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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Shiso vs $1,653 in Tokyo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,916 per month in Shiso vs $2,585 in Tokyo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,804 per month in Shiso vs $3,517 in Tokyo, rent included.

Shiso is about 38% cheaper than Tokyo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Shiso sits 25% below the global median, while Tokyo is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.99 ¥1,249

$7.31 ¥1,142

9.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.2 ¥10.3K

$37.11 ¥5,798

78.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.45 ¥1,007

$4.98 ¥777

29.52%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥554

$3.65 ¥570

-2.74%

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

$0.86 ¥134

$1.69 ¥263

-49.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥110

$0.92 ¥144

-22.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ¥408

$3.65 ¥570

-28.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ¥482

$5.06 ¥791

-38.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ¥239

$1.55 ¥243

-1.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 ¥454

$1.72 ¥269

68.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.90 ¥766

$5.92 ¥925

-17.23%

Eggs

$2.18 ¥341

$2.23 ¥349

-2.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 ¥1,601

$11.36 ¥1,775

-9.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ¥977

$7.67 ¥1,199

-18.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.41 ¥4,125

$20.11 ¥3,142

31.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.50 ¥858

$5.18 ¥809

6.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 ¥419

$2.51 ¥393

6.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.08 ¥638

$4.64 ¥725

-12.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.73 ¥896

$5.91 ¥923

-3.05%

Potato (1kg)

$4.29 ¥671

$3.54 ¥553

21.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 ¥403

$3.44 ¥538

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ¥218

$1.22 ¥190

14.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.86 ¥134

-5.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 ¥635

$3.97 ¥621

2.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 ¥1,135

$9.53 ¥1,489

-23.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥297

$1.78 ¥278

6.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥355

$3.03 ¥474

-25.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ¥213

$1.23 ¥192

11.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.74 ¥5,115

$67.6 ¥10.6K

-51.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ¥544

$3.16 ¥494

10.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.92 ¥456

$3.04 ¥475

-3.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.83 ¥3,255

$18.14 ¥2,834

14.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ¥190

$1.04 ¥162

16.35%

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

$23.0K ¥3.6M

$21.7K ¥3.4M

6.02%

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

$17.3K ¥2.7M

$14.7K ¥2.3M

17.84%

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

$146 ¥22.8K

$157 ¥24.5K

-7.06%

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

$23.62 ¥3,689

$22.07 ¥3,448

7.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.37 ¥2,089

$30.21 ¥4,720

-55.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.94 ¥5,771

$62.5 ¥9,770

-40.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.09 ¥2,201

$25.32 ¥3,955

-44.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 ¥745

$12.30 ¥1,921

-61.22%

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

$285 ¥44.5K

$1,300 ¥203.0K

-78.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.1M

$17.7K ¥2.8M

-24.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.87 ¥1,541

$51.2 ¥8,000

-80.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.61 ¥4,626

$32.35 ¥5,054

-8.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.58 ¥5,246

$62.6 ¥9,777

-46.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ¥15.8K

$74.6 ¥11.6K

35.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 ¥73.5K

$1,230 ¥192.2K

-61.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 ¥25.9K

$660 ¥103.0K

-74.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 ¥133.9K

$2,368 ¥369.9K

-63.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$662 ¥103.4K

$1,357 ¥212.1K

-51.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,279 ¥668.4K

$8,747 ¥1.4M

-51.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,109 ¥329.4K

$3,944 ¥616.2K

-46.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥444.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

1.93

-7.77%

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

Last update for Shiso: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $471 in Shiso 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Shiso versus $37.00 in Tokyo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $354 – making Tokyo 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

Shiso vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tokyo is pricier by about 61%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Shiso 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 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 $1,028 in Shiso and $1,653 in Tokyo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 107% 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 $1,028, than in Tokyo at $1,653. 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.