67.3 ¥10.8K

$26.63 ¥4,259

152.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.41 ¥2,145

$33.94 ¥5,428

-60.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.17 ¥5,945

$69.0 ¥11.0K

-46.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.73 ¥2,196

$20.11 ¥3,217

-31.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.57 ¥732

$13.06 ¥2,088

-65.01%

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

$279 ¥44.5K

$506 ¥81.0K

-44.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$15.7K ¥2.5M

-14.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.82 ¥1,571

$60.1 ¥9,611

-83.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ¥4,621

$40.31 ¥6,448

-28.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.14 ¥5,300

$64.7 ¥10.3K

-48.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ¥16.1K

$91.2 ¥14.6K

10.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ¥73.4K

$1,094 ¥175.0K

-58.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 ¥26.8K

$596 ¥95.4K

-71.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 ¥141.0K

$2,609 ¥417.4K

-66.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ¥106.9K

$1,339 ¥214.2K

-50.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,211 ¥673.6K

$10.8K ¥1.7M

-61.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,988 ¥318.0K

$4,974 ¥795.6K

-60.03%

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 Shiso: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Shiso versus $1,094 in Tokyo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Shiso versus $48.00 in Tokyo. Groceries tell a different story – $368 in Shiso vs $382 in Tokyo – so Shiso wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Shiso vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tokyo is pricier by about 52%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,658 per month in Shiso and $2,526 in Tokyo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,106 in Shiso and $1,684 in Tokyo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 154% less in Shiso. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Shiso, where all-in costs run around $1,106, than in Tokyo at $1,684. In Shiso it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shiso – 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 Shiso. 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.